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 Brownlie, Maurice John played for New Zealand Internationals: 8 : 1924 I+ W+ (1t), 1925 E+ (1t) F+ ; 1928 SA- SA+ SA- SA+ ; NZ tours 1922 Australia, 1924-1925 Australia, British Isles, France and Canada, Captain first NZ tour to South Africa 1928. Maurice Brownlie was born on 10 August 1897, in Wanganui Played as a Lock/Flanker for: Sacred Heart College Auckland, St Patrick’s College Wellington, Hastings, Hawkes Bay, North Island Profession: Farmer War service: 30422 Trooper, New Zealand Machine Gun Squadron, Australian and New Zealand Mounted Division (in Palestine). Remarks: Brother of Cyril and Laurence Brownlie. He was considered a very big man by his contemporaries and was extremely strong thanks to work on his farm. While in the Army, he played Rugby for the New Zealand Machine Gun Squadron, a side that sometimes included four future All Blacks (Maurice and Cyril Brownlie, James Parker and Jock Richardson). He played 61 games for the All Blacks, including his 8 Internationals. Brother Laurence Brownlie made 1 appearance for NZ in 1921. He fought in the NZ amateur heavyweight boxing championship final in 1921, when he was beaten by Brian McCleary, a fellow tourist to Australia, British Isles, France and Canada in 1924-1925. One notable achievement was his scoring a try v England in 1924 after his brother Cyril had been ordered off the field. Incensed by what he saw as an injustice, he picked up the ball and barged over for a try, carrying several defenders with him. He died on 21 January 1957, in Gisborne. The career of his brother Cyril was covered in the thread dealing with referee Albert Freethy.
The second of three brothers who were All Blacks in the 1920s, Maurice Brownlie is a legendary figure in New Zealand rugby for any number of reasons. He was not only a great All Black forward and a successful test captain but also the inspiration behind one of the best provincial sides ever fielded, the Hawke's Bay "Magpies" who between 1922 and 1927 established a Ranfurly Shield record sequence of defences which stood for nearly 40 years. http://stats.allblacks.com/asp/Profile.asp?ABID=99
