Keenly felt rugby loss

Press, 29 May 1985, Page 44

Keenly felt rugby loss

Things might have been much better for the oftcriticised 1935 All Blacks had their best first fiveeighths, “Rusty” Page, not suffered a crippling knee injury in the second match of a testing tour of the British Isles.

The side never got within a bull’s roar of emulating the panache of its predecessors of 1905 and 1924 in the United Kingdom. But it did beat Ireland and Scotland, and lost to Wales only through a foul on the vicecaptain, Charlie Oliver, in the last few minutes. Then came the final test match, against England at Twickenham, and this has been the game which, in the minds of many .New Zealanders, was the damning indictment of the team. England, sparked by the brilliance of the champagnedrinking and oyster-eating Russian prince, Alex Obolensky, won 13-0. James Russell Page, who died last week at the age of 76, watched that match, with understandable anguish, from the lofty stands of “Twickers.” Had he been playing, it is distinctly possible that he could have cut “Obo” down on cover defence. He was good at that. But, alas for the 1935 All Blacks, “Rusty” Page was badly hurt in the second game of the tour, against Midland Counties at Coventry. He played only once more on tour, against North of Scotland, at Aberdeen. Page was a most distinguished looking player. He had graduated as an artillery officer from Sandhurst, and throughout his All Black career he sported a moustache of considerable proportions. As a rugby player be was always dependable, and, at times, delectable. He was born into a special rugbyheritage in Southland, and later he polished that image by adapting the sophistication of British back play during his time at Sandhurst. He played for London Scottish and was reserve for Scotland.

Straight after returning to New Zealand he played in

the last test match in which the All Blacks were permitted to use the 2-3-2 scrum formation. That was against Australia in 1931, and Page was brought in at centre when Oliver withdrew a day previously with a poisoned hand. In 1932 Page played in all three tests on the tour of Australia as first fiveeighths, notching a superb try in the second test of a series won, 2-1, by the All Blacks. He made a second tour of Australia in 1934, captaining the New Zealand side in the first test in the absence, through injury, of the regular leader, Frank Kilby. Although the 1935 tour effectively ended “Rusty” Page’s rugby career, there was a lot more left in him. As a Brigadier in the 2nd N.Z.E.F. in North Africa, he distinguished himself with the raw courage he brought to his leadership, and the resilience he showed after fragments of a shell were removed from his chest. As well as courage, the man had compassion. For many years he took a personal interest in the welfare of Billy Wallace, the last surviving member of the great 1905 All Black team, and it became standard practice for him to escort “Carbine” to after-match functions on big days at Athletic Park, Wellington. Now they are both in rugby’s Valhalla, and if Billy ever drops a pass he can be sure that “Rusty” will be there to retrieve the situation. JOHN BROCKS