John Walter (All Black)
Encyclopedia
John Walter (2 August 1904–25 April 1966) was an All Black and Taranaki
rugby football
representative in the 1920s and 1930s.
on 2 August 1904. Playing for the Stratford
club, he was selected for his first game for Taranaki in 1924. In 1925 he was selected for the All Black tour of Australia
, where, as a 20 year old, he played in seven of the eight matches and scored four tries. He looked to have a promising career ahead of him, however the competition as loose forward was too great and Walter lost his place.
Between 1924 and 1932 Walter played 85 matches for Taranaki, and played in the combined Taranaki-Wanganui
side against the touring New South Wales
team in 1925. In 1931 he led Taranaki to a 11-10 victory over the touring Australian side.
John Walter died on 25 April 1966 in Stratford. His nephew Alan Smith, also playing out of the Stratford club, was a Taranaki representative and an All Black lock in 1967-70.
Taranaki Province
The Taranaki Province was a province of New Zealand from 1853 until the abolition of provincial government in 1876...
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:...
representative in the 1920s and 1930s.
Biography
John Walter was born in TokoToko
Toko is a small rural settlement 10 kilometres east of Stratford, New Zealand, at the intersection of East Road and Toko Road. It is located on a railway, the Stratford - Okahukura Line, the western portion of which was operated as a branch line known as the Toko Branch prior to the line's...
on 2 August 1904. Playing for the Stratford
Stratford, New Zealand
Stratford is the only town in the central Taranaki district of Stratford District, New Zealand. It lies beneath the eastern slopes of Mount Taranaki/Egmont, approximately half-way between New Plymouth and Hawera, near the geographic centre of the Taranaki region. The town has a population of...
club, he was selected for his first game for Taranaki in 1924. In 1925 he was selected for the All Black tour of Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, where, as a 20 year old, he played in seven of the eight matches and scored four tries. He looked to have a promising career ahead of him, however the competition as loose forward was too great and Walter lost his place.
Between 1924 and 1932 Walter played 85 matches for Taranaki, and played in the combined Taranaki-Wanganui
Wanganui
Whanganui , also spelled Wanganui, is an urban area and district on the west coast of the North Island of New Zealand. It is part of the Manawatu-Wanganui region....
side against the touring New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
team in 1925. In 1931 he led Taranaki to a 11-10 victory over the touring Australian side.
John Walter died on 25 April 1966 in Stratford. His nephew Alan Smith, also playing out of the Stratford club, was a Taranaki representative and an All Black lock in 1967-70.