Richard Wynyard

John Richard "Dick" Wynyard^[1] was a New Zealand rugby footballer who was part of the professional 1907-1908 New Zealand rugby tour of Great Britain. Richard was the brother of William Wynyard.

Early years

From a sporting family that included three uncles that were part of the 1888-1889 New Zealand Native football team that toured Great Britain. One of these three, Tabby Wynyard went on the represent the All Blacks. Richard followed his family tradition, becoming a noted rugby union player and a civil servant clerk.^[2]

Rugby Football

Living in Devonport, Wynyard was part of the North Shore Rugby Club and won selection for Auckland when aged only 20. In 1907 he was nominated for the North Island team but did not play after he, along with eleven other Auckland nominations, refused to sign a declaration that he would remain an amateur player.

Rugby League

Wynyard was then selected to be part of the professional All Blacks 1907-08 tour of Australia and Great Britain alongside his brother Billy. Wynyard had to resign his government job to be part of the tour, but the move paid off as he ended up playing in all eight test matches and scoring fourteen tries in all games.

Unlike many of the touring party he remained in New Zealand after the tour, captaining Auckland in the first ever provincial match against Wellington on 24 August 1908.^[2] He, along with his brother, later helped form the North Shore Albions Rugby League Club - which broke away from the North Shore Rugby Club.

References