Ronald Frederick Bryers (14 November 1919 – 20 August 1987) 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. He was a lock, but in his early career was in the backs and was a loose forward. He played one match 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 ...

, against

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

in the first test in 1949. Bryers was born in Raetihi and educated at Ohakune District High School. He enlisted in the

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

in World War II; he was then a teacher living in the Bulls Schoolhouse. He served in the 34th Battalion, and played in service games. In 1946, he played for the New Zealand Māori against Australia. As a Māori, he could not be selected for the 1949 tour of South Africa so played against

instead. He retired as headmaster of Mount Maunganui primary school, and died in Tauranga Hospital."Obituary" in the ''Wanganui Chronicle'' of 22 August 1987 He captained

King Country The King Country (Māori: ''Te Rohe Pōtae'' or ''Rohe Pōtae o Maniapoto'') is a region of the western North Island of New Zealand. It extends approximately from the Kawhia Harbour and the town of Otorohanga in the north to the upper reaches of ...

. He was a selector for the New Zealand Māori from 1957 to 1958 and for Bay of Plenty from 1962 to 1973.

References

Bibliography

*Palenski, R., Chester, R., and McMillan, N., (2005). ''The Encyclopaedia of New Zealand Rugby (4th ed.).'' Auckland: Hodder Moa Beckett. 1919 births 1987 deaths New Zealand rugby union players New Zealand international rugby union players Rugby union locks People from Raetihi Māori All Blacks players Rugby union players from Manawatū-Whanganui {{NewZealand-rugbyunion-bio-1910s-stub