Edward Hughes (26 April 1881 – 1 May 1928), 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 ...
and
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 ...
footballer who played 9 times (6 of these were test matches) 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, ...
hooker from 1907 until 1921 and twice for the
Kiwis in 1910. His All Black career is unique in that there was a gap of 13 years between test matches, and that he is the oldest player ever to have played for the All Blacks, at age 40 years, 123 days.
Rugby union
Hughes first made the All Blacks in 1907.
He was one of the principal players, along with fellow All Black
Don Hamilton
Donald Munson Hamilton (November 14, 1887 – June 2, 1959) was an American football and baseball player and a football referee.
As a two-year starter at quarterback at the University of Notre Dame, Hamilton amassed a record of 15–1–1. T ...
, in the saga of petty officialdom which marred both the Southland and eventually New Zealand unions in 1908–09. In 1908, when he was captain of the
Britannia club, he was suspended by the
Southland Rugby Union for striking along with the rest of his team and the opposition, Hamilton's Pirates, when they refused to play a match due to ground conditions and the weather with
Invercargill
Invercargill ( , mi, Waihōpai is the southernmost and westernmost city in New Zealand, and one of the southernmost cities in the world. It is the commercial centre of the Southland region. The city lies in the heart of the wide expanse of t ...
being hit by a blizzard. However, whilst suspended the teams played a benefit match under the new
Northern Union
The Rugby Football League is the governing body for professional rugby league in England, and until 1995 for the whole British Isles. The name Rugby Football League previously also referred to the main league competition run by the organisati ...
(rugby league) rules. Then, in 1909, the
New Zealand Rugby Union
New Zealand Rugby (NZR) is the governing body of rugby union in New Zealand. It was founded in 1892 as the New Zealand Rugby Football Union (NZRFU), 12 years after the first provincial unions in New Zealand. In 1949 it became an affiliate to t ...
decreed that any player who had played any game under the "Northern" rules was to be regarded as a professional and was to be expelled.
Rugby league
Hughes first game of rugby league was for Britannia after they had switched codes en masse along with the Pirates club based in Bluff. The match was played on 15 July 1908. They played again on the 19th and a 3rd match was played on the 22nd with Hughes scoring a try in a 21–17 loss. Hughes then played in two exhibition matches for the "Colours" team who in fact wore red against a side wearing black. He kicked a conversion in the first match won by his side 20–3, and scored a try and kicked a conversion in the second match which his team again won 31–24.
Hughes was then part of the first ever provincial game of rugby league in the South Island when he played for Southland in a home and away series against
Otago
Otago (, ; mi, Ōtākou ) is a region of New Zealand located in the southern half of the South Island administered by the Otago Regional Council. It has an area of approximately , making it the country's second largest local government reg ...
in 1908. He was only involved in the first match which Southland lost 11–8 at the Caledonian Ground in Dunedin. He badly injured his hand in the match and was not able to play in the return match.
Hughes applied for reinstatement to rugby early in 1909 but was told that the Southland Rugby Union did not have the power to reinstate him. He continued to try for reinstatement off and on for 2 more seasons. During 1909 he played neither rugby league nor rugby union but did play some club soccer.
In 1910 he played 2 matches for Britannia against the Bluff rugby league club, scoring 2 tries and kicking a conversion. Hughes then earned national selection and on 30 July 1910 he played for
New Zealand
New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...
in a Test against a touring
Great Britain side. He scored the final try for New Zealand in a 52–20 loss. It was reported that in the hooker position he was "securing the ball n nearly every scrum... Hughes played brilliantly from end to end of the match and justified his reputation in every way".
He played 2 more matches for Britannia against the Bluff side before being selected to play for Southland against the touring
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 ...
side. Auckland won the match 17–12 at Queens Park,
Invercargill
Invercargill ( , mi, Waihōpai is the southernmost and westernmost city in New Zealand, and one of the southernmost cities in the world. It is the commercial centre of the Southland region. The city lies in the heart of the wide expanse of t ...
with 2,000 spectators in attendance. Hughes was then chosen in a combined Southland/Otago side to play Auckland 3 days later. The match was played at the Caledonian Ground in Dunedin and Auckland won 3018 with Hughes kicking a conversion in the losing side.
The 1911 season saw Hughes named as the deputy captain of the Brittania club and on the general committee however he decided to concentrate on boxing. He was already a well known wrestler in the area and was joining his brother J.J Hughes in the sport who became a New Zealand amateur boxing champion. He was selected for the
New Zealand
New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...
tour of Australia but decided not to travel because of his boxing commitments.
Tragedy struck his family on 26 October when his brother Patrick drowned in the Oreti River. He had played rugby for Britannia prior to their switching codes, and he later played rugby for the Athletic club. He and his two brothers (Ned and Michael) were crossing the river at
Otatara
Ōtātara is an outer suburb of New Zealand's southernmost city, Invercargill. It is surrounded by the Ōreti River to the west and south, and its estuary and Invercargill Airport to the east, and West Plains to the north. Historically, it was in ...
to the flaxmill. The flat bottomed boat they were in was tipped over in heavy winds and rough water. Ned attempted to save him after diving into the water but he lost consciousness and "woke up in bed". It was described later that he had washed up onshore and needed to be resuscitated. The other brother (Michael) had dived in also but was not able to locate him. Patricks body was not recovered until around 4pm on 29 October. He was aged just 27 and left behind a wife and 2 children.
Return to union
After World War I, he was allowed to play rugby union again, and was recalled to the All Black side to play in the two Tests against
South Africa
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring countri ...
in 1921.
He died in
New South Wales, Australia
)
, nickname =
, image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates:
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = Australia
, established_title = Before federation
, es ...
, in a building accident at the age of 47.
[Lion Red Rugby League Annual 1990 ''New Zealand Rugby League'', 1990. p.75]
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hughes, Ned
1881 births
1928 deaths
New Zealand rugby union players
Rugby union hookers
New Zealand international rugby union players
New Zealand rugby league players
New Zealand national rugby league team players
Dual-code rugby internationals
New Zealand people of World War I
Southland rugby league team players
Industrial accident deaths