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Dave Gallaher 1873 - 1917 |
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A Remarkable Rugby Career An All Black great emerges in his adopted land Gallaher grew into a formidable man of six feet tall and 13 stone. He was well suited to rugby which he played immediately on arriving in Auckland at the age of 17 initially for the now defunct Parnell side but he subsequently donned the colours of the famous Ponsonby Club. He made his debut for his provincial side in 1896 and played for eleven years. |
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Gallaher then joined the New
Zealand Army which headed for South Africa and the Boer War. He would see
distinguished service and rapid promotion with the Sixth Contingent of the
New Zealand Mounted Rifles. On his safe return on 23rd August, 1902, the
NZ Herald said that Sergeant-Major Gallaher “as well as fighting the
Boers, had managed to work in a few games of football in South Africa.” Gallaher returned to the game in 1903 and he was nominated by the Auckland Herald as the outstanding forward of the opening game of the season as Ponsonby beat Parnell 23-0. Such was his form that the Auckland Rugby Union nominated him for the New Zealand national team and Gallaher was selected on the squad which made a tour of Australia that year. Gallaher played ten matches – five as hooker and five as wing forward – as New Zealand left a trail of victories in their wake. He also played in the tour’s sole test match, the first ever between New Zealand and Australia, and on his return home managed another six provincial matches with Auckland. Gallaher would go on to represent New Zealand 36 times, playing six tests and scoring 14 points (six tries and a single conversion). He also played for New Zealand in the first ever test involving the British and Irish Lions in 1904. But it would be in his role as captain of the legendary 1905 ‘Original’ All Blacks team that toured Britain, France and North America in 1905 that he gained everlasting fame. After that tour’s remarkable achievements, he retired in glory. |
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