Pat Walsh (rugby player)

Pat Walsh

Player information
Full name	Patrick Timothy Walsh
birthday	May 6, 1936
place of birth	Kaitaia , New Zealand
date of death	November 23, 2007
Place of death	Auckland , New Zealand
size	175 cm
society
society	deceased
position	Outside three quarters Inside three quarters goalkeeper
Clubs as active
Years	society	Games (points)
	Ardmore Teachers' Training College Papakura RFC Waiuku District RFC Manurewa RFC
province
province	deceased
position	Outside three quarters Inside three quarters goalkeeper
Provinces as active
Years	province	Games (points)
1955-1960 1961-1962	Counties Manukau RU Auckland RFU	54 23
National team
Years	National team	Games (points)
1955-1961 1955-1964	New Zealand Māori New Zealand	13 (12)
Coaching stations
Years	Association / Province / Franchise
?	Counties of Manukau RU
As of August 20, 2010

Patrick Timothy Walsh (born May 6, 1936 in Kaitaia , New Zealand , † November 23, 2007 in Auckland , New Zealand) was a New Zealand rugby union player on the position of the outer three quarters , inner three quarters and goalkeeper and after his active career a rugby official and - Trainer. His main occupation was first as a teacher, then as a retail salesman and finally as a travel agent.

He attended Sacred Heart College and Ardmore Teachers' Training College in Auckland. His first rugby club was the team from the Südaucklander Ardmore Teachers' Training College. From there he made it to the second team of the Auckland RFU at the age of 18 . He later played for the clubs Papakura RFC, Waiuku District RFC and Manurewa RFC, which are also based in Südauckland. When the clubs of the southern suburbs of Auckland separated from the Auckland RFU in 1955 and founded the Provincial Association of Counties Manukau Rugby Union , Ardmore was also there. He became the new association's first national player at the age of 19, having been called up to the New Zealand national team ( All Blacks ) that same year . On August 20, he made his international debut as an inner three-quarters against Australia ( Wallabies ) in the first game for the Bledisloe Cup in 1955. The All Blacks won the game with 16: 8. In the two subsequent internationals against Australia, he ran on the position of goalkeeper. With two wins and one defeat, the All Blacks were able to successfully defend the cup. He had previously made his debut with the New Zealand Māori , for which he was eligible to play due to his Māori origin. At the end of the 1955 season he was named the best Māori-born rugby player of the year.

Walsh's greatest triumph in rugby followed a year later when he won the international series with the All Blacks against the South African national team ( Springboks ) touring New Zealand . It was the first defeat of the Springboks in an international series at all. The New Zealanders won three of their four internationals and lost one. Walsh played as a goalkeeper in the first two games. After the opening win and the defeat in the second game, he was replaced by Don Clarke in the third game. He then ran for the New Zealand Māori in their 0:37 loss to South Africa. He was then back on the national team's starting line-up in the fourth international match of the tour. With an 11: 5, the All Blacks sealed their victory in the international series in 1956.

In 1957 and 1958 Walsh successfully defended the Bledisloe Cup against Australia with the All Blacks. He also led the team of the New Zealand Māori in 1958 as captain on their tour in Australia. That year he was voted the best Mori rugby player again.

On the tour of the British and Irish Lions in New Zealand in 1959, he played in the first international game for the All Blacks against the Lions. The New Zealanders won the game very closely with 18:17. Furthermore, he was again captain of the New Zealand Māori in their game against the Lions. As their captain, he also won a victory against France in 1961.

Because of his Māori origin, he was not allowed to take part in the All Black Tour in South Africa in 1960, as the apartheid regime there prohibited Māori from playing rugby with and against whites in South Africa, which the New Zealand Rugby Football Union (NZRU) and the New Zealand governments accepted until the end of the 1960s, despite some fierce criticism.

From 1961 to 1962 he played for the Auckland RFU and was involved in their then record defense of the Ranfurly Shields (1960-1963: 25 games).

In 1963/64 he toured Europe with the All Blacks. Due to a serious injury to his leg, he only made twelve appearances, none of which was an international match. The injury was so severe that the doctors initially predicted that he would never be able to walk again. This prognosis was not confirmed, but he had to retire from active rugby. He then worked as a rugby official at Manurewa RFC, the Provincial Association Counties Manukau and the NZRU and coached Counties Manukau.

Walsh died of cancer on November 23, 2007 at the age of 71 in Auckland.

Individual evidence

1. ↑ All Black greats farewell a friend . stuff.co.nz. Retrieved August 23, 2010.
2. ^ Rugby Community Mourns Pat Walsh . aucklandrugby.co.nz. Retrieved on August 23, 2010.  ( Page no longer available , search in web archives )  Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.  
3. ^ Great show for Walsh tribute . stuff.co.nz. Retrieved August 23, 2010.
4. ↑ All Black legend Walsh dies . planetrugby.com. Retrieved on August 23, 2010.  ( Page no longer available , search in web archives )  Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.  
5. ↑ Govt refuses to join Maori rugby apology . nzherald.co.nz. Retrieved August 23, 2010.
6. ^ Rugby: Pat Walsh had a genius for the game . nzherald.co.nz. Retrieved August 23, 2010.

Web links

• Profile on allblacks.com