Neville Francis

Neville Francis was born in Sydney and grew up in St Mary’s where he excelled in sporting activities. After extensive travel, he settled in Brisbane as a nurse in a psychiatric ward where he was introduced to the game of contract bridge by Joan Bannah. After marriage he moved to Stanthorpe and continued nursing in Warwick. He also commenced giving lessons to ‘older’ citizens in contract bridge. From these students the Stanthorpe Bridge Club was formed. Neville also pursued his passion for bridge at the Warwick club with John Rose. Neville moved to Warwick and then to Toowoomba where his bridge career began in earnest partnering people such as Ivy Dahler, Adrian Mayers and Enid Busch. He began appearing consistently on the winner’s listings in the 1990’s.

Neville realised that the most logical way to reach the top would come through playing with and against the State’s top players, most of whom were based in Brisbane. He began a routine of travelling amazing distances each week in order to attend congresses and club games in the south-east. That this strategy was was outstandingly successful is best illustrated by his masterpoint record:

James O’Sullivan Award [for most masterpoints earned in Queensland for the year] 2002, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019

No other Queenslander has come close to this since masterpoints were invented. He has been the mainstay of Queensland teams at the Australian National Championships almost every year since 1997.

Neville is very knowledgeable on the laws of contract bridge and has given much back to the game he loves by serving on many committees of the Queensland Bridge Association, most notably the Tournament Committee and the Appeals Committee. His work as appeals advisor at major congresses has been invaluable. He chairs congress appeals with great authority so that all parties are assured of a fair hearing. At a local level he directs weekly sessions at his home club and his positive and calm presence is arguably one of the reasons why that session has attracted many of Brisbane’s strongest players.

International Representation

  • 2006 Australian Commonwealth Nations Open team – Bronze Medal

State Representation

  • 2022 Queensland Open Team – with Tony Hutton, Therese Tully, Richard Ward, Laurie Skeate, Phil Hale]
  • 2021 Queensland Open Team – [NPC with Tony Hutton, Malcolm Carter, Therese Tully, Richard Ward, Paul Hooykaas, Peter Evans]
  • 2021 Queensland Women’s Team – 1st place Australian National Championships Interstate Women’s Teams – [NPC with Pele Rankin, Greer Tucker, Toni Bardon, Yolanda Carter, Margaret Millar, Sue O’Brien]
  • 1997 Queensland Open Team – [with Clair Green, Siegfried Konig, Jim Wallis, Adrian Mayers, John Mills, Keith McDonald (NPC)]
  • 1998 Queensland Open Team – [with Siegfried Konig, Jim Wallis, Betty Lee, Mike Robson, Adrian Mayers, Keith McDonald,(NPC)]
  • 1999 Queensland Open Team – [with Adrian Mayers, Mike Robson, Betty Lee, Peter Hainsworth, Ralph Parker, Michael Kent (NPC)]
  • 2000 Queensland Open Team – [with Bill Hunt, Betty Lee, Mike Robson, Ralph Parker, Peter Hainsworth, Barry Kempthorne (NPC)]
  • 2001 Queensland Open Team – [NPC with Mike Pemberton, Kurt Ko, Siegfried Konig, Jim Wallis, Terry Strong, Magnus Moren]
  • 2003 Queensland Open Team – [with Richard Wallis, Therese Tully, Janeen Solomon, Betty Lee, Mike Robson, Magnus Moren (NPC)]
  • 2004 Queensland Open Team – [with Janeen Solomon, Bill Hunt, Darko Janzekovic, Sanmugaras Kamalarasa, Magnus Moren, Keith McDonald (NPC)]
  • 2005 Queensland Open Team – [with David Appleton, Peter Hainsworth, Magnus Moren, Darko Janzekovic, Sanmugaras Kamalarasa, Terry Strong (NPC)]
  • 2006 Queensland Open Team – [with Siegfried Konig, Jim Wallis, Magnus Moren, Peter Evans, Janeen Solomon, Sanmugaras Kamalarasa (NPC)]
  • 2008 Queensland Open Team – [NPC with Peter Hainsworth, Sanmugaras Kamalarasa, David Appleton, Paul Hooykaas, Andy Braithwaite, Bill Haughie]
  • 2012 Queensland Open Team – [with Kevin Steffensen, Betty Lee, Mike Robson, Peter Hainsworth, Sanmugaras Kamalarasa, Jim Evans (NPC) ]
  • 2013 Queensland Open Team – [NPC with Nathan van Jole, Sanmugaras Kamalarasa, Peter Evans, Rosie Green, Peter Hainsworth, Mile Pemberton]
  • 2014 Queensland Open Team – [with Kevin Steffensen, Richard Wallis, Therese Tully, Charles Howard, Kerry Wood, Jim Evans (NPC) ]
  • 2015 Queensland Open Team – [NPC with Malcolm Carter, Tony Hutton, Greg Lee, Eileen Li, Janeen Solomon, Pele Rankin]
  • 2016 Queensland Open Team – [with Malcolm Carter, Tony Hutton, Kevin Steffensen, Ralph Parker, Paul Hooykaas, Richard Ward (NPC) ]
  • 2017 Queensland Senior’s Team – [NPC with Malcolm Carter, Tony Hutton, Ian Afflick, Paul Collins, Carolyn Miller, Paul Wyer]
  • 2018 Queensland Seniors Team – [with Tony Hutton, Ian Afflick, Paul Collins, Larry Moses, Richard Touton]
  • 2021 Queensland Open Team – [NPC with Tony Hutton, Malcolm Carter, Therese Tully, Richard Ward, Paul Hooykaas, Peter Evans]
  • 2021 Queensland Women’s Team – [NPC with Pele Rankin, Greer Tucker, Toni Bardon, Yolanda Carter, Margaret Millar, Sue O’Brien]

State Titles

  • 1996 Queensland Graded Teams Championship – [with John Rose, Ivy Dahler, Adrian Mayers]
  • 1996 Queensland Men’s Pairs – [with Adrian Mayers]
  • 1998 Queensland Mixed Pairs Championship – [with Ivy Dahler]
  • 1998 Queensland Graded Teams Championship – [with Magnus Moren, Bill Hunt, Adrian Mayers]
  • 2001 Queensland Open Teams Championship – [with Magnus Moren, Janeen Solomon, Terry Strong]
  • 2003 Queensland Graded Teams Championship – [with Denis Croft, Janeen Solomon, Terry Strong]
  • 2005 Queensland Mixed Pairs Championship – [with Janeen Solomon]
  • 2006 Queensland Open Pairs – [with Magnus Moren]
  • 2007 Queensland Graded Pairs Championship – [with Andrew Pryde]
  • 2007 Queensland Open Teams – [with Andy Braithwaite, David Appleton, Janeen Solomon, Magnus Moren]
  • 2007 Queensland Butler Pairs – [with Magnus Moren]
  • 2007 Queensland Men’s Pairs – [with Magnus Moren]
  • 2007 Queensland Mixed Pairs Championship – [with Janeen Solomon]
  • 2008 Queensland Mixed Pairs Championship [with Janeen Solomon]
  • 2008 Queensland Butler Pairs – [with Magnus Moren]
  • 2008 Queensland Men’s Pairs – [with Magnus Moren]
  • 2009 Queensland Mixed Teams Championship – [with Sanmugaras Kamalarasa, Janeen Solomon, Roman Morawiecki, Magnus Moren]
  • 2010 Queensland Mixed Teams Championship – [with Sanmugaras Kamalarasa, Janeen Solomon, Roman Morawiecki, Magnus Moren]
  • 2011 Queensland Mixed Teams Championship – [with Sanmugaras Kamalarasa, Janeen Solomon, Nathan van Jole, Andrew Pryde]
  • 2011 Queensland Men’s Pairs – [with Magnus Moren]
  • 2012 Queensland Mixed Teams Championship – [with Sanmugaras Kamalarasa, Janeen Solomon, Nathan van Jole, Magnus Moren]
  • 2012 Queensland Open Teams – [with Peter Hainsworth, Nathan van Jole, Sanmugaras Kamalarasa]
  • 2012 Queensland Graded Teams Championship – [with Ralph Parker, Nathan van Jole, Sanmugaras Kamalarasa]
  • 2013 Queensland Mixed Teams Championship – [with Sanmugaras Kamalarasa, Janeen Solomon, Magnus Moren]
  • 2014 Queensland Open Pairs – [with Magnus Moren]
  • 2014 Queensland Graded Teams Championship – [with Kevin Steffensen, Pamela Evans, Jim Evans]
  • 2015 Queensland Butler Pairs – [with Magnus Moren]
  • 2015 Queensland Mixed Teams Championship – [with Sanmugaras Kamalarasa, Janeen Solomon, Magnus Moren]
  • 2015 Queensland Open Teams – [with Magnus Moren, Tony Hutton, Malcolm Carter]
  • 2016 Queensland Butler Pairs – [with Magnus Moren]
  • 2015 Queensland Men’s Pairs – [with Magnus Moren]
  • 2016 Queensland Men’s Pairs – [with Magnus Moren]
  • 2016 Queensland Mixed Teams Championship – [with Sanmugaras Kamalarasa, Maureen Jakes, Alison Dawson]
  • 2017 Queensland Open Teams – [with Magnus Moren, Malcolm Carter, Tony Hutton]
  • 2018 Queensland Senior Teams – [with Tony Hutton, Lyn Carter, Malcolm Carter]
  • 2018 Queensland Open Teams – [with Magnus Moren, Jill Magee, Terry Strong]
  • 2019 Queensland Senior Teams – [with Tony Hutton, Lyn Carter, Malcolm Carter]
  • 2019 Queensland Open Teams – [with Magnus Moren, Jill Magee, Terry Strong]
  • 2020 Queensland Mixed Teams – [with Toni Bardon, Janeen Solomon, Patrick Bugler]
  • 2023 Queensland Open Pairs Championship [with Richard Ward]

Other

  • 2003 Barrier Reef Congress Teams – [with Denis Croft, Magnus Moren, Terry Strong]
  • 2007 Territory Gold Pairs – [with Magnus Moren]
  • 2009 Territory Gold Pairs – [with Magnus Moren]
  • 2015 Gold Coast Congress Bobby Richman Pairs Championship – [with Magnus Moren]