Ray Bell was a useful wing and fullback who made the most of his chances when, heavily depleted by the All Black tour of South Africa in 1949, Otago had to summon up several newcomers to help defend the Ranfurly Shield.

Bell, tall and solidly built for a back in that era, was one of those who responded to the challenge and Otago's feat in defending the shield for the entire season with so many players absent is regarded by some experts as the pinnacle of Vic Cavanagh's coaching career.

Bell, a member of the Pirates club and a team-mate of Kevin Skinner, had played one game as a 19-year old for Otago in 1945, but then was absent from New Zealand for the next three years, serving with J Force with two other subsequent All Blacks, Tiny Hill and Tiny White, in Japan.

Bell was a significant contributor to all of Otago's six successful defences of 1949. He scored three tries and also kicked 20 points from four penalties and four conversions.

He also had an excellent match in 1950 when Otago thrashed the British Isles at Carisbrook 23-9, contributing 11 points with his boot. Bell, having played in trials and representing the South Island in 1950, was rewarded with a place on the All Blacks' 1951 tour of Australia as one of four wings along with Ron Jarden, Percy Erceg and Brownie Cherrington. Bell also covered for the only fullback specialist in the touring party, Snow Cockerill.

Bell performed competently whether at wing or in two appearancesat fullback and his seven matches brought him six tries and seven conversions. Jarden was the sensation of that tour but when he was forced out of the third test with injury Bell was rewarded for his own solid form with a test cap. Bell marked it with a try in the 16-6 win.

By 1952 Bell appeared to be in his rugby prime. He made the third of his three appearances for the South island and after playing for the New Zealand XV against a Maori XV in a farewell match for retiring Govenor General, Sir Bernard Freyberg, was placed at fullback in the first test against the Wallabies in Christchurch.

Bell landed a penalty goal in the 9-14 All Blacks' defeat and in the subsequent selection reshuffle was returned to the wing for the second test in Wellington. The All Blacks recovered to win and to share the Bledisloe Cup series but the match was a personal disaster for Bell.

In the 10th minute he suffered a broken leg and the injury was so severe it brought his career to an end and robbed

him of his chance of touring the following season to Britain and France. However, Bell remained a lifelong and active supporter of the Pirates club and in 1968-71 served the Otago union as a representative selector.

Profile by Lindsay Knight
for the New Zealand Rugby Museum.

FULL NAME

Raymond Henry Bell

BORN

Thursday, 31 December 1925 in Dunedin

AGE

84

PHYSICAL

1.83m, 86kg

POSITION

Wing and Fullback

LAST SCHOOL

King's High

RUGBY CLUB
(First made All Blacks from)

Dunedin Pirates

PROVINCE

Otago

ALL BLACK DEBUT

Wednesday, 20 June 1951
v Australian United Services at Sydney
aged 25 years, 171 days

INTERNATIONAL DEBUT

Saturday, 21 July 1951
v Australia at Brisbane
aged 25 years, 202 days

LAST TEST

Saturday, 13 September 1952
v Australia at Wellington
aged 26 years, 257 days

ALL BLACK TESTS

3 (0 as Captain)

ALL BLACK GAMES

6 (0 as Captain)

TOTAL ALL BLACK MATCHES

9 (0 as Captain)

ALL BLACK TEST POINTS

6pts (1t, 0c, 1p, 0dg, 0m)

ALL BLACK GAME POINTS

23pts (3t, 7c, 0p, 0dg, 0m)

TOTAL ALL BLACK POINTS

29pts (4t, 7c, 1p, 0dg, 0m)

ALL BLACK NUMBER

533

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

Click on the date to be taken to the Match Card

1951

 20 Jun vs Australian United Services at Sydney 15-6  

 27 Jun vs Central-Western Districts at Parkes 65-6  

 4 Jul vs Combined XV at Wagga Wagga 48-10  

 11 Jul vs New England at Armidale 49-6  

 18 Jul vs Brisbane at Brisbane 29-9  

 21 Jul vs Australia at Brisbane 16-6  

 24 Jul vs Auckland at Auckland 9-3  

1952

 6 Sep vs Australia at Christchurch 9-14  

 13 Sep vs Australia at Wellington 15-8  

Points scored for the All Blacks

t

c

p

dg

pts

vs Australian United Services, 20 Jun 1951

-

2

-

-

4

vs Central-Western Districts, 27 Jun 1951

2

-

-

-

6

vs New England, 11 Jul 1951

-

5

-

-

10

vs Brisbane, 18 Jul 1951

1

-

-

-

3

vs Australia, 21 Jul 1951

1

-

-

-

3

vs Australia, 6 Sep 1952

-

-

1

-

3

Totals

4

7

1

0

29

Test Record by Nation

P

W

D

L

t

c

p

dg

pts

Australia

3

2

-

1

1

-

1

-

6

Totals

3

2

0

1

1

0

1

0

6