FOOTBALLER RETIRES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23071, 23 June 1938, Page 23

FOOTBALLER RETIRES

ENGLISH RUGBY PLAYER GREAT INTERNATIONAL RECORD R." A. Gerrard, Hongkong-born English Rugby international, capped 14 times, has decided to retire from the game because of a knee injury which refuses to mend. Gerrard is 26 years of age, but is regarded by most Rugby followfers as a veteran because ho played for England in 1932. His international record was: —v. South Africa, 1932; v. Wales, 1932-3-4.0; v. Ireland, 1932-3-4-6; v. Scotland, 1932-3-4-6; v. New Zealand, 1936. Gerrard played his first 10 internationals as centre-threequarter, and then was converted into a fullback. All his Rugby life ho remained faithful to Bath, and refused an offer of £IOOO and a good' job to join the Rugby League code. He captained Bath for four seasons. Gerrard had never seen a Rugby football till ho arrived at Taunton School i i 1927; he had played Soccer at school in Hongkong. He won the Public Schools piitting-thc-weight championship at Stamford Bridge in 1929 and 1930; was lawn tennis, table tennis and fives champion of his school; headed the cricket batting averages for three years; was a first-class rifle shot and a, member of the school water-polo team.