William Murray Birtwistle

Surname:

Birtwistle

First names:

William Murray

Known by:

Bill

All Black Player No:

652

All Black games played:

All Black years:

1965 - 1967

Clubs:

Christchurch
Te Awamutu SPOB, Hamilton City

Provincial teams:

Canterbury 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966
Sth Island 1964, 1965, 1966
NZ Trial 1963, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968
Sth Island Trial 1965, 1966
Nth Island 1967
Waikato 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970
Whineray XV 1966

Biography:

1962: Wing - 15 games - 6 tries (18 pts)
1963: NZ Trial: Wing - 2 games
1963: Wing - 12 games - 12 tries (36 pts)
1964: Sth Island: Wing - 1 game
1964: Wing - 15 games - 15 tries (45 pts)
1965: AB's: Wing - 4 tests - 2 tries (6 pts)
1965: Sth Island: Wing - 1 game - 2 tries (6 pts)
1965: NZ XV: Wing - 1 game - 1 try (3 pts)
1965: Wing - 10 games - 13 tries (39 pts)
1965: Sth Island Possibles: Wing - 1 game - 2 tries (6 pts)
1966: Sth Island: Wing - 1 game
1966: Wing - 8 games - 5 tries (15 pts)
1966: NZ XV: Wing - 1 game - 1 try (3 pts)
1966: Sth Island Probables: Wing - 1 game
1966: Whineray XV: Wing - 1 game - 4 tries (12 pts)
1967: AB's: Wing - 3 test, 5 tour games - 9 tries (27 pts)
1967: Nth Island: Wing - 1 game - 2 tries (6 pts)
1967: Wing - 5 games - 2 tries (6 pts)
1967: NZ Trial: Wing - 1 game - 1 try (3 pts)
1968: Wing - 10 games
1968: Possibles: Wing - 1 game
1969: Sub - 1 game
1970: Wing [11], Fullback [1], Sub [1] - 13 games - 5 tries (15 pts)

Sub Total: AB's: 12 games (33 pts)
Prov: Ca: 60 games (153 pts): Wai: 29 games (21 pts)
Others: 13 games (39 pts)

Total: 114 games (246 pts)

Born: 4 Jul 1939

Endorsement

It gives me great pleasure to write this character reference about this website. There would not be a person in this country who doesn’t know that rugby is the national game of New Zealand. The passion runs deep and the profile and exposure of the sport is without peer. A fair chunk of our heroes come from the game and nothing affects the mental psychology of the people more than rugby. Not even politics.

Because of this rich feeling, discussions in society are often based around the game and on the players involved. Memories tend to play tricks on people. They can fade and forget and get things muddled up. For nearly 90 years New Zealand rugby enthusiasts have been superbly served by the Rugby Almanack. It remains the definitive source of information from each season despite the advancement of technology.

However, we must accept that technology has advanced and like rugby, we therefore need to embrace the good that comes with that change. www.rugbyhistory.co.nz is the best rugby history site that is available. It provides comprehensive records of the All Blacks, all the Super rugby sides and most impressively of all, places a large emphasis on the national provincial competition, which remains such a crucial part of the fabric in New Zealand.

Kery Geertson’s dedication to this growing rugby treasure can not be denied. It continues to grow, mature and impress. To paraphrase the late, great Terry McLean www.rugbyhistory.co.nz should be stored as a favourite website for every rugby lover; it provides facts and fairness and hours of one of life’s greatest pleasures – browsing.

Grant Hassall
Wannabe Rugby Historian
New Plymouth

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