Fred Roberts (rugby union)

Fred Roberts
Headshot of a man in his 20s
Roberts in 1908
Birth nameFrederick Roberts
Date of birth(1882-04-07)7 April 1882
Place of birthWellington, New Zealand
Date of death21 July 1956(1956-07-21) (aged 75)
Place of deathWellington, New Zealand
SchoolThorndon School[1]
Rugby union career
Position(s) Halfback
Amateur team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
Oriental ()
Provincial / State sides
Years Team Apps (Points)
1901–12 Wellington 58[2] ()
1902[4] South Island[a] 1 ()
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
1905–10 New Zealand 12 (11)

Frederick Roberts (7 April 1882 – 21 July 1956) was a rugby union footballer who played for the New Zealand national team, commonly called the All Blacks. Playing at halfback, he played for the 1905 Original All Blacks, the first New Zealand representative team to tour the British Isles.[1] He was the only halfback taken on the tour, and played in 28 of their 32 matches in the British Isles.[5] New Zealand rugby historian Winston McCarthy wrote of Roberts that he was "a superb passer, a judicious runner from the scrum, and excellent two-foot kicker and a giant on defence."[5] Roberts continued to be selected by the All Blacks until 1910, when he captained the New Zealand team on their tour of Australia.[1]

  1. ^ a b c Luxford.
  2. ^ Swan & Jackson 1952, p. 158.
  3. ^ Verdon 2000, p. 40.
  4. ^ a b c Swan & Jackson 1952, p. 127.
  5. ^ a b McCarthy 1968, p. 38.


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