Bernard Sydney "Joey" Sadler (28 July 1914 – 24 June 2007) 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 played at halfback for 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 ...

in 1935–36.

Career

Bernard_Sydney_Sadler_passport_application

Sadler was born in Wellington, New Zealand in 1914. He first attracted attention playing in the

Wellington College Wellington College may refer to: *Wellington College, Berkshire, an independent school in Crowthorne, Berkshire, England ** Wellington College International Shanghai ** Wellington College International Tianjin *Wellington College, Wellington, New Z ...

1st XV between 1930 and 1932. Sadler played club rugby for Wellington College Old Boys and made the representative side in 1934. He was picked for the All Blacks' 1935–36 squad, playing 15 games including three internationals on tour in the British Isles and Canada.''The Dominion Post'' "Ex-All Black, wife a team for 60 years" 5/2/2001 via Ebbsco's Australia New-Zealand Reference Centre He played in both tests in the

Bledisloe Cup The Bledisloe Cup is an annual rugby union competition originally staged between the national teams of Australia's Wallabies and New Zealand's All Blacks that has been contested since the 1930s. The frequency that the competition is held has va ...

against the touring Australian side in 1936. Unfortunately, he damaged a nerve in his knee in a club game early in the 1937 season to such an extent that he never played rugby again. Sadler was a small player known by the British press as "the pocket battleship" for his strength. He was also a skilled ball player with good leg speed. Sadler married Noeleen Welborne Nelson at St Mark's Church, Wellington, on 5 February 1941. They lived for much of their lives in Paraparaumu Beach.

References

1914 births 2007 deaths New Zealand international rugby union players People educated at Wellington College, Wellington New Zealand rugby union players Rugby union players from Wellington City People from Paraparaumu Sportspeople from the Kāpiti Coast District Rugby union players from the Wellington Region Wellington rugby union players Rugby union scrum-halves {{NewZealand-rugbyunion-bio-1910s-stub