Wanganui RFU – 1897

Results - 1897

Sat 28 Aug 2:30 pm A Representative Taranaki Whanganui RFU 26 - 00 Match Center
Tue 24 Aug 2:30 pm H Representative Auckland Whanganui RFU 00 - 03 Match Center
Sat 31 Jul 2:30 pm H Representative Bush RU Whanganui RFU 23 - 00 Match Center
Thu 10 Jun 2:30 pm H Representative Wairarapa Whanganui RFU 00 - 00 Match Center

John Blair  #67

John Blair was the first player chosen for New Zealand from the Kaierau club and the Wanganui Rugby Union. A hooker, he was considered to be a solid scrummager, a fiery tackler and noted for his honesty rather than brilliance.

After attending Wanganui Collegiate (1st XV 1886) he gave the Wanganui provincial side excellent service through the 1890s and also played for a combined Wanganui-Manawatu side which in 1894 gained a 13-0 win over the New South Wales tourists.

He appeared for the North Island in 1897 and gained selection for that year’s tour by the national side of Australia. That was the only season Blair had as a New Zealand player.

But he had a successful tour. He played in eight of the 10 matches in Australian, including the three major fixtures against New South Wales, and also when the team returned against Auckland. On tour he scored a try and landed one conversion, winning praise especially for his performance against a Queensland XVI.

Profile by Lindsay Knight
for the New Zealand Rugby Museum.
FULL NAME John Alexander Blair
BORN Sunday, 1 January 1871 in Wanganui, New Zealand
DIED Wednesday, 12 April 1911 in Porirua
PHYSICAL 84kg
POSITION Hooker
LAST SCHOOL Wanganui Collegiate
RUGBY CLUB
(First made All Blacks from)		 Kaierau
PROVINCE Wanganui
ALL BLACK DEBUT Saturday, 3 July 1897
v N.S.W. at Sydney
aged 26 years, 183 days
ALL BLACK TESTS 0
ALL BLACK GAMES 9
TOTAL ALL BLACK MATCHES 9
STARTING POSITIONS
ALL BLACK GAME POINTS 5pts (1t, 1c, 0p, 0dg, 0m)
TOTAL ALL BLACK POINTS 5pts (1t, 1c, 0p, 0dg, 0m)
ALL BLACK NUMBER 67
ALL BLACK GAMES THAT BLAIR PLAYED

(+) = substitute; (-) = replaced
Click on the date below to view the Match Card
1897
3 Jul vs N.S.W. at Sydney 13-8
6 Jul vs Western Districts at Bathurst 16-15
8 Jul vs Central-Western Districts at Orange 27-3
10 Jul vs N.S.W. at Sydney 8-22
17 Jul vs Queensland at Brisbane 16-5
21 Jul vs Queensland 2nd XV at Brisbane 29-5
27 Jul vs New England at Armidale 53-5
31 Jul vs N.S.W. at Sydney 26-3
7 Aug vs Auckland at Auckland 10-11
POINTS SCORED FOR THE ALL BLACKS
 t c p dg pts
vs Queensland 2nd XV, 21 Jul 1897 1 – – – 3
vs New England, 27 Jul 1897 – 1 – – 2
Totals 1 1 0 0 5

Blair played in no test matches for the All Blacks.