Alfred Walker (rugby)
Encyclopedia
Arthur Stanley Billingsgate "Alfred" Walker (circa 1893 – September 1958) was an Australia
n rugby union
player, a state and national representative scrum-half. His representative career lasted from 1912 to 1924 and he captained the national side on fifteen occasions including eleven Test matches between 1922 and 1924. Later he was a NSW state
selector and representative team manager.
and then joined the Eastern Suburbs club
. At aged nineteen, before he had made any state representative
appearances, he was selected for the 1912 Australia rugby union tour of Canada and the USA
. He played in nine games of the tour, including the sole Test match against the USA
which Australia won 12-8. He did not gain state or national selection in the few Tests and touring matches of the 1913 and 1914 Australian seasons.
He enlisted late in the 1st AIF late World War I
joining the 1st Light Horse
from the 4th General Service Reinforcement. He embarked for Egypt in HMAT A15 Port Sydney in August 1918 and returned to Melbourne in April 1919 with discharge in May 1919.
and was selected in New South Wales
sides that met the All Blacks
in Sydney in 1920. With no Queensland Rugby Union
administration or competition in place from 1919 to 1929, the New South Wales Waratahs
were the top Australia
n representative rugby union
side of the period and a number of their fixtures of 1920s played against full international opposition were decreed by the Australian Rugby Union
in 1986 as official Test matches. Thus Walker's fifteen Waratahs' appearances against international sides from 1920, including the eleven when he captained the side, were all later decreed as Tests. Walker took over the Waratahs captaincy from the first match against the visiting South Africans
in 1921 at the Sydney Showground
and led the side in all three Tests.
Walaker captained the Waratahs on their 1921 tour of New Zealand playing in eight games of the tour and the sole Test in Christchurch. Over the next three years Walker played for the Waratahs in nine further international matches against touring All Black
and NZ Maori
teams, captaining the side in seven of those matches.
All told Walker claimed a total of sixteen international rugby Test caps for Australia, eleven as captain. In retirement he became a state selector.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
player, a state and national representative scrum-half. His representative career lasted from 1912 to 1924 and he captained the national side on fifteen occasions including eleven Test matches between 1922 and 1924. Later he was a NSW state
New South Wales Waratahs
The New South Wales Waratahs are an Australian rugby union football team, representing the majority of New South Wales in the Super 15 Super Rugby competition...
selector and representative team manager.
Pre-war
Born in Sydney, Walker was schooled at Sydney GrammarSydney Grammar School
Sydney Grammar School is an independent, non-denominational, selective, day school for boys, located in Darlinghurst, Edgecliff and St Ives, all suburbs of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia....
and then joined the Eastern Suburbs club
Eastern Suburbs RUFC
The Eastern Suburbs Rugby Union Football Club is a team in the Shute Shield and the Tooheys New cup, the premier club rugby union football competition in New South Wales....
. At aged nineteen, before he had made any state representative
New South Wales Waratahs
The New South Wales Waratahs are an Australian rugby union football team, representing the majority of New South Wales in the Super 15 Super Rugby competition...
appearances, he was selected for the 1912 Australia rugby union tour of Canada and the USA
1912 Australia rugby union tour of Canada and the USA
The 1912 Australia rugby union tour of Canada and the USA was a collection of friendly rugby union games undertaken by the Australia national rugby union team against various invitational teams from Canada and the USA, and also against the US national team....
. He played in nine games of the tour, including the sole Test match against the USA
United States national rugby union team
USA Rugby's men's national rugby union team, nicknamed the Eagles, represents the United States in the sport of rugby union. The Eagles are currently ranked 17th by the IRB World Rankings. Their highest ranking was from November 2, 2006 – September 10, 2007 at the 14th position...
which Australia won 12-8. He did not gain state or national selection in the few Tests and touring matches of the 1913 and 1914 Australian seasons.
He enlisted late in the 1st AIF late World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
joining the 1st Light Horse
1st Light Horse Brigade
The 1st Light Horse Brigade was a mounted infantry brigade of the First Australian Imperial Force which served in the Middle Eastern theatre of World War I. The brigade first saw action during the Dardanelles Campaign in the Battle of Gallipoli. After being withdrawn to Egypt in February 1916 they...
from the 4th General Service Reinforcement. He embarked for Egypt in HMAT A15 Port Sydney in August 1918 and returned to Melbourne in April 1919 with discharge in May 1919.
Post-war career and captaincy
On his return to rugby in Sydney post-war Walker became club captain at EastsEastern Suburbs RUFC
The Eastern Suburbs Rugby Union Football Club is a team in the Shute Shield and the Tooheys New cup, the premier club rugby union football competition in New South Wales....
and was selected in New South Wales
New South Wales Waratahs
The New South Wales Waratahs are an Australian rugby union football team, representing the majority of New South Wales in the Super 15 Super Rugby competition...
sides that met the All Blacks
All Blacks
The New Zealand men's national rugby union team, known as the All Blacks, represent New Zealand in what is regarded as its national sport....
in Sydney in 1920. With no Queensland Rugby Union
Queensland Rugby Union
The Queensland Rugby Union is the governing body for rugby union in Queensland. It is a member and founding union of the Australian Rugby Union.-See also:*Queensland Reds*Australian Rugby Union*The Wallabies*Rugby union in Queensland...
administration or competition in place from 1919 to 1929, the New South Wales Waratahs
New South Wales Waratahs
The New South Wales Waratahs are an Australian rugby union football team, representing the majority of New South Wales in the Super 15 Super Rugby competition...
were the top Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n representative rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
side of the period and a number of their fixtures of 1920s played against full international opposition were decreed by the Australian Rugby Union
Australian Rugby Union
The Australian Rugby Union is the governing body of rugby union in Australia. It was founded in 1949 and is a member of the International Rugby Board the sport's governing body. It consists of eight member unions, representing each state and territory...
in 1986 as official Test matches. Thus Walker's fifteen Waratahs' appearances against international sides from 1920, including the eleven when he captained the side, were all later decreed as Tests. Walker took over the Waratahs captaincy from the first match against the visiting South Africans
South Africa national rugby union team
The South African national rugby union team are 2009 British and Irish Lions Series winners. They are currently ranked as the fourth best team in the IRB World Rankings and were named 2008 World Team of the Year at the prestigious Laureus World Sports Awards.Although South Africa was instrumental...
in 1921 at the Sydney Showground
Sydney Showground (Moore Park)
The former Sydney Showground at Moore Park was the site of the Sydney Royal Easter Show in New South Wales, Australia from 1882 until 1997, when the Show was moved to the new Sydney Showground at Homebush Bay, which was built for the Sydney 2000 Olympics...
and led the side in all three Tests.
Walaker captained the Waratahs on their 1921 tour of New Zealand playing in eight games of the tour and the sole Test in Christchurch. Over the next three years Walker played for the Waratahs in nine further international matches against touring All Black
All Blacks
The New Zealand men's national rugby union team, known as the All Blacks, represent New Zealand in what is regarded as its national sport....
and NZ Maori
New Zealand Maori rugby union team
New Zealand Māori is a rugby union team that traditionally plays teams touring New Zealand. A prerequisite for playing in this team is that the player is to have Māori whakapapa or genealogy. In the past this rule was not strictly applied. In the past non-Māori players who looked Māori were often...
teams, captaining the side in seven of those matches.
All told Walker claimed a total of sixteen international rugby Test caps for Australia, eleven as captain. In retirement he became a state selector.