503:
team of 13 physically effective players gaining the mastery of 15. Bevan scolded, spurred and cajoled the pack and showed a perception of pressure points, breadth and alacrity of clearance and physical toughness that were telling factors in transforming a mission impossible into a day of glory for New
Zealand rugby. The second half of the match was only a few minutes old when a touch finder from Bevan brought the All Blacks into the Lion's twenty-five on the right flank. He then sensed a half-chance out to his left and the ball was spun through the backs which led to the winning try by the injured All Black captain, Elvidge. The All Blacks won the test 6–3.
330:. A tense game was played between the 22nd Battalion team and the 2nd New Zealand Division Ammunition Company. The match was vigorous, the ground conditions atrocious and the day bitingly cold. It was a tough contest with little opportunity for the backs to shine. Bevan displayed good form and threw a pass to his captain, Lin Thomas, who kicked the dropped goal from the only dry spot on the ground and won the game for the 22nd Battalion, 4–0.
435:
38:
584:
Bevan, along with other sports people, academics, well-known church and Māori leaders, and trade unionists, sponsored the petition organised by the
Citizens' All Black Tour Association that called for the abandonment of the 1960 All Black tour to South Africa and for the government to intervene. This
542:
The nuggety Bevan was widely considered New
Zealand's best halfback of the immediate post-war period. He wasn't selected for the All Blacks tour of South Africa in 1949, however, as the Māori Advisory Council had informed the New Zealand Rugby Football Union that he had Māori ancestry. Bevan's mother
409:
During his first-class career, Bevan played for
Wellington College Old Boys (1943), Athletic (1946–49), Tawa (1950–51), Athletic (1953–54), North Island (1947–49, 53), NZ Trials (1947, 50, 53) and the New Zealand XV (1949). He built a good club partnership with Bill Freeman who would later become a
502:
In the third test against the Lions at
Athletic Park in Wellington on 1 July 1950, Bevan played behind an All Black pack of six, which was shredded by injury and the no-replacement law of the day. The match provided the stirring spectacle of the six All Black forwards battling against eight, and a
525:
Bevan based his passing game on his swiftness to retrieve ball hooked at high velocity and on a swivelling dive-pass that foiled marauders and spoilers. He was quick to respond to physical affront, real or imagined, and employed a devastating hip-throw that felled and humiliated many unsuspecting
473:
on 27 May 1950. As the All Black forwards started to show improvement, Bevan received a ball quickly from a scrum, which he gathered and started a run wide across the field on the open side. In an attempt to beat the Lions defence, he gave the ball a tap with his foot but it bounced head high and
442:
Alex McDonald had originally been impressed by Bevan's strength, quickness, length of pass and hard-nosed application and was part of the selection panel that sent him to
Australia as an All Black in 1947. Although Bevan played well, he failed to make the test lineup in the two-match series, with
367:
Bevan's official All Blacks profile says that "he is best remembered for games he didn't play and the tour he was not allowed to go on. Bevan's career, indeed, is one of the starkest examples of some of the gross stupidities, even injustices, New
Zealand rugby created for itself by trying for too
543:
was half Māori and once that became known New
Zealand's best halfback was ruled ineligible for the tour, where race rules in South Africa at the time meant rugby was strictly for Europeans. New Zealand was beaten in all four tests for various reasons, not the least the lack of a top halfback.
585:
was because the New
Zealand Rugby Football Union had decided, as it had done in the past, that it would be in the best interests of Māori players that they should not be selected for the tour. The petition gained 153,000 signatures. but was largely ignored by the Union and the government.
421:
on 29 August 1953, the
Wellington forwards "asserted their mastery... the speedy backline had a feast of ball and treated the crowd to spectacular rugby". During the game, Bevan was "a livewire link between the forwards and backs". Up 18–0 at halftime, Wellington won the match 26–3.
529:
Bevan had an innate rugby sense and once saved a Ranfurly Shield match for Wellington by potting a goal from the base of the scrum about twenty five metres out. He was a quick and neat passer and ran well from the scrum or ruck and was a good all-round player.
498:
called for a pass from Bevan down the blindside which he received and away went the All Black captain on an irresistible dash for the corner past at least three defenders. Elvidge crashed over for the try and the match ended with the scores tied at 9–9.
372:. Bevan should have been the All Blacks' number one halfback on the tour of South Africa in 1949, but an inadvertent reference to his trace of Māori ancestry a year or two beforehand meant he was ruled ineligible to be selected".
425:
Bevan rounded out his long career with several appearances in festival-type matches for the Centurions (1952, 55–56), bringing his first class match tally to 121 with a total of 11 tries, two conversions and two dropped goals.
352:, from 1947 to 1954. But for injury, (Bevan had either fallen from a truck or had been hit by a truck near the front line at the end of the War), he may well have played for the famous New Zealand team which in 1945–46 toured
538:
Bevan lost some of the best years of his career when international rugby was mothballed during and after World War II. The All Blacks played just four tests between 1939 and the 1949 tour to South Africa.
458:
on 24 September 1949, Bevan gave away several penalties but played a rugged game and his passing was generally good, although Australia scored after nineteen minutes when Bevan threw a wild pass to
413:
In 75 matches for Wellington, Bevan scored seven tries, two conversions and two dropped goals. His first try for Wellington came in the 1943 season against Canterbury. Two of Bevan's tries came in
565:, used the Budget debate in Parliament to comment on the exclusion of the Māori players. He drew attention to the plight of Bevan, who was not eligible for the Māori team which visited
379:
that was played in New Zealand. This tour coincided with the stronger though Māori-free All Blacks team touring South Africa. Bevan played all four tests the following year against the
1174:
1263:
1248:
1223:
315:
and played for the 22nd New Zealand Battalion team (winners of the Freyberg Cup in 1944), the 9th Brigade and 8th Army XVs and the 7th Brigade Group (1942).
518:
led a good movement and the Lion's line was close at hand when Bevan ran from a scrum, only to be swamped. Bevan then sparkled with two dashing breaks and
380:
1258:
383:. Injuries prevented him from touring with the 1951 All Blacks to Australia. Bevan was a member of the 1953–54 New Zealand rugby union tour of the
600:, calling for the cancellation of the tour. This protest, which took place on 26 February 1960, had been led by the Association's chairman, Dr
376:
129:
1192:
After the Final Whistle. Mourie's 'Grand-Slam' All Blacks...and the Controversies, Personalities and Tactics of Post-War New Zealand Rugby
1243:
1233:
569:
in 1949 because he had too little Māori blood, but was now prevented from going to South Africa because he had too much Māori blood.
1218:
410:
highly successful coach for Wellington. Freeman, at first five-eighths, was the grateful recipient of Bevan's renowned dive-pass.
1228:
494:
came up into a rush and kicked high toward the Lions' goal before a scrum was then ordered not more than 10 yards from the post.
478:
had it for the Lions. In a flash he was through the All Blacks, and racing for the line 25 yards away. A shoulder-high tackle by
402:
In total, Bevan played 25 matches for the All Blacks including six tests. His only points for the All Blacks came in a match at
341:
at a provincial level. He wasn't always the first choice halfback for Wellington, being bumped from the top spot in 1946 by Dr
254:
576:. He never once appeared for a New Zealand Māori selection or in any Māori match such as a Prince of Wales Cup trial.
395:
and played capably enough during his 16 appearances. But with age he was losing a little of his speed and his cousin,
1238:
338:
211:
958:
635:
546:
Māori players who may have made the All Blacks tour of South Africa also included Nau Cherrington, Ron Bryers,
345:. In 1947, Bevan made the first of his four appearances for the North Island in the annual interisland match.
417:
matches for Wellington during the 1953 season against Otago and Taranaki respectively. Against Taranaki at
515:
483:
174:
592:
and Manahi Nitama Paewai, Bevan was a member of a fifty person deputation that met with Prime Minister
551:
519:
418:
396:
134:
890:
New Zealand Rugby Register 1870-2015: The Players, Referees and Administrators in First Class Rugby
555:
572:
It was said that Bevan was not considered by Māori of the time to have enough Māori blood to be a
1253:
562:
963:
817:
292:
74:
1213:
1208:
342:
8:
459:
573:
601:
579:
406:
on 17 February 1954 when he scored a try in a 17–3 win against North-Western Counties.
318:
The final of the 1944 Freyberg Cup was contested in early December in the ruins of the
720:
491:
490:, who beat four men and scored a few yards from the corner. With seven minutes left,
368:
long to fit in with the colour bar, later formalised as apartheid, being enforced in
486:
received a pass from Bevan about the twenty-five. With the pace on Beatty passed to
300:
479:
414:
333:
Bevan played for Wellington College Old Boys before being selected by the former
589:
482:
stopped him for only an instant before he was over the line. Later in the game,
522:
almost scored from the second.> The final score was 11–8 to the All Blacks.
444:
384:
353:
139:
1202:
597:
511:
392:
144:
669:
Wellington Rugby History. 1951–1979. (Part II – The Completion of 100 Years)
450:
Against Australia, in the second test in the 1949 series that was played at
399:, his junior by nearly 10 years, was preferred for all five internationals.
364:
and Bevan had shown such good form that his selection had been a certainty.
369:
312:
791:
Khaki All Blacks. A Tribute to the 'Kiwis' – The 2nd NZEF Army Rugby Team
526:
locks and props steamrolling with belligerent intent through the lineout.
815:
Versey, A. (2 June 1996). "Gritty All Black never did things by halves".
593:
558:, later mourned the loss of Smith and in particular Bevan from the tour.
495:
276:
17:
466:
462:
on the blindside near his own line. The All Blacks lost the test 16–9.
403:
349:
296:
288:
1031:
547:
507:
487:
475:
451:
434:
334:
37:
580:
Involvement in opposition to the 1960 All Black tour to South Africa
510:
in Auckland on 29 July 1950. Early on, Bevan shot through a gap and
455:
1076:
Ryan, L. (14 August 1949). "N.Z. battling to build up test team".
465:
The first test against the Lions in the 1950 series was played at
323:
1157:
Dancing on our bones: New Zealand, South Africa, rugby and racism
470:
388:
361:
319:
561:
Prior to the tour, the Member of Parliament for Northern Māori,
944:
Rivals. 75 Years of the Lions v All Blacks: New Zealand Herald
633:
Ogilvie, D. (30 May 1996). "Ancestry cost him All Black tour".
604:, but it did not succeed; the 1960 tour went ahead as planned.
357:
311:
Bevan served in the North African and Italian campaigns during
1029:
Smith, T. (22 May 2010). "More for NZRU to do after apology".
514:
carried on almost to the Lion's goal-line. Later in the match
1175:"Wellington v Taranaki 1953: the high point of a golden year"
1148:
Beneath the Maori Moon: An Illustrated History of Maori Rugby
327:
765:
All Blackography: the indispensable guide to every All Black
566:
989:. Auckland: Hodder Moa Beckett Publishers Ltd. p. 65.
793:. Auckland: Hodder Moa Beckett Publishers Ltd. p. 27.
909:. Auckland: Moa Beckett Publishers Limited. p. 156.
744:
1044:
1042:
348:
He was a member of the New Zealand national side, the
155:
Café owner, carpenter, milk vendor and taxi proprietor
1108:. Wellington: Victoria University Press. p. 306.
959:"Ron Elvidge: Career ended with series-clinching try"
830:
828:
303:, and was the son of Winifred Bevan and Lewis Homes.
671:. Wellington: Wellington Rugby Football Union. 1979.
1059:
1057:
1039:
892:. New Zealand Rugby Museum, Palmerston North, 2016.
275:(24 December 1921 – 26 May 1996) was a New Zealand
825:
749:. Auckland: Hachette Livre NZ Limited. p. 25.
1099:
1097:
1095:
1093:
1091:
1089:
1087:
429:
1200:
1054:
745:Chester, R.; McMillan, N.; Palenski, R. (2005).
904:
533:
1264:Rugby union players from the Wellington Region
1084:
758:
756:
1224:New Zealand international rugby union players
872:
870:
784:
782:
780:
778:
776:
774:
714:
712:
710:
628:
626:
624:
622:
620:
618:
616:
1106:Geoffrey Alley, Librarian. His Life and Work
1024:
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804:
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800:
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694:
692:
690:
375:His first two test caps came instead in the
1249:Sportspeople from the Kāpiti Coast District
1163:
861:
753:
681:
632:
1194:. Wellington: Fourth Estate Books Limited.
1145:
1103:
1048:
938:
936:
867:
834:
771:
651:Porirua electoral district composite roll.
613:
36:
1017:
934:
932:
930:
928:
926:
924:
922:
920:
918:
916:
900:
898:
797:
687:
1154:
1130:
1118:
1063:
984:
956:
851:. London: Pelham Books Ltd. p. 179.
846:
762:
506:The fourth and final test was played at
433:
1259:Sportspeople from the Wellington Region
788:
360:. The trials for the team were held in
1201:
913:
905:Chester, R.; McMillan, N.A.C. (1978).
895:
814:
767:. Auckland: Upstart Press. p. 43.
740:
738:
1189:
1172:
1168:. Wellington: A. H. & A. W. Reed.
1159:. Wellington: Bridget Williams Books.
1028:
1011:
999:
876:
747:The Encyclopedia of New Zealand Rugby
663:
661:
659:
1164:Swan, A.C.; Jackson, G.F.W. (1952).
1075:
735:
13:
1166:Wellington Rugby History 1870–1950
957:Alderson, Andrew (15 April 2017).
718:
656:
596:and the leader of the Opposition,
14:
1275:
946:. Random House New Zealand. 2005.
306:
104:1.65 m (5 ft 5 in)
1173:White, Steven (2 October 2014).
16:For the Canadian policeman, see
1219:New Zealand rugby union players
1124:
1112:
1069:
1005:
993:
978:
950:
882:
855:
840:
339:Wellington Rugby Football Union
337:Alex McDonald to represent the
1244:People from Ōtaki, New Zealand
1234:New Zealand Māori sportspeople
1229:Wellington rugby union players
1150:. Wellington: Huia Publishers.
675:
643:
430:Test matches and playing style
1:
607:
377:1949 series against Australia
282:
534:Controversial non-selections
7:
10:
1280:
1139:
849:Haka! The All Blacks Story
723:. New Zealand Rugby Museum
15:
1104:McEldowney, W.J. (2006).
653:Porirua, 1981, p. 7.
419:Athletic Park, Wellington
250:
228:
223:
207:
185:
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173:
168:
164:
159:
151:
124:
116:
108:
100:
92:
80:
70:
55:
47:
35:
1239:Rugby union scrum-halves
556:Fred Allen (rugby union)
295:, about halfway between
181:Provincial / State sides
112:72 kg (159 lb)
1146:Mulholland, M. (2009).
862:Swan & Jackson 1952
682:Swan & Jackson 1952
649:Registrar of Electors,
563:Tapihana Paraire Paikea
96:Wellington, New Zealand
1078:Sunday Herald (Sydney)
964:The New Zealand Herald
439:
287:Bevan was born in the
1155:Richards, T. (1999).
985:Palenski, R. (2005).
847:McCarthy, W. (1968).
818:The Sunday Star-Times
763:Palenski, R. (2017).
438:Vincent Bevan in 1949
437:
381:touring British Lions
42:Vincent Bevan in 1953
789:Whatman, M. (2005).
343:Manahi Nitama Paewai
224:International career
128:Henry Bevan (uncle)
120:Otaki Convent School
273:Vincent David Bevan
125:Notable relative(s)
51:Vincent David Bevan
32:
30:Vincent David Bevan
1190:Zavos, S. (1979).
987:All Blacks v Lions
440:
160:Rugby union career
75:Ōtaki, New Zealand
28:
719:Knight, Lindsay.
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301:Palmerston North
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66:24 December 1921
65:
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40:
33:
27:
1279:
1278:
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1273:
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1199:
1198:
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1177:. College Rugby
1142:
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1102:
1085:
1074:
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1055:
1049:Mulholland 2009
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835:Mulholland 2009
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631:
614:
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602:Rolland O'Regan
582:
574:Māori All Black
554:. The captain,
536:
480:Nau Cherrington
432:
415:Ranfurly Shield
309:
285:
143:
138:
133:
85:
61:
59:
43:
31:
26:
21:
12:
11:
5:
1277:
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1254:Ellison family
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1123:
1111:
1083:
1068:
1053:
1051:, p. 102.
1038:
1016:
1014:, p. 219.
1004:
1002:, p. 126.
992:
977:
949:
912:
894:
881:
866:
864:, p. 112.
854:
839:
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734:
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611:
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588:Together with
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445:Percy Tetzlaff
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385:United Kingdom
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307:Playing career
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132:(half-brother)
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93:Place of death
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88:(aged 74)
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71:Place of birth
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29:
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1149:
1144:
1143:
1133:, p. 22.
1132:
1131:Richards 1999
1127:
1121:, p. 23.
1120:
1119:Richards 1999
1115:
1107:
1100:
1098:
1096:
1094:
1092:
1090:
1088:
1079:
1072:
1066:, p. 17.
1065:
1064:Richards 1999
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863:
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843:
837:, p. 90.
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831:
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821:. p. A9.
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721:"Vince Bevan"
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598:Jack Marshall
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512:Graham Mexted
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484:George Beatty
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152:Occupation(s)
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145:Jacob Ellison
141:
136:
131:
127:
123:
119:
115:
111:
107:
103:
99:
95:
91:
83:
81:Date of death
79:
76:
73:
69:
58:
56:Date of birth
54:
50:
46:
39:
34:
23:
19:
1191:
1179:. Retrieved
1165:
1156:
1147:
1126:
1114:
1105:
1080:. p. 8.
1077:
1071:
1030:
1007:
995:
986:
980:
968:. Retrieved
962:
952:
943:
907:Men in Black
906:
889:
884:
857:
848:
842:
816:
790:
764:
746:
725:. Retrieved
677:
668:
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645:
639:. p. 9.
636:Evening Post
634:
590:George Nēpia
587:
583:
571:
560:
552:Johnny Smith
545:
541:
537:
528:
524:
505:
501:
464:
449:
441:
424:
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408:
401:
374:
370:South Africa
366:
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332:
317:
313:World War II
310:
286:
272:
271:
244:
239:
234:
229:
201:
196:
191:
186:
169:
86:(1996-05-26)
25:Rugby player
22:
1214:1996 deaths
1209:1921 births
888:Akers, C.,
594:Walter Nash
520:Bill Meates
496:Ron Elvidge
460:Jack McLean
447:preferred.
443:Auckland's
397:Keith Davis
322:Stadium in
277:rugby union
255:New Zealand
170:Position(s)
135:Keith Davis
130:Moray Bevan
84:26 May 1996
18:Vince Bevan
1203:Categories
1012:Zavos 1979
1000:Zavos 1979
877:White 2014
608:References
467:Carisbrook
404:Manchester
350:All Blacks
297:Wellington
289:Horowhenua
283:Early life
212:Wellington
147:(grandson)
142:(grandson)
62:1921-12-24
48:Birth name
1032:The Press
548:Ben Couch
508:Eden Park
492:Bob Scott
488:Roy Roper
476:Jack Kyle
452:Eden Park
335:All Black
456:Auckland
279:player.
245:(Points)
202:(Points)
175:Halfback
137:(cousin)
1140:Sources
471:Dunedin
389:Ireland
362:Austria
354:Britain
320:Fascist
251:1947–54
208:1943–54
1181:4 June
970:4 June
727:29 May
358:France
117:School
109:Weight
101:Height
328:Italy
324:Forlì
293:Ōtaki
230:Years
187:Years
1183:2018
972:2018
729:2014
567:Fiji
550:and
356:and
299:and
240:Apps
235:Team
219:(32)
197:Apps
192:Team
469:in
454:in
326:in
291:at
262:(3)
1205::
1086:^
1056:^
1041:^
1019:^
961:.
915:^
897:^
869:^
827:^
799:^
773:^
755:^
737:^
689:^
658:^
615:^
387:,
259:25
216:75
1185:.
1035:.
974:.
879:.
731:.
684:.
64:)
60:(
20:.
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