Robert Oliphant (1 December 1864 – 18 January 1956) 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 it ...
player. A
wing-forward, Oliphant represented
Manawatu,
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 metr ...
,
Auckland
Auckland (pronounced ) ( mi, Tāmaki Makaurau) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. The most populous urban area in the country and the fifth largest city in Oceania, Auckland has an urban population of about ...
and
Hawke's Bay
Hawke's Bay ( mi, Te Matau-a-Māui) is a local government region on the east coast of New Zealand's North Island. The region's name derives from Hawke Bay, which was named by Captain James Cook in honour of Admiral Edward Hawke. The region i ...
at a provincial level, and was a member of the New Zealand national side, 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 1893 and 1896. He played three games for the All Blacks but did not appear in any test matches.
In 1897, Oliphant was awarded the silver medal of the
Royal Humane Society of Australasia
The Royal Humane Society of Australasia (RHSA), formerly the Victorian Humane Society, is an Australian charity dedicated to the recognition of those who risk their own lives in saving or attempting to save the lives of others. It also provides a ...
for saving a girl, Margaret Purnell, from drowning in Auckland Harbour on 29 May 1896.
Following the death of Sir
Henry Braddon
Sir Henry Yule Braddon (27 April 1863 – 8 September 1955) was an Australian diplomat, businessman and rugby union player who played for Otago, New South Wales and New Zealand. The position he generally played in was fullback. He is lis ...
in 1955, Oliphant held the distinction of being the oldest living All Black. He died on 18 January 1956 in Auckland and was buried at O'Neill's Point Cemetery in
Bayswater.
In January 1915, Oliphant volunteered for the
New Zealand Expeditionary Force and gave his date of birth as 22 January 1872,
but it is likely that he falsified this so that he would be considered young enough for service. He served in
Samoa
Samoa, officially the Independent State of Samoa; sm, Sāmoa, and until 1997 known as Western Samoa, is a Polynesian island country consisting of two main islands ( Savai'i and Upolu); two smaller, inhabited islands ( Manono and Apolima); ...
throughout the war, reaching the rank of armourer sergeant.
References
1864 births
1956 deaths
Sportspeople from Omagh
Irish emigrants to New Zealand
New Zealand rugby union players
New Zealand international rugby union players
Manawatu rugby union players
Auckland rugby union players
Wellington rugby union players
Hawke's Bay rugby union players
Rugby union wing-forwards
New Zealand military personnel of World War I
Burials at O'Neill's Point Cemetery
New Zealand people of Scottish descent
Irish people of Scottish descent
Rugby union players from County Tyrone
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