This is one of a series of posts to mark the international Rugby players who served in, and survived, The Great War. If anyone has further information on the men concerned, I’d be most grateful if it could be added to the thread. Gareth Kivell, Alfred Louis played for New Zealand Internationals: 2 : 1929 A- A- Alfred Kivell was born on 12 April 1897, in Thames. Played as a Lock/flanker for: Stratford High School, Stratford, Taranaki, North Island Profession: Farmer War service: 56798 Rifleman, NZ Rifle Brigade. Remarks: NZ tour of Australia 1929. He played 5 matches for the All Blacks, including 2 Internationals. He died on 13 February 1987, in Christchurch.
Alf Kivell had a long representative career for Taranaki in the 1920s before gaining selection for the All Blacks in 1929. By then the stockily built side row forward was a veteran and at 32 he is among the oldest players to win his first All Black jersey. However, before his late call up Kivell had played well for Taranaki and in 1926 had made the North Island team, though it was not until 1929 that he got an All Black trial. Kivell could not play in the opening part of the tour because of an injury but played all of the last five matches, including the last two tests. Both of these were lost so Kivell has the dubious honour of never once being in a winning All Black test side. A stalwart of the Stratford club, Kivell served in World War I and that meant his entry into first class rugby was delayed until 1920, by which time he was 23. His debut for Taranaki was as a replacement against Wanganui and his first full match was in Taranaki's Ranfurly Shield challenge against Wellington when Wellington put the shield at stake in an away match in Hawera. Kivell made the last of his 64 appearances for Taranaki in 1930, with one of his matches that year being against the touring Great Britain side. Lindsay Knight
