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 Badeley, Cecil Edward Oliver played for New Zealand Internationals: 2: 1921 SA+ SA- Cecil Badeley was born on 7 November 1896 Played as a First five-eighth for: Remuera Primary School, Auckland Grammar School, Auckland, North Auckland, Whangarei High School Old Boys, North Island, South Island Profession: Law Clerk/Licensee War service: 43665 Private, NZ Rifle Brigade Remarks: Brother of Victor Badeley, who played for NZ between 1922 and 1924 (no internationals). A former very talented schoolboy footballer, C E O Badeley first played for Auckland in 1920 and then toured Australia with the NZ team, playing in eight of the ten matches and scoring seven tries. He played in the first two home internationals v South Africa in 1921, but lost his place in the third. He was chosen as Captain of the 1924-1925 NZ tour to Britain and France, but was replaced by Cliff Porter before departure. On that tour he played only two matches before injury prevented further participation – he stayed on and helped coach the backline. He played 15 games for the All Blacks, including his 2 Internationals. He died on 10 November 1986, in Auckland.
Many great All Blacks played for Grammar and Grafton over the years and there have been myriad administrators from all three clubs who have left an indelible mark on the game. A total of 40 All Blacks have represented the three Clubs since Darby Ryan and Jack Lecky were selected in 1884. Other All Blacks include Frank Surman, Scobie MacKenzie, Dick McGregor, Harry Kiernan, James Maguire, Ces Badeley, Mark Nichols, Carl Ifwerson, Jim O’Brien, Vic Badeley, Bert Cooke, Lawrence Knight, Arthur Knight, Don Wright, Walter Batty, Merv Corner, Hugh McLean, Brian Killeen, Terry Lockington, John Dick, Fred Allen, Nev Thornton, Arthur Hughes, Jack Kelly, Percy Erceg, Mick Bremner, Wilson Whinneray, Kel Tremain, Bruce Gemmell, Lawrie Knight, Stu Conn, Tim Twigden, Gary Whetton, Alan Whetton, Ant Strachan, Adrian Cashmore and Charles Riechelmann, Derren Witcombe http://www.grammarcarlton.co.nz/history/history/menu-id-32/Page-4.html The 1924 All Black tourists to the United Kingdom (UK) were dubbed the Invincibles because they had won every game. However, the team were deprived of the chance to complete a grand slam when Scotland refused to play them because of an argument over expenses It was on that tour that Cliff Porter replaced Ces Badeley as captain of the New Zealand team, leading them on the 1924-5 tour during which they gained the name of The Invincibles, winning all 32 of the matches they played. ... then I saw this intriguing line - but I couldn't find anything about it .... I guess you have to buy the book !! ..... "Born To Lead" THE ALL BLACK TEST CAPTAINS http://www.rugbyrelics.com/nz-rugby.htm
I don't know the story about the hate or Nicholls' part in the matter, but Rugby politics can be a dangerous and murky world at times! Gareth
While Ces Badeley is remembered today as one of the Invincibles, his name is not the first culled out of most memories. Players like George Nepia, Maurice and Cyril Brownlie, Mark Nicholls, Bert Cooke and team captain Cliff Porter hold pride of place in any recollection of that great team. Yet, had fortune been a little kinder to Badeley, he might be ranked right up with the greatest. The reason for what seems a bold claim is that for most of 1924 it appeared certain Badeley would be appointed captain of the tourists. He had led the side, composed entirely of men who were selected for the main tour, which toured Australia in mid-year and took his seat at the top table during the various farewell functions. No captain had been officially appointed at that stage but there was every indication the Auckland five-eighth had the job. Depending on which story one prefers to believe, there are a number of possible reasons for the replacement of Badeley with Porter prior to sailing. Firstly, and possibly most important, was that Badeley had been hampered by a long-standing knee injury, aggravated in the first New South Wales match, and it was believed that this could limit his active participation on tour. As it happened he only played two of the 32 matches. Secondly, the presence of players like Neil McGregor, Nicholls and Cooke meant it was by no means certain Badeley would win a test spot. This scenario, while also likely, would not have been a killer blow, as Porter missed three of the four tests anyway. Darker mutterings concerned an anti-Auckland faction in New Zealand rugby at the time, not helped by strong criticism of the All Blacks' performance against Auckland shortly after their return from Australia and the clamour to get Don Wright added to the team, failure to get on with manager Stan Dean, who could be a martinet at times (Ernest Little, not Dean, had taken the team to Australia) and perhaps suspicions that Badeley may struggle to control some of the hard, strong-willed characters who made up the team, especially as he was named in the second batch of players rather than the first 16, the 'certainties'. Badeley himself told Rod Chester and Neville McMillan in 1977 that he felt his knee was the biggest issue when the change of captain was made. Whatever the reason for his demise as skipper, there was no doubt that Cecil Edward Oliver Badeley was a brilliant player when at the top of his form. Born at Auckland on 7 November 1896, he had first come to light as an exceptionally talented member of a high-class Auckland Grammar School backline during the First World War, sharing top billing with his brother Victor and a slightly younger man, Max Grierson. The trio, all later selected for New Zealand although Grierson never took the field, had no peers at the time and Grammar forged a remarkable record - they won or shared 14 consecutive titles between 1910 and 1923 and won wartime matches by colossal scores. Badeley was old enough to go to war and served with the NZ Rifle Brigade in the later stages of the conflict. On his return he linked with Grammar Old Boys, which produced seven All Blacks during the 1920s. While the club was very strong, many others were as well and Grammar only won two titles - 1920 and 1922, when the Gallaher Shield was on offer for the first time. He made his Auckland debut in 1920 and won All Black honours the same season, touring New Zealand and Australia with a skilled, high-scoring unit that remained unbeaten. Badeley played eight of the ten matches in a variety of inside back positions. The 5ft 7in (1.70m), 10st 9lb (67kg) Badeley contributed seven tries to the team's mighty tally of 89. When the All Blacks drew with Auckland prior to the tour, Ces and Vic were their teams' respective kickers. He played the first two tests against South Africa the following season at first-five, losing his place to Otago's Billy Fea for the decider. He gained the unusual distinction of representing South Island in the 1922 inter-Island match although a resident of Auckland (he replaced Jack Steel during the game and ended up opposing brother Vic, who was a replacement for North) but missed selection for the Australian tour - Vic won his All Black jersey on this tour, meaning the brothers never played in the same All Black side. Ces played no other first-class rugby in 1922 or 1923, being bothered by knee problems. He only displayed his true class once in an All Black jersey in 1924, having a top game against Manawatu-Horowhenua and scoring a brilliant try. On tour he helped coach the backs once it became clear his active participation was at an end. He later played scattered matches for Auckland until 1928 and represented North Auckland in 1926, when he was living in Whangarei. His injury problems meant he only played 47 first-class matches in his decade-long career. As well as his rugby skill at college Badeley had been a class batsman in the First XI, setting a school record that stood for years by scoring 189 against Sacred Heart. Ces Badeley outlived all his 1924 colleagues except three; he died at Auckland three days after his 90th birthday, on 10 November 1986. Paul Neazor
And heres his brother ...... Vic Badeley was one of a number of highly skilled footballers to come out of Auckland Grammar School during and shortly after the First World War. He and brother Ces, along with Max Grierson, had been the shining lights of a brilliant backline for many seasons, helping the school carry on its series of championships, which eventually stretched to 14 in succession, and contributed greatly to the team's huge scoring in college matches. Vic Badeley and Grierson were the same age and each played four years in the First XV (1915-18), although Grierson's first was as a hooker. The combination of Grierson at second-five and Badeley at centre gave Grammar creative talent which no other side could hope to match. Badeley's 20th birthday fell less than a fortnight after Armistice (he was born at Auckland on 22 November 1898) and therefore he was not required to enlist in the army. He had already played first-class rugby, making his debut for Auckland in 1917 when matches were restricted to those under the age of call-up. He played his club rugby with Grammar Old Boys, sharing two championship wins, and won his place in the full-strength Auckland side in 1920, playing eight of the nine matches and only missed Auckland's Ranfurly Shield challenge against Wellington at Auckland. A more than handy goal-kicker, Badeley finished the season with 49 points (4 tries, 14 con, 3 pen), equalling Jack Dufty's 1906 record for the province. In the drawn pre-tour match between Auckland and the All Blacks, the Badeley brothers were their teams' respective kickers. Vic Badeley represented the combined Auckland-North Auckland side against South Africa in 1921, although a fascination for playing men out of position cost combined any chance they may have had of winning. Hardly a man in the backline occupied his usual spot - Badeley and Grierson were sent to the wings, where they had real problems coping with the Springbok pair of van Heerden and Zeller - and Combined was taken apart. Any thoughts of possible third test selection went out the window after that miserable afternoon. Things improved in 1922. Both brothers came into the inter-Island match as replacements (Ces for South, despite the fact he lived in Auckland), but Vic had the better match and won a place on the Australian tour. He missed the warm-up match with Wairarapa, which New Zealand won narrowly, and made his debut as a replacement in the first New South Wales match. New Zealand won that game 26-19, but injuries and a lack of settled selection policy started to hurt the side soon afterwards. Every inside back except Ginger Nicholls played at least two positions during the tour and the same halfback/first-five pairing was never used in consecutive matches. Midfield was worse, as five players appeared at centre and six at second-five during the eight games. Badeley was on the wing against Metropolitan Union and at second-five in the second New South Wales match, which was lost. Both he and Percy Hickey, his midfield partner, were dropped for the third match that New Zealand also lost, thus becoming the first All Black side to lose a series anywhere. The side performed much better at home, when most of the backs had been returned to their proper spots, and satisfaction was defeating the NZ Maori team, who had also toured Australia and beaten New South Wales in their series. Badeley put up some notable scoring efforts in his Auckland appearances in 1923, scoring hat-tricks against both Southland (he also landed four conversions for a total of 17 points) and Wanganui, but didn't make the All Blacks although 37 men played in the New South Wales series. His career ended during the 1924 trials, when he suffered a severe head injury in the match between Auckland Area and Hawkes Bay Area, which opened the way for Karl Ifwersen to have his most famous day. A benefit match was played in 1925, between the Auckland champion Ponsonby and their Wellington counterpart Poneke, which raised a good sum for the family who had been under financial pressure since the accident. Victor Ivan Roskill Badeley died at Auckland on 19 February 1971 Paul Neazor
