Edward McCausland

Edward Elsmere Montgomery McCausland, (11 May 1865 – 9 November 1936) was an Australian born sportsperson who as a rugby footballer toured with the 1888–89 New Zealand Native football team. The touring party played predominantly rugby union, but also a small number of association football and Victorian rules football matches. McCausland was also a cricketer of note and is recorded to have represented Wellington in a First-class match.[1]

Edward McCausland
Birth nameEdward Elsmere Montgomery McCausland
Date of birth(1865-05-11)11 May 1865
Place of birthSydney, Australia
Date of death9 November 1936(1936-11-09) (aged 71)
Place of deathSydney, Australia
Rugby union career
Position(s) three-quarters, full-back
Amateur team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
Gordon ()
Provincial / State sides
Years Team Apps (Points)
1886, 1888
1887
1891		 Auckland
Hawke's Bay
New South Wales		 4
5
2		 ()
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
1888–89 New Zealand Native team 66 (155)

Personal history

McCausland was born in Jamieson, Victoria Australia in 1865 to John Conyngham McCausland and his wife Sarah. McCausland's parents were originally from County Armagh in Ireland, but emigrated to Australia where his father became a manager for the Union Bank of Australia.[2] Around 1880 the family moved to New Zealand and McCausland followed his father into banking.[2] By 1892 McCausland had returned to Australia, marrying Alice Shore that year in St Leonards, New South Wales. The marriage was short lived and in 1895 he remarried to Ada May Barber (born 1869/1870), the couple settling in Goulburn. The couple had six sons, John (known as Jack) EB McCausland (1896), Harold Conyngham McCausland (1897), James E McCausland (1899), Selwyn M McCausland (1903), Geoffrey M McCausland (1905) and Thomas R McCausland (1909). In 1930 Ada died and in 1932 McCausland married again, to Alice Maud Barber (born 1871), the sister of his second wife. He died in Sydney in 1936 at the age of 71.[3]

New Zealand Natives

McCausland was a keen sportsman as a youth, and played rugby while a teenager, representing the New Zealand Bank's team at the age of 18.[4] By 1886 McCausland was a regular three-quarter with Wellington and by 1888 he represented both Gordon and Auckland.[5][6]

When the 1888 New Zealand Natives rugby union team was being selected, McCausland was not an initial choice. As an employee of the Bank of New Zealand, it would have required a lengthy leave of absence, and McCausland was not part of Natives' captain Joe Warbrick's plans.[7] When Warbrick broke a bone in his foot, McCausland was offered a place on the team and after obtaining a 12-month leave of absence from his employer he stepped in as a replacement for the injured captain. His duties for the Natives also included tour secretary and stand in umpire.[7] He was the best goal-kicker in the Native side,[8] and on the British leg of their tour scored 151 points in 63 matches – making him the highest points scorer on tour.[9] It was most likely due to only being granted 12 months leave from his banking position that McCausland returned to New Zealand following the Victorian leg of their Australian tour,[10] so he scored only 4 points outside of the British matches.[11]

References
  1. "Edward McCausland". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 20 July 2013.
  2. "Obituary". The New Zealand Herald. paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 27 January 1890. Retrieved 21 July 2013.
  3. "Obituary". Auckland Star. paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 26 November 1936. Retrieved 21 July 2013.
  4. "Football". The New Zealand Herald. paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 18 August 1883. Retrieved 20 July 2013.
  5. "Football Notes". Auckland Star. paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 5 August 1886. Retrieved 20 July 2013.
  6. "Football Notes". Aroha News. paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 13 April 1889. Retrieved 20 July 2013.
  7. "The Native Play a Splendid Game". The Daily Telegraph. paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 9 July 1888. Retrieved 20 July 2013.
  8. Ryan 1993, p. 28.
  9. Ryan 1993, p. 136.
  10. Ryan 1993, p. 108.
  11. Ryan 1993, pp. 146–147.

Bibliography
  • Ryan, Greg (1993). Forerunners of the All Blacks. Christchurch, New Zealand: Canterbury University Press. ISBN 0-908812-30-2.
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