Eric Harper
Encyclopedia
Eric Tristram Harper was a New Zealand sportsman, who is most notable for playing rugby union
for the New Zealand national rugby union team and in 1905 became one of the Original All Blacks when he toured Britain and Ireland with Dave Gallaher
's team.
A keen athlete, Harper was a hurdler at national level, and also played cricket
representing Canterbury. In 1918, while serving in the New Zealand Expeditionary Force
during World War I, he was killed in action in Jerusalem; becoming one of 11 New Zealand rugby internationals to die during the conflict.
, New Zealand in 1877, and was born into a prominent pioneering families. He was educated at Christchurch Boys High. A sportsman of some note he won the first national track title in 1901 in the 440 yards hurdle and the next year won the 880 yards hurdles. Harper was also a keen mountaineer and made important discoveries in the Southern Alps.
With the outbreak of the First World War, Harper joined the New Zealand Expeditionary Force, a military unit sent from New Zealand to fight for the British. Reaching the rank of Sargent Major he served in the Canterbury Mounted Rifles division and was posted to Palestine
. On 30 April 1918, while his unit was coming under artillery bombardment in Jerusalem, he attempted to quiet horses and was killed in the attack. He is commemorated at the Jerusalem Memorial in Israel.
Province. On 6 August 1904, Harper faced his first international opposition when he played for a combined Canterbury / West Coast
team against the touring British Isles team
. Seven days later Harper was selected for his first international match for New Zealand, facing the same British Isles team. The game ended in a 9–3 victory for the New Zealand team.
Despite the victory, Harper received mixed reviews, and was not chosen for the preliminary tour of Australia, in preparation for the main tour to Britain and Ireland. When the full squad left for Europe, Harper was amongst the team, but was injured in an early encounter, playing in only four of the first 17 British matches. Though Harper did score a try
in the match against Newport. The tour took in six international games, the warm-up in Australia, four matches against the Home Nation teams and a final game in France. Harper was only chosen for the encounter against France
, but was part of a high scoring three-quarters line, who managed seven tries and three conversions between the three members. Harper scored two of the tries against France, but never represented his country again.
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
for the New Zealand national rugby union team and in 1905 became one of the Original All Blacks when he toured Britain and Ireland with Dave Gallaher
Dave Gallaher
David "Dave" Gallaher was a New Zealand rugby union footballer, best known as the captain of "The Originals", the first New Zealand national rugby union team to be known as the All Blacks....
's team.
A keen athlete, Harper was a hurdler at national level, and also played cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
representing Canterbury. In 1918, while serving in the New Zealand Expeditionary Force
New Zealand Expeditionary Force
The New Zealand Expeditionary Force was the title of the military forces sent from New Zealand to fight for Britain during World War I and World War II. Ultimately, the NZEF of World War I was known as the First New Zealand Expeditionary Force...
during World War I, he was killed in action in Jerusalem; becoming one of 11 New Zealand rugby internationals to die during the conflict.
Personal history
Harper was born in PapanuiPapanui
Papanui is a major suburb of Christchurch New Zealand. It is sited five kilometers to the northwest of the city centre. Papanui is a middle socio-economic area with a population of 3,543 consisting predominantly of Pākehā 92.3%, Māori 5.7%, Pacific peoples 2.5%, Asian 5.0%, Middle Eastern/Latin...
, New Zealand in 1877, and was born into a prominent pioneering families. He was educated at Christchurch Boys High. A sportsman of some note he won the first national track title in 1901 in the 440 yards hurdle and the next year won the 880 yards hurdles. Harper was also a keen mountaineer and made important discoveries in the Southern Alps.
With the outbreak of the First World War, Harper joined the New Zealand Expeditionary Force, a military unit sent from New Zealand to fight for the British. Reaching the rank of Sargent Major he served in the Canterbury Mounted Rifles division and was posted to Palestine
Palestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
. On 30 April 1918, while his unit was coming under artillery bombardment in Jerusalem, he attempted to quiet horses and was killed in the attack. He is commemorated at the Jerusalem Memorial in Israel.
Rugby career
Harper first came to note as a rugby player when he represented the Christchurch team. In 1900 he was selected to play for CanterburyCanterbury Rugby Football Union
The Canterbury Rugby Football Union is the governing body for rugby union in a substantial part of the Canterbury region, in the middle of the South Island of New Zealand...
Province. On 6 August 1904, Harper faced his first international opposition when he played for a combined Canterbury / West Coast
West Coast Rugby Football Union
The West Coast Rugby Football Union, formed in 1890, is the official governing body for rugby union in a substantial part of the West Coast region of New Zealand and is affiliated to the New Zealand Rugby Union. The team is based in Greymouth and plays home matches at Rugby Park....
team against the touring British Isles team
1904 British Lions tour to Australia and New Zealand
The 1904 British Isles tour to New Zealand and Australia was the sixth tour by a British Isles team and the fourth to New Zealand and Australia...
. Seven days later Harper was selected for his first international match for New Zealand, facing the same British Isles team. The game ended in a 9–3 victory for the New Zealand team.
Despite the victory, Harper received mixed reviews, and was not chosen for the preliminary tour of Australia, in preparation for the main tour to Britain and Ireland. When the full squad left for Europe, Harper was amongst the team, but was injured in an early encounter, playing in only four of the first 17 British matches. Though Harper did score a try
Try
A try is the major way of scoring points in rugby league and rugby union football. A try is scored by grounding the ball in the opposition's in-goal area...
in the match against Newport. The tour took in six international games, the warm-up in Australia, four matches against the Home Nation teams and a final game in France. Harper was only chosen for the encounter against France
France national rugby union team
The France national rugby union team represents France in rugby union. They compete annually against England, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales in the Six Nations Championship. They have won the championship outright sixteen times, shared it a further eight times, and have completed nine grand slams...
, but was part of a high scoring three-quarters line, who managed seven tries and three conversions between the three members. Harper scored two of the tries against France, but never represented his country again.
External links
- Eric Harper 1877–1918 'All Blacks At War: The First XIII'