Charlie Seeling was the outstanding forward of the 1905-06 Originals, a back row or breakaway forward in the old 2-3-2 scrum and a forerunner of the later flankers of the Kel Tremain or Ian Kirkpatrick ilk.Until the arrival of Maurice Brownlie in the 1920s critics were unanimous that New Zealand rugby had never produced a better or more complete forward and while it is impossible to compare generations he rates high among the game’s legends.

Nicknamed “Bronco,” Seeling was a big man for his era at around 1.83m and 87kg. By modern standards, of course, that is not especially imposing and openside flank specialists like Michael Jones or Richie McCaw would both have been a good deal bigger than Seeling. But a century or so ago the average height was three or four inches shorter than today and the average weight a couple of stones lighter. In the context in which he played Seeling was a giant and, indeed, of the Originals pack only three or four players were heavier or taller.

And to his robust physique Seeling added considerable pace, natural athleticism and, as a tackler, absolute fearlessness.

Originally from Wanganui, Seeling played for that union in five matches in 1903 before being enticed north to Auckland, a reminder that what some might like to call “poaching” of the best talent from the smaller areas has been long a constant feature of New Zealand rugby.

Seeling arrived in Auckland in time to play the first Ranfurly Shield defence in history, in 1904 against Wellington. Though the shield was lost that year, Seeling between 1905 and 1909, when the Shield had been regained, appeared for Auckland in several of their notable defences. Of the 19 matches Seeling played for Auckland nearly half were in shield games.

Seeling’s quality was apparent from the time he was included in Auckland’s sides and in 1904, aged only 21, he was included in the New Zealand side which played the touring Great Britain side at Athletic Park, the first test played in this country.

One of the first chosen for the Originals, Seeling had a wonderful tour and with Billy Wallace, Jimmy Hunter, Billy Stead, Fred Roberts and, of course, the captain Dave Gallaher, ranks among the most influential players of that great side.

He played in 25 matches, including all five internationals, and scored eight tries. As a noted British critic E H D Sewell observed, his contribution was colossal. Wrote Sewell: “This splendid speciman of manhood has everything necessary to the composition of a good forward. Search where one may, a better forward than Seeling does not exist.”

New Zealand judges were just as glowing in their praise of Seeling. In 1961 the eminent coach of the 1920s, Norman McKenzie, said of him: “He was the type of forward rarely seen in his day and though they are more common today none would equal the tackling of Charlie … he was a terror to all opposition inside backs.”

Seeling continued to be an All Black first choice in the next few seasons. He went on the 1907 tour of Australia and played in all three tests in 1908 against the touring Anglo-Welsh. In all he played 39 games for New Zealand including 11 tests, a considerable number in those years when official internationals were much rarer than today.

After just 64 first class matches Seeling quit New Zealand rugby when in 1910 he was lured to Britain to play professional league for the Wigan club. There he added to his legend playing for the club for another 13 years as both a back and forward and often as captain until he was 39.

He spent the rest of his life in Britain, dying in 1956 at the age of 73 in a car accident.

Profile by Lindsay Knight
for the New Zealand Rugby Museum.

ALL BLACK GAMES THAT SEELING PLAYED

(+) = substitute; (-) = replaced

1904

1905

1906

1907

1908

POINTS SCORED FOR THE ALL BLACKS

TEST RECORD BY NATION

Jimmy Hunter will probably always be a name that will live forever in New Zealand rugby. A gifted midfield back, Hunter had deceptive pace and agility and a trickiness. Described by a contemporary critic EDH Sewell as “one of the most sinuous runners” he had seen, Hunter was one of the stars of the 1905-06 Originals on their tour of Britain.

In 24 games in Britain for the All Blacks he scored 44 tries, which is a record never likely to be defeated, particularly when in modern rugby tours have become almost obsolete or else condensed to a handful of games.

From a prosperous south Taranaki farming family, Hunter was only 18 when he entered the Taranaki provincial team in 1898. When he started he was a halfback and at just 1.68m he was more the physique for this position.

But after playing on the wing and at fullback he soon found a niche in the midfield where he was an outstanding second five eighths.

Hunter first became prominent at national level when he and Simon Mynott in 1904 combined with telling effect for a Taranaki-Wanganui-Manawatu team which played a scoreless draw against the touring British team. That year they were also together in the North Island side, the first of five consecutive appearances Hunter was to make in the interisland match.

Hunter joined the All Blacks in 1905 (he had been a reserve for the 1904 test against Britain) and actually captained the team on a preliminary tour of Australia. For the main part of the tour, though, Dave Gallaher was captain and Billy Stead the vice captain.

With Stead Hunter played just as well as he had with Mynott. They were an ideal blend with Stead the master tactician selflessly creating the gaps and opportunities from which Hunter flourished.

Though Hunter was occasionally criticised for being too selfish, the man himself never forgot the debt he owed Stead. According to the great writer and critic Terry McLean, Hunter was unstinting in his praise of Stead at a reunion of the Originals in 1955.

McLean quotes Hunter as telling Stead at this reunion: “Without you I would have been nothing. Nothing.”

Hunter played in all five internationals on the tour, scoring twice in the 38-8 win over France. He was captain of the All Blacks on a tour of Australia in 1907, playing all three tests and then had another three tests, being captain in the second, against the touring Anglo-Welsh in 1908.

Hunter then retired as a player, having made 85 first class appearances, of which 43 were for Taranaki. He remained close to the game serving his club Hawera and being rewarded with a life membership. Life after rugby however was not always kind to Jimmy Hunter. His first children, twin sons, died at birth and an infant daughter succumbed to poliomyelitis. Another son, named Robert Deans after his father’s All Black team mate, was killed in action in Greece in 1941. Jimmy in his later years became acutely deaf and as a result lived a solitary life.

Profile by Lindsay Knight
for the New Zealand Rugby Museum.

ALL BLACK GAMES THAT HUNTER PLAYED

(+) = substitute; (-) = replaced

1905

1906

1907

1908

POINTS SCORED FOR THE ALL BLACKS

TEST RECORD BY NATION

Hector Thomson, a small (5’8″, 10st 9lb), lightly framed and pacy wing, was a member of the famous 1905-06 “Originals” on the trailblazing tour of Britain and France. But Thomson, who was always known by the nickname, “Mona,” was one of the less celebrated members.

He missed the preliminary tour to Australia through illness, then in Britain suffered a leg injury and his frequent absences ruled him out of selection for any of the internationals. He was limited to just 11 of the 35 matches but still gave some hint of the potent attacking weapon he might have been by scoring 14 tries. Three of these were in the match late on tour against Cheshire and on the way home against British Columbia he scored six.

Thomson reappeared on the international scene when the Anglo-Welsh side toured New Zealand in 1908. He played against the tourists for Wellington and impressed with his pace to score a try.

That performance earned him his one international cap, the first test against the tourists at Carisbrook in Dunedin. In the All Blacks’ 32-5 win Thomson scored a try, but then suffered an arm injury which prevented him playing the final two tests and ended his career.

Though his career was relatively brief Thomson achieved some remarkable feats at first class level. As a civil servant he moved constantly about the country on transfer and he played for no fewer than four different provinces and for each of the islands, the South in 1903 and the North in 1905 and 1906. He was the first to score six tries in a match for the All Blacks, accomplishing this against British Columbia in 1906.

He played for Wellington in 1900, 1906 (when he scored a try in the 11-5 Ranfurly Shield loss to Auckland) and 1908, for Auckland (three games in 1901-02), Canterbury (twice in 1903) and Wanganui in 1904.

He also was in a combined Wanganui-Manuwatu-Taranaki selection which held the 1904 British tourists to a scoreless draw.

His brother Andrew played for Wellington in 1906.

Profile by Lindsay Knight
for the New Zealand Rugby Museum.

ALL BLACK GAMES THAT THOMSON PLAYED

(+) = substitute; (-) = replaced

1905

1906

1908

POINTS SCORED FOR THE ALL BLACKS

TEST RECORD BY NATION