Alf Budd was a stalwart member of Southland provincial packs for a seven year period starting immediately from the end of World War II. He was a tough, uncompromising tight forward who hailed from the Bluff club when it was in its heyday as Southland's leading club. A forward contemporary and Bluff clubmate Eddie Robinson also became an All Black after excelling for many years in Southland sides.

Budd started his first class career as a flanker but spent most of his career as a lock. Despite his strength and commitment he perhaps offers striking illustration of just how much the physical dimensions of rugby players have changed over the past 50 to 60 years. For Budd was never more than 1.85m (6ft 1in) and 90kgs (14st), which in the modern era would be only the size of most backs, let alone a test lock.

Budd came to the fore in World War II services rugby and in his first season with Southland he made both the South side for the interisland match and the All Blacks. His All Black debut came in unusual circumstances. A reserve for the first test against the Wallabies, he was to have the same role in the second test at Eden Park.

But on the way to Auckland a first choice selection, Manawatu's Jack Finlay, suffered an eye injury during one of the railway stops and Budd was his late replacement.

Budd missed both the 1947 All Black tour to Australia and that to South Africa in 1949 despite appearing in the trials. He gained his second and final test cap when recalled for the second of the 1949 home tests against the Wallabies.

Budd's greatest achievements were with Southland, for whom he made 53 appearances. He was in the side which defended the Ranfurly Shield through the 1946 season and took part in four Southland matches against touring international teams: the Wallabies of 1946-49-52 and the British Lions in 1950. It is a measure of the strength of Southland rugby at this time that three of these matches in which Budd was part of the pack were won: in 1946 and 1952 over the Wallabies and over the Lions in 1950.

Another Alf Budd played for the All Blacks in 1910. But the two Budds were not related.

Profile by Lindsay Knight
for the New Zealand Rugby Museum.

FULL NAME

Thomas Alfred Budd

BORN

Tuesday, 1 August 1922 in Bluff

DIED

Wednesday, 8 March 1989 in Whangarei

PHYSICAL

1.85m, 93kg

POSITION

Lock

LAST SCHOOL

Unknown

RUGBY CLUB
(First made All Blacks from)

Bluff

PROVINCE

Southland

ALL BLACK DEBUT

Saturday, 28 September 1946
v Australia at Auckland
aged 24 years, 58 days

INTERNATIONAL DEBUT

Saturday, 28 September 1946
v Australia at Auckland
aged 24 years, 58 days

LAST TEST

Saturday, 24 September 1949
v Australia at Auckland
aged 27 years, 54 days

ALL BLACK TESTS

2 (0 as Captain)

ALL BLACK GAMES

0 (0 as Captain)

TOTAL ALL BLACK MATCHES

2 (0 as Captain)

ALL BLACK TEST POINTS

0pts

ALL BLACK GAME POINTS

0pts

TOTAL ALL BLACK POINTS

0pts

ALL BLACK NUMBER

466

The All Black Games that Budd played.
(+) = substitute; (-) = replaced

Click on the date to be taken to the Match Card

1946

 28 Sep vs Australia at Auckland 14-10  

1949

 24 Sep vs Australia at Auckland 9-16  

Budd did not score any points for the All Blacks.

Test Record by Nation

P

W

D

L

t

c

p

dg

pts

Australia

2

1

-

1

-

-

-

-

-

Totals

2

1

0

1

0

0

0

0

0