George Spencer (rugby)
Encyclopedia
George Spencer was a New Zealand
rugby football
player who represented New Zealand in both rugby union
and rugby league
. His brother, John
, also was a dual-international.
.
Spencer was a carpenter by trade.
He was in the team which won the first ever Ranfurly Shield
match 6-3 against Auckland in 1904 and then played in a number of defences before the shield was regained by Auckland in 1905, kicking two penalties in Wellington’s 10-6 loss.
After making the North Island side in 1907 Spencer, by now nearly 29, was chosen for the tour of Australia, as was John Spencer. He played in five matches on tour and kicked three conversions but he was overlooked for all three tests.
on 24 August.
In 1909, when he was 30, he toured Australia for a second time. He played in one of the tests thus gaining the cap he had missed in rugby union. The Spencers are the only brothers to have been both All Blacks and Kiwis.
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
rugby football
Rugby football
Rugby football is a style of football named after Rugby School in the United Kingdom. It is seen most prominently in two current sports, rugby league and rugby union.-History:...
player who represented New Zealand in both 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...
and rugby league
Rugby 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...
. His brother, John
John Spencer (rugby)
John Clarence Spencer was a New Zealand rugby football player who represented New Zealand in both rugby union and rugby league. His brother, George, also was a dual-international.-Rugby union career:...
, also was a dual-international.
Early years
Spencer attended Mt Cook School in WellingtonWellington
Wellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
.
Spencer was a carpenter by trade.
Rugby union career
Spencer represented Wellington in 49 matches, an unusually high number for anyone to play in those years of limited programmes, between 1900 and 1908.He was in the team which won the first ever Ranfurly Shield
Ranfurly Shield
The Ranfurly Shield, colloquially known as the Log o' Wood, is a trophy in New Zealand's domestic rugby union competition. First played for in 1904, the Ranfurly Shield is based on a challenge system, rather than a league or knockout competition as with most football trophies...
match 6-3 against Auckland in 1904 and then played in a number of defences before the shield was regained by Auckland in 1905, kicking two penalties in Wellington’s 10-6 loss.
After making the North Island side in 1907 Spencer, by now nearly 29, was chosen for the tour of Australia, as was John Spencer. He played in five matches on tour and kicked three conversions but he was overlooked for all three tests.
Rugby league career
In 1908 he and his brother John switched to league, being part of the first ever provincial match in the country when they both played for Wellington against AucklandAuckland rugby league team
The Auckland rugby league team is the team which traditionally represents all of the clubs which play in the Auckland Rugby League competition. The Auckland Rugby League team has traditionally been a powerhouse of New Zealand domestic rugby league...
on 24 August.
In 1909, when he was 30, he toured Australia for a second time. He played in one of the tests thus gaining the cap he had missed in rugby union. The Spencers are the only brothers to have been both All Blacks and Kiwis.