Robert William Henry Scott (6 February 1921 – 16 November 2012) was a New Zealand

rugby union Rugby union, commonly known simply as rugby, is a close-contact team sport that originated at Rugby School in the first half of the 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand. In its m ...

player who represented the

All Blacks The New Zealand national rugby union team, commonly known as the All Blacks ( mi, Ōpango), represents New Zealand in men's international rugby union, which is considered the country's national sport. The team won the Rugby World Cup in 1987 ...

between 1946 and 1954.

Early years

Born in

Wellington Wellington ( mi, Te Whanganui-a-Tara or ) is the capital city of New Zealand. It is located at the south-western tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Remutaka Range. Wellington is the second-largest city in New Zealand by me ...

, New Zealand, and one of six children, Scott had a difficult childhood. His father had served with the New Zealand Expeditionary Force in Gallipoli during the

First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

where he was chronically wounded.Scott (1956), p. 7. Although his father was employed money was scarce and Scott frequently went hungry.Scott (1956), p. 8. His father was employed by the Public Works Department, and the family moved to

Kapuni Kapuni is an onshore natural gas-condensate field located in the Taranaki Basin, a ~100,000 km2 partially-inverted rift basin on the Taranaki Peninsula in the North Island, New Zealand. Discovered in 1959 and brought into production in 1970, ...

, then Tangarakau and later Ohura. When Scott was nine in 1930 his parents split up and he moved into a

Salvation Army Salvation (from Latin: ''salvatio'', from ''salva'', 'safe, saved') is the state of being saved or protected from harm or a dire situation. In religion and theology, ''salvation'' generally refers to the deliverance of the soul from sin and its c ...

children's home, Cecilia Whatman Home in Masterton. Although after two years the parents reconciled, it was short-lived, and they separated permanently within a year. Scott stayed with his father while his five siblings were sent again to a children's home. Scott worked part-time and went to school until his father died of cancer in 1934. After his father's death he moved back with his mother, who had established a home with his siblings.Scott (1956), p. 10.

Rugby league career

Scott started his footballing career playing

rugby league Rugby league football, commonly known as just rugby league and sometimes football, footy, rugby or league, is a full-contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular field measuring 68 metres (75 yards) wide and 112 ...

for the Ponsonby club in the

Auckland Rugby League The Auckland Rugby League (ARL) is the governing body for the sport of rugby league in the Auckland Region of New Zealand. It is responsible for rugby league in the region, including both club and school rugby league. It began in 1910 when the fi ...

competition.Coffey, John and Bernie Wood (2009) ''Auckland, 100 years of rugby league, 1909–2009''. , p.126. Scott switched codes during the Second World War.

Army

After working in a warehouse from the age of 13 he enlisted in the

New Zealand Army , image = New Zealand Army Logo.png , image_size = 175px , caption = , start_date = , country = , branch = ...

when the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

started. He was posted to the Motor Transport Pool in

Auckland Auckland (pronounced ) ( mi, Tāmaki Makaurau) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. The List of New Zealand urban areas by population, most populous urban area in the country and the List of cities in Oceania by po ...

.Scott (1956), p. 11. They had a team which entered Auckland's senior

competition, and in 1942 won the

Gallaher Shield The Gallaher Shield is awarded to the winner of the Auckland Rugby Football Union senior premier competition, and was first awarded in 1922. The shield is named in honour of Dave Gallaher, an early stalwart of Ponsonby, Auckland and New Zealand ...

with a team dominated by rugby league players after the Auckland Rugby League had refused to allow the side to enter the Auckland Rugby League competition due to so many of the players being registered with rugby league clubs already.Scott (1956), p. 13. In 1942 he was posted to Egypt with the Army Service Corps in the

New Zealand Division The New Zealand Division was an infantry division of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force raised for service in the First World War. It was formed in Egypt in early 1916 when the New Zealand and Australian Division was renamed after the detachmen ...

as a truck driver.Scott (1956), p. 21. He served in North Africa and Italy, and described driving trucks of ammunition to the front lines as the most lonely experience of his life.Scott (1956), p. 22. Company rugby teams within the New Zealand Division competed in a tournament called the Freyberg Cup – named after Lieutenant-General Bernard Freyberg who commanded the division. Scott was in the Ammunition Company team that made the Freyberg Cup final in 1944. Although they lost the final to the 22nd Division, Scott, who played at

fullback Fullback or Full back may refer to: Sports * A position in various kinds of football, including: ** Full-back (association football), in association football (soccer), a defender playing in a wide position ** Fullback (gridiron football), in Americ ...

was selected to trial for the Army's ''Kiwis'' team. During World War II, he served in Italy and was one of the players in the New Zealand Army rugby team along with

Bob Stuart Robert Charles Stuart (28 October 1920 – 11 May 2005) was a New Zealand rugby union player and administrator. He was given a lifetime service award by the International Rugby Board immediately after the 2003 Rugby World Cup. Biography Born i ...

as fullback.

All Blacks

As an

All Black The New Zealand national rugby union team, commonly known as the All Blacks ( mi, Ōpango), represents New Zealand in men's international rugby union, which is considered the country's national sport. The team won the Rugby World Cup in 1987, ...

he made his debut in 1946 against Australia. He toured South Africa in 1949 where he played in all four test matches. He also played against the 1950

British and Irish Lions The British & Irish Lions is a rugby union team selected from players eligible for the national teams of England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. The Lions are a test side and most often select players who have already played for their national ...

. He did not play in the 1951 tour of Australia and announced his retirement from first-class rugby that year. He was bribed to play one game for the Auckland union in 1952. He then played for the Petone club in Wellington during 1954. In a publication he was described as: "for me (author) there will never be anyone as great as Scott. The man amazed me even in his final moments. His positional play was of course something out of the box. He was a genius and what other fullbacks had to do, Scott didn't, because he had the greatest balance, the greatest poise, that I've ever seen in any man." In his autobiography,

Hennie Muller Hendrik "Hennie" Scholtz Vosloo Muller (26 March 1922 – 26 April 1977) was a South African rugby union footballer. Born in Witbank, Muller is considered one of the greatest South African rugby players, captaining the national side, the Springbo ...

stated: "Scott always appeared to have plenty of time, even under pressure. He loved coming into the line and his speed and elusiveness were such that he was always a danger. Altogether, the greatest player I've ever played in any position." Scott was part of the Petone club committee between 1966 and 1970.

Later years

In 1990 Scott was inducted into the

New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame The New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame is an organisation commemorating New Zealand's greatest sporting triumphs. It was inaugurated as part of the New Zealand sesquicentenary celebrations in 1990. Some 160 members have been inducted into the Hall o ...

, and in the

1995 New Year Honours The New Year Honours 1995 were appointments by most of the sixteen Commonwealth realms of Queen Elizabeth II to Orders and decorations of the Commonwealth realms, various orders and honours to reward and highlight good works by citizens of those co ...

he was appointed a

Member of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...

, for services to rugby and the community. Following the death of

Fred Allen John Florence Sullivan (May 31, 1894 – March 17, 1956), known professionally as Fred Allen, was an American comedian. His absurdist, topically pointed radio program ''The Fred Allen Show'' (1932–1949) made him one of the most popular and for ...

in April 2012, Scott was the oldest living All Black. He died on 16 November 2012 at his home in

Whangamatā The town of Whangamatā is on the southeast coast of the Coromandel Peninsula in the North Island of New Zealand. It is located 30 kilometres north of Waihi, to the north of the western extremity of the Bay of Plenty. In holiday times the popu ...

, New Zealand, where he lived during his later years.

References

Bibliography

External links

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Scott, Bob 1921 births 2012 deaths Rugby union players from Wellington City New Zealand international rugby union players New Zealand Army personnel New Zealand people of World War II New Zealand rugby league players Ponsonby Ponies players New Zealand rugby union players Rugby league fullbacks New Zealand Members of the Order of the British Empire Ponsonby RFC players Rugby league players from Wellington City