Charles Saxton (sportsman)

Charles Kesteven Saxton MBE (23 May 1913 – 4 July 2001) was a New Zealand first-class rugby union and cricket player, and a rugby union coach and administrator.

Charlie Saxton
MBE

Personal information
Full name	Charles Kesteven Saxton
Born	(1913-05-23)23 May 1913 Kurow, New Zealand
Died	4 July 2001(2001-07-04) (aged 88) Dunedin, New Zealand
Batting	Right-handed batsman
Domestic team information
Years	Team
1934–39	Otago
First-class debut	24 December 1934  v Wellington
Last First-class	31 December 1938  v Auckland
Career statistics
Competition First-class Matches 7 Runs scored 226 Batting average 17.38 100s/50s 0/0 Top score 37 Catches/stumpings 3/0
Source: Cricket Archive
Rugby career
Height	1.65 m (5 ft 5 in)
Weight	67 kg (148 lb)
Rugby union career
Position(s) Halfback All Black No. 443 Provincial / State sides Years Team Apps (Points) 1935–36 1937–38 1939 Otago South Canterbury Southland () National team(s) Years Team Apps (Points) 1938 New Zealand 3 (9)

Early life

Born in Kurow, Saxton was educated at Otago Boys' High School in Dunedin, where he was a member of the school's 1st XV rugby team between 1931 and 1932 coached by Jimmy Duncan.[1]

Rugby union career

A halfback, Saxton represented Otago, South Canterbury, and Southland at a provincial level, and was a member of the New Zealand national side, the All Blacks, in 1938. He played seven matches for the All Blacks including three internationals. At the conclusion of World War II he captained the 2nd New Zealand Expeditionary Force "Kiwis" team on their 1945–46 tour of Britain and Europe.[1]

Returning to New Zealand, Saxton coached the Pirates club in Dunedin, and was an assistant coach of the Otago team from 1948 to 1957. In 1967 he managed the All Blacks on their tour of Britain, France and Canada. Saxton served on the council of the New Zealand Rugby Football Union (NZRFU) from 1957 to 1971 and was president of the NZRFU in 1974. He was elected a life member of the NZRFU two years later.[1]

In 1973, Saxton wrote the coaching booklet The ABC of Rugby, which had a print run of 70,000 copies, in conjunction with the NZRFU.[1][2]

In the 1978 New Year Honours, Saxton was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire, for services to rugby.[3]

Cricket career

An opening batsman[4] and occasional wicketkeeper, Saxton played seven first-class games for Otago between the 1934-35 and 1938-39 seasons. He scored 226 runs at an average of 17.38, with a high score of 37.[5]

World War II service

During World War II, Saxton served with the 19th Armoured Regiment, rising to the rank of major and seeing active service in North Africa and Italy.[1]

Later life and death

Saxton owned and ran a menswear shop in Dunedin for many years. He died in Dunedin in 2001 from complications caused by emphysema, and his funeral was held at Carisbrook.[4] In his eulogy, Fred Allen described Saxton as "a New Zealand icon".[6]

See also

• List of Otago representative cricketers

References

1. Luxford, Bob. "Charlie Saxton". New Zealand Rugby Union. Retrieved 17 February 2015.
2. "Saxton's fame reaches France". Stuff.co.nz. 18 October 2001.
3. "No. 47420". The London Gazette (3rd supplement). 31 December 1977. p. 43.
4. "Rugby world loses courageous leader". Evening Post. 5 July 2001. p. 28.
5. "Charlie Saxton". CricketArchive. Retrieved 17 February 2015.
6. "Carisbrook mourns 'NZ icon'". The Press. 10 July 2001. p. 9.

External links

• Photograph of Charlie Sexton, 1930s