George A. Gillett
Encyclopedia
George Arthur Gillett (23 April 1877 – 12 September 1956) was a renowned New Zealand multi-code footballer of the early 20th century and a dual-code rugby international. Gillett died in 1956 in Onehunga
.
, Gillet received his education in Hamilton
and went on to first represent Auckland
in rugby union
in 1899.
, he lived in Kalgoorlie and whilst there played Australian rules football
.
. In total he played 30 matches during the period of 1905 to 1908 including eight Tests.
Gillett toured Australia with the 1911 New Zealand national team
and was one of four New Zealanders who toured Britain with the 1911–12 Australasian team. He played in five tour matches but no Tests. Gillet coached the 1912 New Zealand tour of Australia.
He later became the New Zealand Rugby League
's official organiser, helping to promote the game
rescued Anglo-Welsh (British Lions) player Percy Down
who had fallen into the sea, keeping him afloat until a rope was lowered from the ship upon which Down was about to return to Great Britain.
Onehunga
Onehunga is a suburb of Auckland City, New Zealand and the location of the Port of Onehunga, the city's small port on the Manukau Harbour. It is eight kilometres south of the city centre, close to the volcanic cone of One Tree Hill, Maungakiekie....
.
Early years
Born in LeestonLeeston
Leeston is a small town on the Canterbury Plains in the South Island of New Zealand. It is located 40 kilometres southwest of Christchurch, between the shore of Lake Ellesmere and the mouth of the Rakaia River...
, Gillet received his education in Hamilton
Hamilton, New Zealand
Hamilton is the centre of New Zealand's fourth largest urban area, and Hamilton City is the country's fourth largest territorial authority. Hamilton is in the Waikato Region of the North Island, approximately south of Auckland...
and went on to first represent Auckland
Auckland Rugby Football Union
The Auckland Rugby Football Union is the governing body of rugby union in the Auckland Region, in the North Island of New Zealand. Its colours are navy blue and white in a hoop design. Auckland's top representative team have won New Zealand's top provincial rugby competition 16 times, more than...
in rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
in 1899.
Australian rules football
After serving in the South African warSecond Boer War
The Second Boer War was fought from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902 between the British Empire and the Afrikaans-speaking Dutch settlers of two independent Boer republics, the South African Republic and the Orange Free State...
, he lived in Kalgoorlie and whilst there played Australian rules football
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
.
Rugby union
He was a member of the legendary Original All Blacks tour in 1905–06 on which he played 25 of the 35 matches including his first Test cap for New Zealand on 18 November against ScotlandScotland national rugby union team
The Scotland national rugby union team represent Scotland in international rugby union. Rugby union in Scotland is administered by the Scottish Rugby Union. The Scotland rugby union team is currently ranked eighth in the IRB World Rankings as of 19 September 2011...
. In total he played 30 matches during the period of 1905 to 1908 including eight Tests.
Rugby league
After switching to rugby leagueRugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
Gillett toured Australia with the 1911 New Zealand national team
New Zealand national rugby league team
The New Zealand national rugby league team has represented New Zealand in rugby league football since intercontinental competition began for the sport in 1907. Administered by the New Zealand Rugby League, they are commonly known as the Kiwis, after the native bird of that name...
and was one of four New Zealanders who toured Britain with the 1911–12 Australasian team. He played in five tour matches but no Tests. Gillet coached the 1912 New Zealand tour of Australia.
He later became the New Zealand Rugby League
New Zealand Rugby League
The New Zealand Rugby League is the governing body for the sport of rugby league football in New Zealand. The NZRL was founded on the 25 April 1910 in preparation for a tour of Great Britain that same year....
's official organiser, helping to promote the game
Heroism
George Gillett and Arthur 'Bolla' FrancisArthur Francis (rugby)
Arthur Reginald Howe 'Bolla'/'Alf' Francis was a New Zealand dual-code international rugby footballer of the 1900s, '10s and '20s, and coach of the 1930s, who at representative level played for New Zealand in rugby union and rugby league, as well as representing Australasia in rugby league and...
rescued Anglo-Welsh (British Lions) player Percy Down
Percy Down
Percy Down was an English rugby union player, best known as a commanding forward in the Bristol pack in the first decade of the twentieth century...
who had fallen into the sea, keeping him afloat until a rope was lowered from the ship upon which Down was about to return to Great Britain.