TWO ALL BLACKS WHO PLAYED WITH P.B. RUGBY CLUBS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22759, 4 October 1948, Page 6

TWO ALL BLACKS WHO PLAYED WITH P.B. RUGBY CLUBS

Two of the 30 Rugby players finally selected on Saturday to represent New Zealand in tne tour of Souffi Africa next year have particular associations with the < isborne and Wairoa districts. They are the three-quarter, P. Henderson (Wanganui) and the hooker, N. L. Wilson (Otago). Peter Henderson, 22 years, sft. Bin., 12st (iib., was born in Gisborne. He is a son of Mr. and Mrs. G. Henderson and was a pupil at the Gisborne Central School and the Gisborne High School. Though ne did n>t remain at tiie high school long enougn to gain a place in the first fifteen, he played in the second fifteen He played with junior grade sides of t;.e Gisborne Ctd Boys c.ub before proceeding to Wairoa some live years ago

He residea in Wairoa, where he was engaged as a dental mechanic, for years and a half, during which he represented Wairoa against the Gisborne representatives. Nearly three years ago fie moved to Wanganui to another appointment in his profession and joined the noted Kaierau Rugby club A fast track runner, he developed also the ability to use his pace to advantage on trie Rugby field and gained selection as a Wanganui union representative in 1946. 1947 and 1948. Centre Sprint Champion He was trained by a noted Wanganui mentor of athletes, Mr. Jack Morgan, and became the West Coast, Nortn Island, sprint champion and establisned centre records of lO.lsec. for the 100yds. and 22.25ec. for the 220yds. In the N.Z. national championships in Dunedin this year lie ran fourth m the finals of each of the 100yds and 220yds. events.

Peter was playing his fifteenth Rugby representative game when on Saturday he joined the ranks of three-quarters who have scored tries for the North Island. With the exception of the Canterbury half-back. L. T. Savage, he is the youngest of the All Black side ju.i selected. An elder brother, Ronald, who resides in Gisborne, is a former Poverty Bay representative and played for Southland in the 1937 game when that union lifted the Ranfurly Shield from Otago. Former H. 5.0.8. Hooker

The Otago hooker, N. L. Wilson, 25yrs.. sft. llin., 13st. 51b., who is an ex-pupil of Wairarapa College, Masterton, spent several months in Gisborne in 1946, following his return from service overseas with the 2nd. N.Z.E.F. and during the latter part of the Rugby season of that year played several games in the front row of the Gisborne H. 5.0.8. senior scrum. He returned to his home in Masterton and for the past two years has been a student at Otago University. During the Easter vacation last year he paid another visit to Gisborne and this season was able to renew service and Rugby associations with Poverty Bay players during the visit of the latter to Dunedin.

Wilson plays for the Zingari-Rich-mor.d club in Dunedin and gained a place in the Otago pack for the first time this season.