John Herbert Geddes (9 January 1907 — 16 August 1990) was a New Zealand international rugby union player.[1]

Bert Geddes
Full nameJohn Herbert Geddes
Date of birth(1907-01-09)9 January 1907
Place of birthInvercargill, New Zealand
Date of death16 August 1990(1990-08-16) (aged 83)
Place of deathInvercargill, New Zealand
Height173 cm (5 ft 8 in)
Rugby union career
Position(s) Wing
Provincial / State sides
Years Team Apps (Points)
1926–34 Southland 42 (32 t)
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
1929 New Zealand 1 (0)

Geddes was born in Invercargill and educated at Southland Boys' High School.[2]

Possessing considerable pace, Geddes won an Otago sprint title and had a personal best in the 100 yards of 10 seconds even, making him well suited to playing wing three-quarter, although he was often let down by his ball handling.[2]

Geddes, a consistent try-scorer with Southland, won All Blacks selection for the 1929 tour of Australia.[3] He gained his only All Blacks cap in the first Test against the Wallabies in Sydney, with Hawke's Bay winger Bert Grenside preferred for the remaining internationals. He scored seven tries across the tour, including a hat-trick against Newcastle. There were suggestions of nepotism with his selection for the tour, as his father Arthur served on the selection panel.[2]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "All Blacks Here This Week". Daily Standard. 16 July 1929. p. 9 – via National Library of Australia.
  2. ^ a b c "Bert Geddes #369". stats.allblacks.com.
  3. ^ "All Black Honoured". Southland Times. 19 June 1929.
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