A Great Footballer

By the death last month of Maurice Joseph Brownlie, Gisborne and New Zealand lost a man who was one of his country's greatest and best-loved footballers. His name will always be associated with the halcyon days of East Coast Rugby, when Hawkes Bay was the premier side in New Zealand; with the invincible 1924 All Blacks, in which he was generally regarded as the finest of the forwards; and with the 1928 All Blacks, which he captained for the tour of South Africa in that year. In all, he played 61 games for New Zealand, a record which stood for many years, and earned for him a lasting place in the international gallery of Rugby football giants.

As captain of the 1928 All Blacks, Maurice Brownlie meets General Jan Smuts, famous South African leader.

An incident in one of the South African tests: Brownlie (left, with headgear) about to pick up the ball

Maurice Brownlie was born in 1896 in Hawkes Bay, and became prominent in Rugby football there before the First World War. He served overseas with the Wellington Mounted Rifles and on his return was a member of the H.B. team which won the Ranfurly Shield and held it against many challenges. He captained Hawkes Bay from 1922 to 1927. He first played for N.Z. against New South Wales in 1922, and with his brother Cyril was selected for the 1924 All Blacks (below). He retired from the game after captaining the All Blacks in South Africa in 1928, and after his marriage to Miss Maude Barker in 1930, settled in Gisborne, and farmed property at Rere.

Camera catches the famed "Brownlie fend" in action. Coming up in support is Cyril Brownlie, who was also in '24 All Blacks

W. H. Brown. M. F. Nicholls. R. R. Masters. I. H. Harvey. J. H. Parker. Q. Donald. B. Mccleary.
J. Steel. M. J. Brownlie. R. F. Stewart. C. J. Brownlie. L. F. Cupples. A. H. West. L. Paewai. A. White.
A. C. C. Robilliard. H. G. Munro. W. R. Irvine. C. G. Porter. (Captain) S. S. Dean. (Manager) J. Richardson. (Vice-Captain) G. Nepia. A. H. Hart. A. E. Cooke.
J. Mill. N. P. Mcgregor. W. C. Dalley. F. W. Lucas. K. S. Svenson. C. E. O. Badeley.

An incident in the 1924 game against Lancashire. Brownlie is seen (left) breaking away from the scrum after Lancashire have secured the ball. N.Z. won 23-0.

Before leaving for service overseas in the Great War.

His marriage at Holy Trinity Church, Gisborne, to Miss Maude Barker. Mrs Brownlie predeceased her husband by two years and they are survived by two daughters, Mrs R. B. Johnson, of Springfield, Canterbury, and Miss Alexa Brownlie, Gisborne.

Possibly the last photograph taken of Mr Brownlie (at right, with Basic Viviers, George Nepia, and Dr. Danie Craven at the Springbok game in Gisborne on June 27, 1956).

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The Gisborne Photo News

No 31 : February 7, 1957

A Great Footballer