William David Gillespie

Surname:

Gillespie

First names:

William David

Known by:

Dave

All Black Player No:

586

All Black games played:

All Black years:

1960

Clubs:

Pirate
Onslow

Provincial teams:

NZ Trials 1960
Otago 1959, 1961
Sth Island 1959
Regional Trial 1959
Sth Island Trial 1959, 1961
Centurions 1959
Wellington 1962, 1963
Nth Island Trial 1962
Wellington XV 1962, 1963
Evergreens 1963

Provincial captain:

Otago 1959, 1961

Biography:

1959: Sth Island: Flanker - 1 game
1959: Flanker - 11 games - 1 try (3 pts)
1959: Sth Island Trial: Flanker - 1 game - 1 try (3 pts)
1959: Reg Trial: Flanker - 1 game
1959: Centurions: Flanker - 1 game
1960: AB's: Flanker - 11 tour games, No 8 - 2 tour games - 1 try (3 pts)
1960: NZ Trials: Flanker - 3 games - 1 try (3 pts)
1961: Flanker [5], Lock [4], No 8 [2] - 11 games
1961: Sth Island Trial: Flanker - 1 game
1962: Flanker - 14 games
1962: Nth Island Trial: Flanker - 1 game - 1 try (3 pts)
1962: XV: Flanker - 1 game
1963: Flanker - 11 games
1963: XV: Flanker - 1 game
1963: Evergreens: Flanker - 1 game

Sub Total: AB's: 13 games (3 pts)
Prov: Ot: 22 games (3 pts): We: 25 games
Others: 12 games (9 pts)

Total: 72 games (15 pts)

Born: 6 Aug 1934
Died: 27 Feb 2025

Endorsement

It gives me great pleasure to write this character reference about this website. There would not be a person in this country who doesn’t know that rugby is the national game of New Zealand. The passion runs deep and the profile and exposure of the sport is without peer. A fair chunk of our heroes come from the game and nothing affects the mental psychology of the people more than rugby. Not even politics.

Because of this rich feeling, discussions in society are often based around the game and on the players involved. Memories tend to play tricks on people. They can fade and forget and get things muddled up. For nearly 90 years New Zealand rugby enthusiasts have been superbly served by the Rugby Almanack. It remains the definitive source of information from each season despite the advancement of technology.

However, we must accept that technology has advanced and like rugby, we therefore need to embrace the good that comes with that change. www.rugbyhistory.co.nz is the best rugby history site that is available. It provides comprehensive records of the All Blacks, all the Super rugby sides and most impressively of all, places a large emphasis on the national provincial competition, which remains such a crucial part of the fabric in New Zealand.

Kery Geertson’s dedication to this growing rugby treasure can not be denied. It continues to grow, mature and impress. To paraphrase the late, great Terry McLean www.rugbyhistory.co.nz should be stored as a favourite website for every rugby lover; it provides facts and fairness and hours of one of life’s greatest pleasures – browsing.

Grant Hassall
Wannabe Rugby Historian
New Plymouth

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