Joseph Lavery
Joseph Aloysius Lavery[1] (18 August 1880 - September 1948 (aged 68)) was a New Zealand rugby footballer who was part of the professional 1907-1908 New Zealand rugby tour of Great Britain.
Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Joseph Aloysius Lavery | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 18 August 1880 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Died | September 1948 (aged 68) Ashton-under-Lyne, England | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Playing information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 170 cm (5 ft 7 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 76 kg (12 st 0 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Rugby union | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Centre | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Rugby league | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Fullback, Centre | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Early years
Lavery worked on for the New Zealand Railways Department.[2]
Rugby football
Lavery started his career playing for Temuka in 1901 before moving to Christchurch Albion where he was a club mate of Hubert Turtill and Charlie Pearce. Lavery represented Canterbury between 1902 and 1904 and played for the South Island in 1903.[2]
Rugby league
Lavery joined the professional All Blacks tour of Great Britain and Australia in 1907-1908, thus switching codes to rugby league as all members of the touring party received a life ban from the New Zealand Rugby Union. However, he was not in the touring parties[3] first selection and played mostly in mid-week games, scoring two tries. Despite this Lavery played in one test match for New Zealand.
After the tour Lavery opted to stay in Britain and signed with first St Helens (Heritage № 169)[4], then moved to Leeds (Heritage № 215), becoming the club's first ever overseas player.[5][2] Lavery also played for Leigh, and then Salford in 1910, and was also the first ever overseas player to play for either club.[6][7]
By 1913 he had returned to New Zealand and played for Linwood in the first season of the Canterbury Rugby League competition.[8] He represented Canterbury in 1915.[8]
Later years
Lavery fought in World War I, and in May 1918 the Linwood club minutes recorded a "vote of sympathy" for Lavery, "who had returned wounded".[8]
References
- LAVERY, Joseph Aloysius 1907 - 08 - Kiwi #11 Archived 19 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine nzleague.co.nz
- John Haynes From All Blacks to All Golds: Rugby League's Pioneers, Christchurch, Ryan and Haynes, 1996. ISBN 0-473-03864-1
- "The All Golds". Archived from the original on 10 October 2017. Retrieved 8 February 2020.
- "Joe Lavery". Saints Heritage Society. Retrieved 9 September 2020.
- Champions reveal new look away kit Archived 24 February 2013 at the Wayback Machine therhinos.co.uk, 21 January 2013
- The Story So Far - 110 Years At The Willows Archived 6 June 2013 at the Wayback Machine reds.co.uk
- Club History Archived 5 May 2013 at the Wayback Machine leighcenturions.com
- Coffey, John. Canterbury XIII, Christchurch, 1987