George William Smith (New Zealand)
Encyclopedia
George William Smith was a New Zealand
sportsman who excelled at track and field
as well as both codes of rugby football
.
and won the 1894 New Zealand Cup
, riding Impulse. He had to abandon his racing career after gaining weight.
and hurdler
, winning 14 national championships between 1898 and 1904 (100 yards sprint and 440 yards hurdles five times each and the 120 yards hurdles four times), as well as multiple Australasian championships and the 1902 British AAA quarter-mile hurdles
, in which event he had an unofficial world record of 58.5s. While in Britain in 1902 Manningham F.C. tried to sign Smith to play rugby league
. Smith turned down the £100 contract.
for the City Rugby Club in Auckland. He first represented his home province Auckland in 1896 and, in the following year made, his debut for the New Zealand national team
against New South Wales
. However, in the following years, Smith played little rugby, instead preferring to concentrate on track. He made a come back in 1901, gaining All Black selection, before disappearing again until he was enticed back to the game with the prospect of joining the 'Originals
' tour to the British Isles
and France
in 1905.
During the Originals tour, Smith was one of the outstanding players, especially in the early part of the tour, playing in 19 games, including the internationals against Scotland
and Ireland
, and scoring 19 tries
. It was during this time in Britain that he first saw Northern Union
being played.
Altogether, Smith made 39 appearances for New Zealand in rugby union, 21 as a wing and 18 at centre, and scored 34 tries.
Smith played for the City club and represented Auckland in 1906. City conducted a four game tour of Sydney after the season had ended.
, and discussed the potential of professional rugby in Australasia
. Smith is reported to have told Giltinan "What about you gettings Rugby League going in Australia, and I'll do my best when I cross the Tasman home." He then met Albert Baskiville in Wellington and played a leading part in the formation of the professional 1907-1908 New Zealand rugby tour of Great Britain, helping to select the touring party. At the time Smith was probably the best known athlete in New Zealand and his involvement in the tour lent it credibility and increased its ability to attract players. Smith was elected vice-captain and the tour was a success, both financially and on the field, with the team winning its three match series against Great Britain
. Smith later described the tour as the happiest one he had ever been associated with.
After touring with the professional All Blacks he stayed on in Britain to play professionally with the Oldham
club, signing a £150 contract. This gave Smith the financial freedom he had been seeking and he bought his fiance over from New Zealand to join him in Oldham. By 1912 Smith had moved into the forwards and played at second row. Smith played for the club until 1916 when a broken leg ended his career.
coaching staff for three years. He often met touring New Zealand League and All Blacks
sides.
He lived in Oldham until his death on 7 December 1954.
His son, George Smith, played both rugby codes and died in a Japanese prisoner camp in 1943.
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
sportsman who excelled at track and field
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
as well as both codes of rugby football
Rugby football
Rugby football is a style of football named after Rugby School in the United Kingdom. It is seen most prominently in two current sports, rugby league and rugby union.-History:...
.
Jockey
George was an extremely successful jockeyJockey
A jockey is an athlete who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing.-Etymology:...
and won the 1894 New Zealand Cup
New Zealand Cup
The New Zealand Cup is a thoroughbred horse race held at Riccarton Park racecourse in Christchurch, held on the final Saturday of New Zealand Cup week in November. The week also features the New Zealand 1000 and 2000 Guineas, with the New Zealand Trotting Cup on the Tuesday at Addington being the...
, riding Impulse. He had to abandon his racing career after gaining weight.
Athlete
As a track athlete, Smith was an outstanding sprinterSprint (race)
Sprints are short running events in athletics and track and field. Races over short distances are among the oldest running competitions. The first 13 editions of the Ancient Olympic Games featured only one event—the stadion race, which was a race from one end of the stadium to the other...
and hurdler
Hurdling
Hurdling is a type of track and field race.- Distances :There are sprint hurdle races and long hurdle races. The standard sprint hurdle race is 110 meters for men and 100 meters for women. The standard long hurdle race is 400 meters for both men and women...
, winning 14 national championships between 1898 and 1904 (100 yards sprint and 440 yards hurdles five times each and the 120 yards hurdles four times), as well as multiple Australasian championships and the 1902 British AAA quarter-mile hurdles
400 metres hurdles
The 400 metres hurdles is an Olympic athletics event in track and field. On a standard outdoor track 400 metres is the length of the inside lane once around the stadium. Runners stay in their lane the entire way after starting out of the blocks and must clear ten hurdles that are evenly...
, in which event he had an unofficial world record of 58.5s. While in Britain in 1902 Manningham F.C. tried to sign Smith to play rugby league
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
. Smith turned down the £100 contract.
Rugby union
Smith began his rugby career in 1895 playing rugby unionRugby 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 City Rugby Club in Auckland. He first represented his home province Auckland in 1896 and, in the following year made, his debut for the New Zealand national team
All Blacks
The New Zealand men's national rugby union team, known as the All Blacks, represent New Zealand in what is regarded as its national sport....
against New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
. However, in the following years, Smith played little rugby, instead preferring to concentrate on track. He made a come back in 1901, gaining All Black selection, before disappearing again until he was enticed back to the game with the prospect of joining the 'Originals
The Original All Blacks (1905)
The Original All Blacks were the first New Zealand national rugby union team to tour outside Australasia. They toured the British Isles, France and the United States of America during 1905–1906. Their opening game was against Devon on 16 September 1905 whom they defeated 55–4...
' tour to the British Isles
British Isles
The British Isles are a group of islands off the northwest coast of continental Europe that include the islands of Great Britain and Ireland and over six thousand smaller isles. There are two sovereign states located on the islands: the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and...
and France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
in 1905.
During the Originals tour, Smith was one of the outstanding players, especially in the early part of the tour, playing in 19 games, including the internationals against Scotland
Scotland national rugby union team
The Scotland national rugby union team represent Scotland in international rugby union. Rugby union in Scotland is administered by the Scottish Rugby Union. The Scotland rugby union team is currently ranked eighth in the IRB World Rankings as of 19 September 2011...
and Ireland
Ireland national rugby union team
The Ireland national rugby union team represents the island of Ireland in rugby union. The team competes annually in the Six Nations Championship and every four years in the Rugby World Cup, where they reached the quarter-final stage in all but two competitions The Ireland national rugby union...
, and scoring 19 tries
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...
. It was during this time in Britain that he first saw Northern Union
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
being played.
Altogether, Smith made 39 appearances for New Zealand in rugby union, 21 as a wing and 18 at centre, and scored 34 tries.
Smith played for the City club and represented Auckland in 1906. City conducted a four game tour of Sydney after the season had ended.
Rugby league
While in Sydney with the City club Smith met an Australian entrepreneur, James GiltinanJ J Giltinan
James Joseph Giltinan was an Australian entrepreneur who helped to found the sport of rugby league football in Australia.On 8 August 1907 at Bateman's Crystal Hotel, George Street, Sydney politician Henry Hoyle chaired a meeting of fifty, comprising several leading rugby players and officials...
, and discussed the potential of professional rugby in Australasia
Australasia
Australasia is a region of Oceania comprising Australia, New Zealand, the island of New Guinea, and neighbouring islands in the Pacific Ocean. The term was coined by Charles de Brosses in Histoire des navigations aux terres australes...
. Smith is reported to have told Giltinan "What about you gettings Rugby League going in Australia, and I'll do my best when I cross the Tasman home." He then met Albert Baskiville in Wellington and played a leading part in the formation of the professional 1907-1908 New Zealand rugby tour of Great Britain, helping to select the touring party. At the time Smith was probably the best known athlete in New Zealand and his involvement in the tour lent it credibility and increased its ability to attract players. Smith was elected vice-captain and the tour was a success, both financially and on the field, with the team winning its three match series against Great Britain
Great Britain national rugby league team
The Great Britain national rugby league team represents the United Kingdom in rugby league football. Administered by the Rugby Football League , the team is nicknamed "The Lions" or "Great Britain Lions"....
. Smith later described the tour as the happiest one he had ever been associated with.
After touring with the professional All Blacks he stayed on in Britain to play professionally with the Oldham
Oldham Roughyeds
Oldham Roughyeds is an English professional rugby league club based in Oldham, Greater Manchester. They currently play in the Championship One. Oldham is one of the original twenty-two rugby clubs that formed the Northern Rugby Football Union in 1895....
club, signing a £150 contract. This gave Smith the financial freedom he had been seeking and he bought his fiance over from New Zealand to join him in Oldham. By 1912 Smith had moved into the forwards and played at second row. Smith played for the club until 1916 when a broken leg ended his career.
Later life
Smith then joined a textile firm but in 1932 returned to rugby league, being involved in the OldhamOldham Roughyeds
Oldham Roughyeds is an English professional rugby league club based in Oldham, Greater Manchester. They currently play in the Championship One. Oldham is one of the original twenty-two rugby clubs that formed the Northern Rugby Football Union in 1895....
coaching staff for three years. He often met touring New Zealand League and All Blacks
All Blacks
The New Zealand men's national rugby union team, known as the All Blacks, represent New Zealand in what is regarded as its national sport....
sides.
He lived in Oldham until his death on 7 December 1954.
His son, George Smith, played both rugby codes and died in a Japanese prisoner camp in 1943.
External links
- Dictionary of New Zealand Biography
- S Player Statistics Oldham Heritage Trust, Accessed 13 August 2009