George Spencer (rugby)

George Spencer (1878–1950) was a New Zealand rugby football player who represented New Zealand in both rugby union and rugby league. His brother, John, also was a dual-international.

George Spencer

Personal information
Born	3 November 1878 Wellington, New Zealand
Died	28 April 1950 (aged 71) Wellington, New Zealand
Playing information
Weight	76 kg (12 st 0 lb)
Rugby union
Position	fullback
Club Years Team Pld T G FG P Melrose Representative Years Team Pld T G FG P 1900–1908 Wellington 49 1907 New Zealand
Rugby league
Position	Fullback
Representative Years Team Pld T G FG P 1908–19?? Wellington 1909 New Zealand 1 0 0 0 0
Source: [1]

Early years

Spencer attended Mt Cook School in Wellington.

Spencer was a carpenter by trade.[2]

Rugby union career

Spencer represented Wellington in 49 matches, an unusually high number for anyone to play in those years of limited programmes, between 1900 and 1908.[2]

He was in the team which won the first ever Ranfurly Shield match 6-3 against Auckland in 1904 and then played in a number of defences before the shield was regained by Auckland in 1905, kicking two penalties in Wellington's 10-6 loss.[2]

After making the North Island side in 1907 Spencer, by now nearly 29, was chosen for the tour of Australia, as was John Spencer. He played in five matches on tour and kicked three conversions but he was overlooked for all three tests.[2]

Rugby league career

In 1908 he and his brother John switched to league, being part of the first ever provincial match in the country when they both played for Wellington against Auckland on 24 August.[3]

In 1909, when he was 30, he toured Australia for a second time. He played in one of the tests thus gaining the cap he had missed in rugby union.[2][4] The Spencers are the only brothers to have been both All Blacks and Kiwis.[2]

References

1. "Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org". rugbyleagueproject.org. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
2. George Spencer allblacks.com
3. John Haynes From All Blacks to All Golds: Rugby League's Pioneers, Christchurch, Ryan and Haynes, 1996. ISBN 0-473-03864-1
4. SPENCER, GEORGE 1909 - KIWI #39 Archived 19 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine nzleague.co.nz