Eric Fletcher (rugby)

Fletcher was then chosen for the Manawhenua side. Three days later on the 19th Fletcher journeyed to Masterton to play against Wairarapa. Wairarapa won by 29 points to 17. He scored a try after he “cut in beautifully” and was involved in some attacking movements. On 29 August Fletcher appeared for Manawhenua against a weakened Hawke's Bay side at McLean Park in Napier. The local side won 13 to 10 with it said by a local reporter that “Fletcher attacked and defended in capable style.

Manawatu departed on their South Island tour and the first match was against North Otago at Oamaru on 9 August. Manawatu won 17–11 with Fletcher scoring a try to make the score 12–8 to Manawatu. Their next match was against Otago in a Ranfurly Shield match in Dunedin on 12 August. Before a crowd of 8,000 Manawatu played well but lost 11–5. Fletcher, playing at second five and now weighing 11st 4 lb went well and set up their lone try through a “stab punt” across to R. Gillespie who scored in the corner. The Otago Daily Times published a photograph of the Manawatu team with Fletcher sitting in the front row on the left.

On the evening of 16 December Palmerston North Boys High School held their annual prize giving along with the Girls School at the Opera House. Fletcher, who was in his second to last year of school won the Tucker Brothers Cup for winning the high jump championship (clearing 4 feet 10 inches), the Whalley Cup for winning the road race in a school record time of 12 minutes 55.35 seconds, and the Old Boys Cup for being the senior swimming champion. He also won a medal for being part of a winning shooting team. Whilst he had finished 2nd in the 120 yard hurdles and 3rd in the 880 yard senior championship. On 18 January he competed in the Palmerston North Amateur Swimming Club's Carnival at the municipal baths and he won the Manawatu boy's 100 yard race in the intermediate division in a time of 70.15 seconds. He then went to Marton to compete on 20 January and won the 50 yard final, finished second in the 100 yard open handicap, won the dual relay along with “Miss Cameron”, and also won the 50 yard breaststroke. He was also a member of the Y.M.C.A. and over the summer he won their intermediate championship for the 100 yards.

Fletcher played his 5th match for Manawhenua on 16 September in Palmerston North. The match was played in a “steady breeze” with rain falling. Early in the match Fletcher “electrified the crowd with a brilliant cut in”. He was involved in two of their tries through passing movement and several other attacking plays but Manawhenua nonetheless went down 13 to 9. Manawhenua's penultimate game of the season was against Wellington B at Athletic Park in Wellington. It was played in front of 2,000 people and saw the Wellington side win 33 to 21 after a 22–0 halftime lead. Fletcher missed an early penalty and was involved in a couple of attacking movements in the first half but otherwise had a quiet game. Fletcher's final game for Manawhenua was against Wairarapa at Palmerston North on 26 September. They won 26 to 22 with Fletcher heavily involved. After a couple of near misses he scored after he “raced up and kicked the ball across to the goal front and, streaking after it, found the bounce just what the doctor ordered and raced over by the posts”. Then a while later after some build up work from his fellow backs he received the ball and “side-stepping his way through for another good try” giving them a 21–13 lead after the successful conversion. Later on he blocked multiple attacks and “was proving a tower of strength, both on attack and defence”. He was one of only 7 players who played all 7 of Manawhenua's matches during the year. He was their top scorer with 5 tries, 2 conversions and a penalty for 22 points. His season finished with a 16–9 knockout cup loss to Feilding Old Boys while playing for Old Boys though he did manage to cross the try line once more.

Eric died on 15 April 1996 and was buried at Kelvin Grove Cemetery in Palmerston North. His wife Nina died on 4 June 2006 and was also buried at Kelvin Grove Cemetery.

On 24 September 1942 they had a daughter named Meryll Yvonne Fletcher at “Rostrata”. Sadly she died aged just 2 on 14 September 1944. They were living at 12 Phoenix Avenue in Palmerston North at the time and Meryll was buried at Kelvin Grove Cemetery.

Eric Fletcher married Nina May Offwood in 1941. She also played golf and they played together years before their marriage, including in the Awatapu opening day competition at the Palmerston North Golf Club in April 1939 which they won. Fletcher was called up for service on 6 August 1941 but never went away to fight. His older brother Lloyd and younger brother Keith both served in the war. Lloyd was killed in action in Tunisia, North Africa on 26 March 1943. In an article in the newspaper following his death it was said that he had attended Palmerston North Boys High School from 1922 to 1925 and had been managing a farm in the Manawatu District at the time of his enlistment. Keith had enlisted in the navy as a volunteer reserve. He was promoted to sub lieutenant in 1944 whilst with the Royal New Zealand Naval Volunteer Reserve.

In April 1939 as part of the North Island championships as part of the Easter Championships section he lost in the semi finals to Knights. He had earlier beaten M.H. Oram in the first round of Group B, and then defeated J. Coupe. In August at the Hokowhitu tournament he shot the best score in the August Stroke Handicapin A Grade with a 77 (69 including his 8 handicap).

In October 1939 he played in the New Zealand Golf Open at the Miramar Links course from 9 to 11 November. There were 160 golfers competing in a field which did not include any foreign entries owing to the outbreak of the war. He shot 80 in the first round which left him in 34th place in very difficult windy, rainy conditions. In the second round he shot 85 and had dropped to 58th position on the leader board. The conditions were extremely difficult again with a northerly gale blowing and low scores nearly impossible. He made the cut but struggled more in the 3rd and 4th rounds with scores of 83 and 86 to finish 52nd with a score of 334, 41 shots behind the winner John Hornabrook. He continued to play golf through 1940 but played less beyond that due to the war.

The 1937 season saw Fletcher as part of the Massey College squad but they didn't play in the entire first round of the competition. In May he was selected to play for Manawatu against Horowhenua however he didn't play. It was reported that he was quitting rugby and going to concentrate on the sport of golf and “in any event, he will be returning to Auckland in three weeks’ time”.

Fletcher had been playing golf during the year prior to seriously committing himself to it. He played in tournaments most weekends throughout 1937, 1938 and 1939. In late March he won the A grade division of the second stroke handicap as part of the Manawatu Golf Club's Easter tournament. He was beaten by J.F. Field in the Hokowhitu Handicap (1-up) during the same weekend. In 1939 he won the Bloomfields handicap at the Woodville Golf Tournament when he beat F.D. Mackie and then A.J. Morgan in the final.

Fletcher once again started the year playing for Richmond however his season was cut short by injury and then a move back to Palmerston North. He played the first 4 matches of the 1936 season, kicking a conversion in their round 1 win over Ponsonby United. His injury came on 16 May in the round 3 match against Mount Albert United when he “retired with a foot injury” in the first half. The Herald reported that it was in fact an ankle injury. It was said on 27 May that Fletcher was standing “down owing to injuries” however this was not the case as he had in fact left Auckland and moved back to Palmerston North. Interestingly Eric's younger brother Keith had moved to Auckland (with the family at an earlier point) and registered to play league, joining the Richmond club less than 3 weeks earlier. He went on to play for Richmond until 1939 before he enlisted in the war effort and he later went on to be promoted to the rank of sub-lieutenant in the Navy.

In 1935 the Herald in a preview of the season said that “much can be expected of E. Fletcher, who made a good impression at centre toward the latter end of the season”. For Richmond he played 14 matches in total, scoring 5 tries, kicking 5 conversions and 1 penalty for 27 points. He had moved into the second five eighth spot outside Noel Bickerton and the Auckland Star reported after a round 3 match against Devonport United that they were “as good a pair of five-eighths seen together this season”. The following week after a game against Ponsonby United on 18 May he was described as “steadying” and “incisive” with his attack. While his “fine tackling” was also noted and the herald stated he is fulfilling the promise he showed last season, and is a tower of strength to the team on defence, besides being good on attack”.

Eric was educated at Campbell Street School, now named Takaro School, before progressing to Palmerston North Boys’ High School. After moving to Auckland the 1935 census showed that he worked as a Fruiterer. Then after moving back to Palmerston North he took on work as a garage attendant and was living at 320 Ferguson Street in 1938. From the 1960s until the 1980s Eric's occupation was listed as a clerk and he lived at 8 Winston Avenue in Palmerston North the entire time.

Fletcher had not played for over a year before he appeared in Richmond Rovers rugby league's senior side on 14 July 1934 against Newton Rangers. The match was played at Carlaw Park on the number 1 field. He played at centre and played well over all but made a mess of a try when he knocked on whilst attempting to pick the ball up on the try line with “no opponents within 20 yards”. The New Zealand Herald said he “showed promise as second five-eighths for Richmond and when settled down he should be very prominent. He showed on the few occasions he got the ball on attack that he can seize an opening quickly and run his supports into good positions”. On 18 July his registration with rugby league was confirmed with it reported “Mount Eden to Richmond” which was likely the suburb he was living in. In a 13–10 win over Marist Old Boys the following weekend he was said to be “prominent on attack”. Then after the game against City Rovers on 4 August the Auckland Star said he protected Jack Satherley at full-back well and he “has the makings of a fine player”. On 18 August in the first round of the Roope Rooster competition he scored 2 tries in a 26–5 win over Devonport United. He was said to be “settling down to the game well and is a most promising young player, who should go far in the code. He shows cleverness and good anticipation on attack, while being sound on defence”. He scored a try in their 20–13 Roope Rooster final win over Marist at Carlaw Park. On 29 September he played for Richmond against the touring Western Suburbs side who had recently won the New South Wales competition. Richmond upset them 18–16 before a crowd of 15,000 at Carlaw Park with Fletcher kicking 2 conversions. Fletcher was opposite Stan Tancred, the Western Suburbs centre. With Richmond trailing 13–8 he cross kicked and it beat Hines with O’Neil getting to the ball and scoring wide out. With Fletcher goaling from near the touchline to tie the scores. He then converted Roy Powell's try to make the score 18–13 with Richmond hanging on for the win. It was said afterwards that he was “steady at centre but did not appear to get a good service of the ball”. A week later Richmond played Western Suburbs for a second time and one again won by 10 points to 3 before 13,000 spectators at Carlaw Park. Fletcher missed a conversion and penalty but was said to have been “good at centre, and while varying his methods, was sound on defence”. While the Herald said he “was one of the best Richmond backs, his tackling again being splendid. His final match of the season was for Richmond against Newton Rangers in the Stormont Shield champion of champions match. Richmond won easily by 21 points to 5 with “Fletcher, Prentice, and Powell making the play neatly as inside backs”. By winning the match Richmond had created history by become the first team in Auckland senior rugby league to win the Fox Memorial Shield, Roope Rooster, and Stormont Shield in the same season. Fletcher was originally selected to play in an Auckland Colts side to play against Tamaki (Auckland Māori) on 20 October but he was not in the match day side.

The 1933 season was to be his final playing rugby for some time. He began on 22 April playing for Technical Old Boys in a practice match before 2 competition games against North Shore and College Rifles however he injured a knee at some point early in the season. There was no mention of it in the Auckland newspapers but the Manawatu Standard said “I would almost appear as though his doubtful knee is keeping “Curly” Fletcher out of the game this season, for a perusal of the teams participating in Auckland failed to disclose his name”.

At the start of the 1932 season Fletcher was elected on to the Old Boys club's committee however he was not to stay for the full season. He played just 9 matches, scoring 4 tries, kicking 7 conversions and 2 penalties before leaving Palmerston North. He had been in good enough form to be nominated by the sole selector from the Manawatu Union (A. W. Thompson) for the North Island side however he was ultimately not chosen. A rugby correspondent for the Manawatu Standard had said that Fletcher “appears to have developed additional speed this season. Some of his sharp bursts are phenomenal”. One of his final appearances before departing was for South in the trial against North at the Showgrounds on 18 June. The match was drawn 9–9 with Fletcher scoring after being first to the ball following a kick. On 25 June he played his last match for Old Boys against Kia Toa and the same day the Manawatu Standard wrote a lengthy piece about his rugby career to that point. It said that he “intends leaving for the north on Monday on a holiday and may definitely settle there. The intimation will be sincerely regretted by all local players and enthusiasts, irrespective of the clubs they support, for it is readily granted that Fletcher is one of the most promising rugby exponents this centre has possessed for a long time past, and one whom Manawatu and Manawhenua can ill afford to lose”… “Of a somewhat light frame, Fletcher has been repeatedly likened to Cooke, the former brilliant All Black, for despite his comparative lightness he can get tremendous power behind his kicking, has a fund of pace and elusiveness, and has football brains. With those attributes at his command Fletcher should go far if given the opportunity and, much as lovers of the game will regret his departure, he will carry with him everyone's best wishes for the future”. It was then reported on 2 July that he had indeed departed for Auckland.

In 1931 Fletcher began his third season for Old Boys. He played 14 matches, scoring 2 tries and kicking 5 conversion and 2 penalties. On 20 June he played in a trial for Manawatu for the South side. He kicked a penalty in a 35–21 loss. He was an emergency player for Manawatu v Bush in late July before playing for them against Horowhenua on 5 August. He was playing in one of the five-eighths positions in a 9–8 loss. It was said after the match that he was “an eleventh-hour inclusion”, but played a prominent role with “the length in his kicking being remarkable for one of his light build”. He then played for Manawatu in a midweek game against Te Kawau. He scored a first half try in a 31–6 win in the match at the Showgrounds but went off with an injured leg when the score was 20–3. He then played in Manawatu's second match against Horowhenua at Levin on 16 August. Horowhenua won 12 to 5.

The 1930 season saw Fletcher again playing for Old Boys. He made 12 appearances mostly at centre, scoring 7 tries, kicking 8 conversions and 2 penalties for 43 points. In the first game of the season on 26 April he scored a try and kicked 2 conversions in a 26–11 win over Feilding Old Boys at the Showgrounds. Then 2 weeks later he played in a Manawatu trial for the South team against the North. Manawhenua were due to play the touring British side 3 weeks later so the selectors were staging trial matches earlier than usual in the season. Fletcher kicked a penalty but missed a couple of others shots at goal in a 17–9 loss on 7 May. He was selected in the Manawatu side to play Horowhenua on 17 May in Levin as part of another trial match. He was involved in their first try and had a try for himself ruled out through a forward pass in a 10–3 win. It was said after the match that “Fletcher, Riddell and Akuira, the Manawatu trio were distinctly preferable to Bevan, Westwood and Bull”.

In 1928 Fletcher became the captain of the school 1st XV. The Manawatu Standard reported at the start of the year that he was one of only two backs to be returning but was “one of the most promising backs in the Manawatu”. He was a regular try scorer for the side throughout the year. In their 14–9 Moascar Cup loss to Te Aute College he was involved constantly on attack and defence and scored a “beautiful try”. He injured his ankle in a game against St Patrick in July and missed several matches before returning to play against Napier Boys' High School in their annual match on 15 August. He played well but went off with his ankle causing him trouble in the 3–3 draw.

Towards the end of the 1928 school year Fletcher played for the 1st XI cricket team as an opening batsman. Playing in a pre-season match against a Palmerston men's side he scored 18 runs. Then in November he competed in several events at the school sports day. He finished 2nd in the 220 yard race, 3rd in the 100 yard race, and 2nd in the 440 yard race. He finished 2nd in the long jump with a distance of 17 ft, 10 inches, 2nd in the high jump, and he won the 120 yard hurdles. At the conclusion of the event he was declared the “Senior Champion” and won the Board of Governor's Cup. He had also won the road race for the second year in a row, along with the McSweeney Cup for fielding in cricket, and was again the swimming champion of the school.

After leaving school at the end of 1928 Fletcher joined the Old Boys club in Palmerston North. He began the season playing 4 games in their junior side before debuting for the senior team on 18 May in a 27–20 loss to Feilding Old Boys on the main Oval at the Palmerston North Showgrounds. He was heavily involved in the match and afterwards the Manawatu Times reported that he had been “borrowed for the day from the junior grade” and “was the one player who was consistently solid in defence and attack. His passing was excellent and his kicking judicious”. His first try for the senior side came a week later on 25 May against Woodville. He scored the first points of the match after receiving a pass from Riddell and “raced over” with the match finishing 3–3. He scored another try in a win over Feilding Old Boys on 1 June and the Manawatu Standard said that “Fletcher is a great asset to Old Boys’ back line and if he stands up to senior play he should make a name for himself in Manawhenua football. He set a good example to the other backs in falling back when Old Boys’ line was threatened”. He scored 3 more tries against Athletic on 8 June. He would finish the year having played 13 games for Old Boys, scoring 5 tries and kicking 3 conversions and a penalty. In mid June he was selected to play in a trial match for Manawatu A at Shannon against Horowhenua A. In this period in Manawatu's history they fielded an amalgamated representative side with Horowhenua known as Manawhenua. Fletcher played at centre and kicked 3 conversions in a 15–14 win. The two teams met again on 10 July at the Showgrounds with Horowhenua winning this time by 18 points to 14. Fletcher kicked a penalty and a conversion for the losers. Following the match he was chosen in the Manawhenua side to play Wairarapa on 17 July at centre. On his debut for Manawhenua at the Palmerston North Showgrounds Fletcher played well but Wairarapa won 12–10 after scoring a last minute try. The Horowhenua Chronicle made note of his play when they said “Fletcher was remarkably sound on defence, his tackling being performed in a capable and business-like manner that left his subjects under no misconception as to the solidity of Mother Earth. He did not shine so much on attack as is usually the case, but when it is considered that he was playing his first big representative match, and that he was up against unusually formidable opposition, this is easily understandable. On his game, the quothful Old Boys’ star has certainly consolidated his claims for continued consideration”.

Fletcher was perhaps unsurprisingly then chosen for the Manawhenua side to play Britain by selectors J. Ryan and M. Winiata. He was now reportedly weighing 11st 2 lb though in later newspapers this was stated as 11st exactly. The Manawatu Times wrote descriptions of the players and included a small portrait photograph of Fletcher. The comments on him were: “Eric Fletcher (Palmerston North Boys’ High School, Manawatu and Manawhenua). One of the youngest and most versatile members of the team. A fast and very useful centre three-quarter, “Curly” is one of those fortunate people born with the football sense. He is a very attractive back to watch and is an excellent product of the rugby training of the Palmerston North Boys’ High School. “Curly” captained P.N.B.H.S. in 1928 but gained his first fifteen school cap in 1927. He left school at the end of the 1928 and during the 1929 season linked up with Old Boys and represented both Manawatu and Manawhenua. As one of the most important links in the backline of both club and representative teams, he paved the way to many fine movements and both as a scoring back and place-kicker has scored many points for his side”. Manawhenua (red, white, and blue) were well defeated on the scoreboard by 34 points to 8 though were said to have put up a good fight. The Horowhenua Chronicle said “the three-quarter line, Page, Fletcher and Strange, did not see a great deal of the ball but was called on for a lot of solid defensive work. Page and Fletcher in particular tackled with deadly accuracy in many tight corners and generally acquitted themselves well”. With the score 34–5 Fletcher and Page were involved in some “good work” that led to a try for Fletcher on full-time after he burst through gathering a loose ball from a kick near the try line. He took the conversion attempt but missed before a record crowd of around 12,000 at the Palmerston North Showgrounds. It was reported that “Fletcher stood out in the rearguard”.

On 27 July he played a match for Manawatu against Bush. He set up a try for winger Page, while he converted a try by the other winger Strange, in a 14–9 win at Pahiatua. He then played in a practice match for Manawatu against “The Rest”, or essentially a Manawatu B team. The main side won 40 points to 8 with Fletcher kicking 2 conversions and a penalty. He was then selected in the Manawhenua side to play in a Ranfurly Shield match against Wairarapa at Memorial Park in Masterton. It was reported that he now weighed 10st 8 lb. Manawhenua were well beaten by 37 points to 16 with Fletcher kicking 2 conversions and 1 penalty. On the opposition was the famous Bert Cooke who Fletcher would later play with at Richmond Rovers after they both converted to rugby league.

Eric Fletcher became a prominent and celebrated athlete whilst at Palmerston North Boys' High School. In 1926 he was the junior swimming champion at the school. He began playing for the 1st XV in 1927 and in a June match scored 2 tries in a 28–16 win over Old Boys. He played centre for them and on 15 June played in front of 10,000 spectators at the Palmerston North Showgrounds as part of the Winter Show events. PNBHS beat Te Aute College 6–5. His efforts weren't finished there however as he also won the “milk testing” competition with 84 points. He went on to play over 10 matches for them during the season including a Moascar Cup match against Te Aute College though they lost 8–5 to the holders. Fletcher, reportedly weighing 10st 2 lb, scored his side's only try after chasing a kick following a break.

Fletcher was also a handy cricketer in his younger years. He played cricket at school for senior teams including the first XI from 1926–28. After his final season at school he was presented with the McSweeney Cup for fielding at the end of year prize giving. When he left school he joined the Old Boys club, and was named 12th man for Manawatu against Rangitikei for the Hawke Cup which Manawatu were the holders of in mid December 1928. Then at the end of January he played for Manawatu against Wairarapa in a Hawke Cup and scored 35 runs out of a total of 427 while batting at number 9. In the following December he batted at 11 for Manawatu against Poverty Bay and was 0 not out in their first innings. After the game he was selected to play for Manawatu against Taranaki. In January 1930 he was named 12th man for the Manawatu side to play against the touring Marylebone cricket team. At the end of that season his averages for Old Boys in senior club cricket with the bat was 15.1 (136 runs) from 12 innings, with a top score of 38 not out. With the ball he obviously only bowled briefly as he took none for 2 for the season. For Manawatu he had scored 22 runs from 3 innings, had 2 not outs, and a high score of 20*. In mid January, 1931 he made 80 not out in a match for Old Boys against United with the Manawatu Times giving some description of the innings. It was said that he had a slow partnership with L. Spring, and that later “Fortune smiled on Fletcher, who scoring intermittently, stayed to enjoy a short partnership with Ensor. In a partnership with Cameron he was now “batting steadily”. Old Boys later declared at 263/7 with Fletcher unbeaten after having opened. Later in the season he scored 129 against PNBHS, and he finished the season with an average of 39.5 from 8 innings (277 runs). He played relatively little the following summer and there are no records of him playing cricket beyond this point.

Eric Gordon Fletcher (23 June 1910 – 15 April 1996) was a rugby union and rugby league player. He represented the New Zealand rugby league team in 1 test against Australia in 1935. In the process he became the 239th player to represent New Zealand. Fletcher also played rugby union representatively for Manawatu province and the combined Manawatu-Horowhenua side whilst a member of the Old Boys and later Massey College club sides. After moving to Auckland he also represented Auckland in a sub-union match with Thames. After switching to rugby league he played for the Richmond Rovers club and played for Auckland, and Auckland Province. He was also a talented cricketer and played a handful of games for Manawatu in his younger years. After retiring from rugby he played representative golf in the Manawatu region and in 1939 played in the New Zealand Golf Open.

Eric Gordon Fletcher was born on 23 June 1910 to Sarah Isabel Fletcher (nee. Harkers) and James Fletcher in Kyeburn, central Otago in the South Island of New Zealand. He had an older brother named Lloyd James Fletcher who had been born a year earlier in 1909. Lloyd would later be killed in fighting in Tunisia during World War 2. His parents then had a son named Lawrence Neil Fletcher (b. 1912), Wilfred who was born in September 1913 but died days later, another son named Alan Logan Fletcher (b. 1914), and a fifth son named Keith Walter Fletcher (b. 1917). The family grew up in Palmerston North. Eric went to Campbell Street School and all the brothers attended Palmerston North Boys' High School where the feats of Alan, Keith, and Eric were well known. In fact on 17 November 1936 they donated a silver cup to the school to award for “senior club relay races”.