Horace Neal

Prior to joining the war effort Neal was a Ponsonby United rugby league junior. He played in their 4th grade teams from 1913 to 1915 (aged 17 to 19 through this period).[15][16][17] Following his return to New Zealand after the war Neal began playing for the Ponsonby senior side early in the 1919 season. His height and weight when he enlisted were recorded as 1.65m and 62 kg respectively so unsurprisingly he was playing in the halfback position alongside the brilliant young Frank Delgrosso who was also in his debut season in the senior side at first five eighth and fullback.[18] In a round 5 match on June 7 for Ponsonby against Maritime, which Ponsonby won 15-6, it was reported that “Neal made a commendable showing at halfback”. The match was played before a crowd of 5,000 at Victoria Park.[19] A week later at the same venue he scored a try against City Rovers before 7,000 spectators who witnessed Ponsonby win 18-13. His try came after he “was prominent in several attacking movements, and eventually from a good opening made a fine run, and scored near the corner”.[20] On June 21 on a “heavy” Auckland Domain surface Neal had to be taken off injured in their match with Newton Rangers. The Auckland Star reported that he had put his “best effort forward” while the Observer said “little Neal, Ponsonby's half-back, is to be complimented”.[21][22] In a 19-3 round 8 win over Newton he was said to be “more adroit and resourceful than the half-back who opposed him, and consequently the Ponsonby back division was able to monopolise the attack”.[23] Against City a week later Neal had another strong game in a crucial 7-4 win before 6,000 at Victoria Park. City had a slight advantage in the forward play but it was “more than outweighed by the handle Neal's work behind the scrum gave to Ponsonby”, where he gave “several pretty openings to his backs”.[24] The New Zealand Herald said he was “always about and got the ball away in good style. He was of great assistance to his side”.[25] The Observer said “Neal for Ponsonby was as nippy and dodgy as of yore, and set his backs going on many occasions”.[26]

On July 12 Neal played in Ponsonby's 3-3 draw with Maritime which secured Ponsonby the 1919 Myers Cup for winning the first grade championship. It was their third consecutive title after winning for the first ever time in 1917. He was said to have been “prominent” in the greasy conditions.[27] The Auckland Star said “Neal, the little junior who has not long come up from [the] juniors, is a player the team will do well to hold on to”.[28]

Following Ponsonby's championship winning match Neal was selected for the Returned Soldiers side to play against Auckland at the Auckland Domain as part of the Peace Day celebrations (which were in fact spread over 3 days). He was chosen to play halfback with James Hing and John Lang partnering him in the five eighths positions.[29] Before a crowd estimated at 20,000 the Returned Soldiers won the match by 26 to 24. The day of their match also saw a rugby game between the Returned Soldiers and Auckland (coincidentally also won 26-24 for the Soldiers), a football match between the "Diggers" and Auckland, and a trial hockey game between Auckland and The Rest.[30] Neal scored the Soldiers first try of the game after a “passing bout” saw him score under the posts.[31]

On July 25 Horace was back in the jersey of Ponsonby in a round 1 Roope Rooster match with Newton Rangers. The match was marred by Ponsonby spectators encroaching on the field in protest at the referee and after refusing to move off the field the match was called off with Ponsonby trailing 8-10.[32] It was reported that Neal “got the ball away a little slicker” than his opposite, Jack Keenan, on the Newton side who he had been up against in the match against Auckland also.[33] Following the game he was chosen at halfback with Bert Laing at standoff in the side to play Hawke's Bay at the Auckland Domain.[34] Unfortunately the weather was particularly bad and the Hawke's Bay side were held up on board the Mokoia by rough seas at Gisborne so the match was postponed.[35] Instead a replay of Ponsonby's called off match with Newton was played. Newton won the game 12-10 to eliminate Ponsonby from the knockout competition with 8,000 in attendance. Neal was involved in many of his sides attacking movements.[36] The NZ Herald said that he did “clean work ... behind the pack” and “played his usual fine game...[feeding] his backs well and played cleverly, both in attack and defence”.[37]

The match between Auckland and Hawke's Bay was rearranged for August 9 and was played at Eden Park.[38] There were 9,000 people on hand to see Auckland run out comfortable 38-13 victors. Neal was involved in many attacking movements and “got the ball well away from the scrum, and was always about to take part in a passing movement”.[39] In a critique of the match the Auckland Star said that “Neal is a good boy, but he is inclined to that machinery-work for which Ponsonby halves have for quite a while been notorious”.[40] The Observer said that “Neal, at half-back, set the machine going in good style, and on his form this season will be in the running for a game against the Australians”.[41]

At noon on August 15 Horace Neal was named to play in the first test against the touring Australian side at the Basin Reserve in Wellington.[42] Neal along with the other Auckland-based players sailed on the Rarawa on the Monday so that they could prepare during the remainder of the week for the match.[43] He had been picked to play in the halves in the “inside half” position with John Lang at “outside half”.[44]

New Zealand was to lose the test 44-21 before 7,000 spectators though the score line was much closer for most of the match with New Zealand only trailing 23-17 at one point in the second half. Neal was slightly concussed early in the second half which “affected his subsequent play”. It occurred after he had “stemmed a rush... and play ceased until he was able to resume”.[45] Earlier in the match he had thrown an interception after he had “worked the blindside” to Harold Horder who “side-stepping, beat seven men and scored”. At halftime Neal had switched positions with Lang before his injury happened.[46] After the concussion the Dominion reported that he was “practically useless”. They also noted that early in the first half “wild passing” by him “spoilt several good opportunities”. Later on however he saved a try when he tackled Gilbert when he “was nearly over”. He was also involved in a passing bout with Karl Ifwersen and George Bradley which nearly took New Zealand to the line when the score was 23-17 to the visitors.[47] And again in the final moments of the match he was involved in an attack with Bill Scott and Alec Morris before the final whistle sounded.[48] It was reported in the Evening Press that Neal required medical attention after the match.[49] For the second test to be played in Christchurch Neal was named in the reserves with the selectors choosing Mike Pollock at inside halfback.[50] The first test was to be Neal's last match of the 1919 season.

Horace Neal began the 1920 season named in the Ponsonby side to play Marist Old Boys.[51] However less than two weeks later he had a transfer granted by Auckland Rugby League to Maritime seniors.[52] He was then named in their side to play Marist for May 15.[53] Somewhat surprisingly Neal transferred again during the following week, this time to Grafton Athletic.[54] On June 19 it was reported that Neal had been out injured as he “had his shoulder broken”, though it was not stated when or how this had happened.[55] The injury cannot have been as serious as it sounded as he was back playing 7 days later on the 26th when Grafton played against his former club Ponsonby. He was “doing well until from an order by the referee he was compelled to leave the field”, being sent off.[56] This appears to have been his final appearance of the season as he was not named in team lineups or mentioned in any match reports again.

In 1921 he transferred once more, back to Maritime.[57] He played in matches for them against City Rovers and Fire Brigade which was his previous club, Grafton Athletic's new name.[58] He was not named in their side for the remainder of the year.

The 1922 season saw Neal once again back playing for Ponsonby. He played 8 matches for them and was said to be “in excellent form, and did great work for his side”.[59] He was not reported to have played any more beyond a July 29 match against Devonport United.