{{short description|NZ rugby league footballer and coach}} {{for|the association (soccer) footballer|Billy Telford}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Use New Zealand English|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox rugby league biography |name = Bill Telford |fullname = William Telford |image = Bill Telford.png |image_size = |caption = |position = |birth_date = 5 November 1905 |birth_place = New Zealand |death_date = {{death date and age|df=y|1998|9|25|1905|11|5}} |death_place = |height = |weight = |club1 = Richmond Rovers |year1start = 1927 |year1end = |appearances1 = 14 |tries1 = 3 |goals1 = 1 |fieldgoals1 = 0 |points1 = 11 |club2 = Glebe |year2start = 1928 |year2end = |appearances2 = 6 |tries2 = 1 |goals2 = 0 |fieldgoals2 = 0 |points2 = 3 |club3 = Richmond Rovers |year3start = 1929 |year3end = 37 |appearances3 = 117 |tries3 = 36 |goals3 = 0 |fieldgoals3 = 0 |points3 = 108 |teamA = Auckland |yearAstart = 1932 |yearAend = 36 |appearancesA = 8 |triesA = 1 |goalsA = 0 |fieldgoalsA = 0 |pointsA = 3 |coachteam1 = Ponsonby |coachyear1start = |coachyear1end = |coachgames1 = |coachwins1 = |coachdraws1 = |coachlosses1 = |coachteamA = New Zealand |coachyearAstart = 1956 |coachyearAend = 57 |coachgamesA = |coachwinsA = |coachdrawsA = |coachlossesA = |coachteamB = New Zealand |coachyearBstart = 1961 |coachyearBend = 63 |coachgamesB = |coachwinsB = |coachdrawsB = |coachlossesB = |coachteamC = New Zealand |coachyearCstart = 1965 |coachyearCend = |coachgamesC = |coachwinsC = |coachdrawsC = |coachlossesC = |updated = |source = [http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/players/Bill-Telford/summary.html RLP] |new = yes }}
'''Bill "Snow" Telford''' was a New Zealand rugby league player and coach who coached his country several times, including in the 1957 World Cup.
==Playing career== Telford played for the Richmond club in the Auckland Rugby League competition.<ref name=akl100>Coffey, John and Bernie Wood ''Auckland, 100 years of rugby league, 1909-2009'', 2009. {{ISBN|978-1-86969-366-4}}.</ref>
In 1928 Telford played for Glebe in the NSWRL Premiership.<ref>{{cite web |title=NSWRFL 1928 - RLP |url=https://org.rugbyleagueproject.com/seasons/nswrfl-1928/round-10/western-suburbs-magpies-vs-glebe/summary.html |website=org.rugbyleagueproject.com |publisher=Rugby League Project |access-date=1 April 2026|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260401204257/https://org.rugbyleagueproject.com/seasons/nswrfl-1928/round-10/western-suburbs-magpies-vs-glebe/summary.html|archive-date= 1 April 2026}}</ref>
==Coaching career== In 1948 Telford managed the Auckland side for coach Stan Prentice.<ref name=akl100/>
Telford first coached New Zealand between 1956 and 1957, leading the 1956 tour of Australia and coaching the team at the 1957 World Cup.<ref>{{Cite journal | author1=New South Wales Rugby Football League. | journal=The Rugby League News| location=Sydney | publisher=N.S.W. Rugby Football League | via=Trove | year=1920|title= New Zealand Team Leaders, 1957|volume= 38|issue= 16 (25 June 1957)|url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-760894692| id=nla.obj-760894692| access-date=21 Jan 2020}}</ref>
He advised the West Coast when they travelled to Auckland in 1960.<ref name=akl100/>
His second spell as head coach of the Kiwis was between 1961 and 1963 and included the 1961 tour of Great Britain and France and the 1963 tour of Australia.{{citation needed|date=April 2022}}
Telford's final spell as head coach came in 1965 when he led the tour of Great Britain and France. Telford finished his New Zealand coaching career with 8 Test victories, 3 draws and 17 losses.{{citation needed|date=April 2022}}
==References== {{Reflist}} {{New Zealand 1957 Rugby League World Cup squad}} {{New Zealand national rugby league team coaches}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Telford, Bill}} Category:1905 births Category:1998 deaths Category:20th-century New Zealand sportsmen Category:Auckland rugby league team coaches Category:Glebe rugby league players Category:New Zealand national rugby league team coaches Category:New Zealand rugby league coaches Category:New Zealand rugby league players Category:Ponsonby Ponies coaches Category:Richmond Bulldogs players