William Smith (rugby union)

William Ernest Smith (9 March 1881 – 25 May 1945) was a New Zealand rugby union player. He was educated at Nelson College where he was a member of the 1st XV in 1897.[2] A first five-eighth, Smith represented Nelson at a provincial level, and played only one match for the national side, the All Blacks, in 1905,[3] an international against Australia in Dunedin.[2]

William Smith

Birth name	William Ernest Smith
Date of birth	(1881-03-09)9 March 1881
Place of birth	Wellington, New Zealand
Date of death	25 May 1945(1945-05-25) (aged 64)
Place of death	Wellington, New Zealand
Height	1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)
Weight	90 kg (200 lb)
School	Nelson College
Occupation(s)	Accountant[1]
Rugby union career
Position(s) First five-eighth All Black No. 138 Provincial / State sides Years Team Apps (Points) 1900–08 Nelson () National team(s) Years Team Apps (Points) 1905 New Zealand 1 (0)

Smith served in the Canterbury Infantry Battalion in World War I and was wounded at Gallipoli.[4][5] He died in Wellington in 1945 and was buried in the soldiers' section of Karori Cemetery.[5]

References

1. Smith, William Ernest. Burial record, Cemeteries database, Wellington City Council. Retrieved 17 July 2013.
2. Chester, Rod; McMillan, Neville; Palenski, Ron (1987). The Encyclopedia of New Zealand Rugby. Auckland: Moa Publications. p. 151. ISBN 0-908570-16-3.
3. Knight, Lindsay. "William Smith". New Zealand Rugby Museum. Retrieved 17 July 2013.
4. Smith, Ernest William, World War I, 1914–1918. Cenotaph Database, Auckland War Museum. Retrieved 17 July 2013.
5. "Roll of Honour". Evening Post. 26 May 1945. p. 1. Retrieved 17 July 2013.