George A. Gillett

      George A. Gillett
      Personal information
      Full name George Arthur Gillett
      Born (1877-04-23)23 April 1877
      Leeston, New Zealand
      Died 12 September 1956(1956-09-12) (aged 79)
      Auckland, New Zealand
      Playing information
      Height 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
      Weight 83 kg (13 st 1 lb)
      Rugby union
      Position Fullback
      Club
      Years Team Pld T G FG P
      1905–08 Auckland
      Representative
      Years Team Pld T G FG P
      New Zealand 8 7
      Rugby league
      Position Fullback
      Representative
      Years Team Pld T G FG P
      Auckland
      1911 New Zealand 1
      1911–12 Australasia
      Coaching information
      Representative
      Years Team Gms W D L W%
      1912 New Zealand

      George Arthur Gillett (23 April 1877 – 12 September 1956) was a renowned New Zealand multi-code footballer of the early 20th century and a dual-code rugby international. Gillett died in 1956 in Onehunga.

      Early years

      Born in Leeston, Gillet received his education in Hamilton and went on to first represent Auckland in rugby union in 1899.

      ↑Jump back a section

      Australian rules football

      After serving in the South African war, he lived in Kalgoorlie and whilst there played Australian rules football, representing Western Australia.[1]

      ↑Jump back a section

      Rugby union

      He was a member of the legendary Original All Blacks tour in 1905–06 on which he played 25 of the 35 matches including his first Test cap for New Zealand on 18 November against Scotland. In total he played 30 matches during the period of 1905 to 1908 including eight Tests.

      ↑Jump back a section

      Rugby league

      After switching to rugby league Gillett toured Australia with the 1911 New Zealand national team and was one of four New Zealanders who toured Britain with the 1911–12 Australasian team. He played in five tour matches but no Tests. Gillet coached the 1912 New Zealand side who played the touring New South Wales team.[2]

      He later became the New Zealand Rugby League's official organiser, helping to promote the game.

      ↑Jump back a section

      Heroism

      George Gillett and Arthur 'Bolla' Francis rescued Anglo-Welsh (British Lions) player Percy Down who had fallen into the sea, keeping him afloat until a rope was lowered from the ship upon which Down was about to return to Great Britain.[3]

      ↑Jump back a section

      References

      1. ^ John Coffey, Bernie Wood (2008). 100 years: Māori rugby league, 1908–2008. Huia Publishers. p. 55. ISBN 1-86969-331-0, 9781869693312 Check |isbn= value (help). 
      2. ^ Coffey, John and Bernie Wood Auckland, 100 years of rugby league, 1909–2009, 2009. ISBN 978-1-86969-366-4.
      3. ^ "Statistics at stats.allblacks.com". 31 December 2010. Retrieved 1 January 2011. 
      ↑Jump back a section

      External links

      Preceded by
      First
      Coach
      New Zealand Kiwis

      1912
      Succeeded by
      Jim Rukutai


      ↑Jump back a section

      Read in another language

      This page is available in 1 language

      Last modified on 26 May 2013, at 07:29