| Date of birth | 18 April 1926 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Place of birth | Gisborne | ||
| Height | 1.72 m (5 ft 7 1⁄2 in) | ||
| Weight | 81 kg (180 lb) | ||
| Rugby union career | |||
| Playing career | |||
| Position | Wing | ||
| National team(s) | |||
| Years | Club / team | Caps | (points) |
| 1949–1950 | New Zealand | 19 | (24) |
| Medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
| Men's athletics | ||
| Competitor for New Zealand | ||
| Commonwealth Games | ||
| Bronze | 1950 Auckland | 4 x 110 yards relay |
Peter "Sammy" Henderson (born 18 April 1926) is a former New Zealand All Black rugby test player who was banned by officialdom for 38 years for signing to join with the professional rugby league in England in 1950.[1] Born in Gisborne but moving to Wanganui at a young age, Henderson excelled in several sports, including sprinting where he won a bronze medal at the 1950 British Empire Games held in Auckland.
Henderson was a dental technician in Wanganui where he played rugby union for the Kaierau Club, and 26 representative matches for the Wanganui Rugby Football Union. He was a medium sized winger, 1.72m and 81 kg, but is still credited with being one of the fastest All Blacks of all time[2] He was a member of the ill-fated 1949 All Blacks side, captained by Fred Allen, which lost all four tests on its tour of South Africa. Henderson was top try scorer on the tour, with seven tries.
Following his return from South Africa he had little time to change sports and get into serious sprint training for the Empire Games. He won the bronze medal as part of the men's 4 x 110 yard relay alongside Keith Beardsley, Arthur Eustace and Clem Parker. He also competed in the 100 yards where he placed 5th in the final.[3]
Henderson returned to club and representative rugby in Wanganui, playing three tests against the touring British Lions in 1950, and against them for Wanganui.
Henderson had lost his job while playing in South Africa, so he announced he was headed to England to play in the professional league. It was then that the Rugby Union banned him from union, a ban which lasted 38 years. He signed with Huddersfield where he stayed for seven years, playing in the 1953 Challenge Cup final at Wembley Stadium before a crowd of about 90,000 fans. He also played for the Other Internationals side which won the 1953 tri-nations test series against England and France.