Bob Scott (rugby)
 | |||
| Full name | Robert William Henry Scott | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 6 February 1921 | ||
| Place of birth | Wellington, New Zealand | ||
| Date of death | 16 November 2012 (aged 91) | ||
| Place of death | Whangamata, New Zealand | ||
| Height | 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) | ||
| Weight | 79 kg (12 st 6 lb) | ||
| School | Ponsonby School | ||
| Occupation(s) | Warehouseman, painter, paperhanger, men's outfitter | ||
| Rugby league career | |||
| Position | Fullback | ||
| Amateur clubs | |||
| Years | Club / team | ||
| 19??-1942 | Ponsonby | ||
| Rugby union career | |||
| Playing career | |||
| Position | Fullback | ||
| New Zealand No. | 460 | ||
| Amateur clubs | |||
| Years | Club / team | ||
| 1941 1946–1953 1944 1954 |
Motor Transport Pool Ammunition Company Ponsonby Petone | ||
| correct as of 2007-10-11. | |||
| Provincial/State sides | |||
| Years | Club / team | Caps | (points) |
| 1946–1952 | Auckland | ||
| correct as of 2007-10-11. | |||
| National team(s) | |||
| Years | Club / team | Caps | (points) |
| 1945–1946 1946–1954 |
NZEF Kiwis New Zealand |
17 |
(74) |
| correct as of 2007-10-11. | |||
Robert William Henry" Bob" Scott MBE (6 February 1921 – 16 November 2012) was a rugby football player who played rugby union for the All Blacks.
Early years
Born in Wellington, New Zealand, and one of six children, Bob Scott had a difficult childhood. His father had fought with the New Zealand Expeditionary Force in Gallipoli during the First World War where he was chronically wounded.[1] Although his father was employed money was scarce and Scott frequently went hungry, and he did own shoes as a child.[2] His father was employed by the Public Works Department, and the family moved to Kapuni, then Tangarakau and later Ohura. When Scott was nine in 1930 his parent split up and he moved into a Salvation Army children's home, Cecilia Whatman Home in Masterton. Although after two years the parents reconciled it was short-lived and they separated permanently within a year. Scott stayed with his father while his five siblings were sent again to a children's home. Scott worked part-time and went to school until his father died of cancer in 1934. After his father's death he moved back with his mother who had established a home with his siblings.[3]
Rugby league career
Scott started his footballing career playing rugby league for the Ponsonby club in the Auckland Rugby League competition.[4] Scott switched codes during the Second World War.
Rugby union career
After working in a warehouse from the age of 13 he enlisted in the New Zealand Army when the Second World War started. He was posted to the Motor Transport Pool in Auckland.[5] They had a team which entered Auckland's senior rugby union competition, and in 1941 won the Gallaher Shield.[6] In 1942 he was posted to Egypt with the Army Service Corps in the New Zealand Division as a truck driver.[7] He served in North Africa and Italy, and described driving trucks of ammunition to the front lines as the most lonely experience of his life.[8]
Company rugby teams within the New Zealand Division competed in a tournament called the Freyberg Cup – named after Lieutenant-General Bernard Freyberg who commanded the division. Scott was in the Ammunition Company team that made the Freyberg Cup final in 1944. Although they lost the final to the 22nd Division, Scott, who played at fullback was selected to trial for the Army's Kiwis team.
During World War II, he served in Italy and was one of the players in the New Zealand Army rugby team along with Bob Stuart as fullback. As an All Black in 1946 he toured Australia and later South Africa.[9]
Later years
In 1990 Scott was inducted into the New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame, and in 1995 he was given an MBE for services to sport. Following the death of Fred Allen in April 2012, Scott held the distinction of being the oldest living All Black.[10] He died on 16 November 2012 at his home in Whangamata, New Zealand, where he lived during his later years.[11][12]
Bibliography
- Scott, Bob; McLean, Terry (1956). The Bob Scott Story. Wellington: A.H. & A.W. Reed.
References
- ↑ Scott (1956), pg 7.
- ↑ Scott (1956), pg 8.
- ↑ Scott (1956), pg 10.
- ↑ Coffey, John and Bernie Wood Auckland, 100 years of rugby league, 1909–2009, 2009. ISBN 978-1-86969-366-4, p.126.
- ↑ Scott (1956), pg 11.
- ↑ Scott (1956), pg 13.
- ↑ Scott (1956), pg 21.
- ↑ Scott (1956), pg 22.
- ↑ Luxford, Bob. "Bob Scott". New Zealand Rugby Union. Retrieved 12 April 2007.
- ↑ "All Blacks great Bob Scott dies". OneNews. 16 November 2012. Retrieved 7 September 2014.
- ↑ "Bob Scott a complete footballer". nzherald.co.nz. 16 November 2012. Retrieved 16 November 2012.
- ↑ "All Black great Bob Scott dies". stuff.co.nz. 16 November 2012. Retrieved 7 September 2014.
External links
- Romanos, Joseph (2 April 2005). "Postwar revolutionaries". The Listner. Retrieved 11 October 2007.
- Quinn, Keith (26 April 2004). "Enduring spirit of the Kiwis". tvnz.co.nz. Retrieved 11 October 2007.
- "Kyle dreams of Kiwi defeat". bbc.co.uk. 15 November 2001. Retrieved 11 October 2007.
- Ihaka, James (15 September 2007). "Ex-AB coach heads for Cup". nzherald.co.nz. Retrieved 11 October 2007.
| Records | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Fred Allen |
Oldest living All Black 28 April 2012 – 16 November 2012 |
Succeeded by Walter Argus |