Dave Solomon also gave many years' service to Ponsonby, starting about 1930. Like his brother Frank, he was born overseas; in Dave's case the happy event occurred in Levuka, Fiji, on May 31, 1913. The Solomon family arrived in New Zealand in time for young Dave to do all his schooling here, but he attended neither the same primary nor secondary school as his brother.

Leaving Mt Albert Grammar, Dave Solomon headed to South Auckland for a while, playing sub-union football as a teenager, and then made his way to the Waikato, where he first won a rep place. That was in 1934; a year later he had returned to Auckland and linked up with Ponsonby, filling a variety of backline positions but preferring fullback or either five-eighths role.

He had two games with Auckland, scoring in each one, before the long series of trials for the touring team to Britain began. After appearing in the regional fixture, he was called to Athletic Park for the final series, and did enough to hear his name read out in the second batch of those chosen for the tour. At the time of his selection he was one of the least experienced men in the party, sharing that dubious distinction with another Aucklander, Henry Brown.

He, like Brown, made only eight appearances on a tour of 30 matches, despite playing in five of the first ten. Regarded as too slow off the mark for a five-eighth, there was little chance for him to play at fullback, his better position, since Mike Gilbert was one of the leading figures in the team and the goal-kicker to boot.

On the grounds of his inexperience. and in light of his role as a virtual tourist, it has to be suggested he was fortunate to win an All Black jersey. Whether lucky or not, he remained a cheerful character, something in keeping with his good nature and personal dignity. He was certainly a highly-regarded figure around the Ponsonby club.

By 1939 he had married and, forced by financial circumstances, felt compelled to change codes and make some money from his football skill. Unlike many who swapped to league, he was not ostracised by his mates when he left and remained popular and a welcome visitor at Blake Street. He did enough to be picked for the 1939-40 Kiwi tour to Britain, but got even less football this time round - the onset of world war cut this trip short after two matches.

After the war he was reinstated to rugby and coached at club level on the North Shore. He was, for years, a well-known figure at Ponsonby and a man held in high esteem, especially by the Polynesian players who made Ponsonby their home in the 60s and 70s. He, like Frank, became a Samoan Matai, a tribute to his personal integrity. There was much sorrow amongst his very wide circle of friends when David Solomon died in Auckland at the age of 84, on August 15,1997

Profile courtesy Ponsonby District Rugby Football Club.

FULL NAME

David Solomon

BORN

Saturday, 31 May 1913 in Levuka

DIED

Friday, 15 August 1997 in Auckland

PHYSICAL

1.73m, 76kg

POSITION

Five-eighth and Fullback

LAST SCHOOL

Mt Albert Grammar

RUGBY CLUB
(First made All Blacks from)

Ponsonby

PROVINCE

Auckland

ALL BLACK DEBUT

Thursday, 19 September 1935
v Midland Counties at Coventry
aged 22 years, 111 days

ALL BLACK TESTS

0 (0 as Captain)

ALL BLACK GAMES

8 (0 as Captain)

TOTAL ALL BLACK MATCHES

8 (0 as Captain)

ALL BLACK GAME POINTS

3pts (1t, 0c, 0p, 0dg, 0m)

TOTAL ALL BLACK POINTS

3pts (1t, 0c, 0p, 0dg, 0m)

ALL BLACK NUMBER

415

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

Click on the date to be taken to the Match Card

1935

 19 Sep vs Midland Counties at Coventry 9-3  

 28 Sep vs Swansea at Swansea 3-11  

 9 Oct vs Northumberland and Durham at Gosforth 10-6  

 12 Oct vs South of Scotland at Hawick 11-8  

 16 Oct vs Glasgow and Edinburgh at Glasgow 9-8  

 2 Nov vs London Counties at London 11-0  

 27 Nov vs North of Scotland at Aberdeen 12-6  

1936

 29 Jan vs Victoria (B.C.) at Victoria 27-3  

Points scored for the All Blacks

t

c

p

dg

pts

vs Glasgow and Edinburgh, 16 Oct 1935

1

-

-

-

3

Totals

1

0

0

0

3

Solomon played in no test matches for the All Blacks.