St Helen’s ArchivePreserving the past for the future

JY086

Jersey

CIC

Charlie Saxton

1945-1946

Jersey NZEF 1945. Black with white collar and black cloth patch with "NZEF" and silver fern motif on left breast. White cloth rectangle with black number '3' on back.

This rugby jersey belonged to Pte. J B Smith of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force Rugby Team 1945-6. It was presented to Swansea RFC by Mr Charlie Saxton (captain of team). known as the ‘Kiwis’, the NZEF rugby team toured Britain and Europe in 1945-46 at the end of WW II and were acclaimed for the open, adventurous style of football played. They played Swansea at St Helens on 27 October 1945 winning by 22 pts to 6 pts in a game more characteristic of a Barbarians fixture. Popularly known as the "Kiwis", the New Zealand Expeditionary Force rugby team became one of the most influential and significant teams in rugby history. Their contribution to rugby lore was twofold: they resuscitated international rugby after World War II and they played a brand of rugby that set new standards of innovation and entertainment, in much the same way as the 1905 Original All Blacks had. However the Kiwis were not All Blacks - they were soldiers and were selected after active service in North Africa and Italy and, in some cases, after lengthy spells in prisoner of war camps in Italy, Austria and Germany. Charlie Saxton, the 1938 New Zealand half-back and the only All Black among them, was chosen as captain. But such was the quality of their play, 15 of the team of 29 later played for the All Blacks. The tour was organised by General Bernard Freyberg with the Kiwis playing 33 matches in Europe, winning 29 and with two draws and two losses. They scored a formidable 605 points and conceded only 185. They beat the full international sides of England, Wales and France and lost just one international, to Scotland. This jersey was presented to Swansea RFC by the NZEF Rugby Team captain C K ("Charlie") Saxton (Timaru HSOB, S. Canterbury, NZ & NZEF 1945-46).
The wearer of this NZEF jersey, Jonny Burns Smith is still rated by many in New Zealand as one of the greatest backs of all time. His sublime handling skills and awareness, combined with his athleticism made him an automatic first choice in every match of the NZEF tour. He played later as an All Black but in just nine matches, including four tests. Shamefully, he and other Maōris in the All Black squad were dropped for the 1949 tour to South Africa as requested by that union and acquiesced to by New Zealand Rugby. Australia toured in New Zealand at the same time as the South African tour, so, unusually, the All Blacks played capped games simultaneously in both locations. It is felt that Smith and the other two Maōris dropped from the tour were to receive caps as an acknowledgement that they certainly would have been selected but for the shameful agreement to disallow them. Smith's All Blacks career included being a member of the first All Blacks side since 1938 when he played in the 31 - 8 win over Australia in their 1946 tour of New Zealand. he did not play in the second test, but captained the Auckland side that beat the Wallabies 32 -19 on the tour.
Smith toured Australia in 1947 with the All Blacks, playing in one of the two tests.
Jonny Smith played 41 matches for Auckland up to 1954. His official All Blacks profile said of him that: "there is little argument that Smith rates among the greatest midfield players ever produced by New Zealand."

kiwis, new Zealand, Charlie saxton, 1945,