Ernie Booth

Ernest Edward Booth (24 February 1876 – 18 October 1935) was a New Zealand rugby union player. A fullback and three-quarter, Booth represented Otago at a provincial level between 1896 and 1907, and was a member of the New Zealand national side, the All Blacks, from 1905 to 1907. He played 24 matches for the All Blacks including three internationals, and was a member of the Original All Blacks on their 1905–06 tour of the British Isles, France and North America.[1]

Ernie Booth

Birth name	Ernest Edward Booth
Date of birth	(1876-02-24)24 February 1876
Place of birth	Teschmakers, North Otago, New Zealand
Date of death	18 October 1935(1935-10-18) (aged 59)
Place of death	Christchurch, New Zealand
Height	1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)
Weight	74 kg (163 lb)
Occupation(s)	Journalist, rugby union coach
Rugby union career
Position(s) Fullback, three-quarter All Black No. 127 Provincial / State sides Years Team Apps (Points) 1896–1908 1908–1909 1909 Otago New South Wales Leicester Tigers 28 5 () National team(s) Years Team Apps (Points) 1905–1907 New Zealand 3 (0)

Booth moved to Sydney and played for New South Wales between 1908 and 1909.[1] He toured as a press correspondent with the Australian rugby union team on their 1908–09 tour of Britain, and while there played 5 matches for Leicester becoming the first non-British international to play for the club.[2][1][3] He served with the Australian forces during World War I as secretary in the YMCA.[1]

In the 1920s, Booth was appointed as a professional coach by the Southland Rugby Union, developing the game in that region.[1] In 1924, he accompanied the All Blacks on their tour of Britain, Ireland and France as the representative of the Australian Press Association.[3] He then toured with New Zealand Māori on the British and French legs of their 1926–27 tour, reporting for newspapers in the North Island.[3]

Booth died in the Christchurch suburb of St Albans on 18 October 1935,[1][3][4] and he was buried in the Oamaru Old Cemetery.[5]

References

1. Knight, Lindsay. "General Booth". New Zealand Rugby Union. Retrieved 18 March 2019.
2. Farmer, Stuart; Hands, David (2014). Tigers – Official history of Leicester Football Club. The Rugby Development Foundation. pp. 65 & 451. ISBN 978-0-9930213-0-5.
3. "Famous All Black dead". Evening Star. 19 October 1935. p. 14. Retrieved 18 March 2019.
4. "Deaths". The Press. 19 October 1935. p. 1. Retrieved 18 March 2019.
5. "Cemetery search". Waitaki District Council. Retrieved 18 March 2019.