If there was ever a contest to find the most romantic or exotic All Black name then the grand final might well be between two players of the 1920s, Beethoven Algar of an Otago fullback of that period, Donald Stevenson.

Stevenson's parents were obviously of a literary bent for when they came to christen their son he was given the second and third names of Robert Louis in honour obviously of Robert Louis Stevenson, the famous Scottish author of such classics as Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, Kidnapped and Treasure Island.

Stevenson, the rugby player, after schooling at Otago Boys' High and Napier Boys' High Schools (1st XV 1920) emerged while he was studying medicine at Otago University, touring Australia with the New Zealand Universities team of 1923. He toured Australia with the Universities again in 1925.

Initially a wing forward Stevenson switched to the backs in 1924. All his appearances for Otago were as fullback or in the threequarters. An adequate rather than a strong line-kicker he offset this slight limitation by often running up the touchline to gain ground before being pushed out. Under the rules that applied then this entitled his team to the resulting throw to the lineout.

Between 1924 and 1930 Stevenson represented Otago but presumably because of his studies which saw him become an eminent doctor he played only a total of 12 matches. His last appearance for the union was against the 1930 Great Britain touring team which crushed Otago 33-9.

On that occasion Stevenson alternated between fullback and centre with another former All Black Dave Lindsay, who had been in South Africa in 1928.

Stevenson played for the South Island in 1926 and 1928. A fine performance under difficulties in his first interisland game saw him taken on the 1926 tour of Australia.

He played the warmup match before departure against Wellington and in three of the first four matches in Australia, against a New South Wales XV and two against New South Wales. But he was affected by illness all of the time he was in Australia and because of it missed the tour opener against New South Wales and after the fourth match had to return home.

He subsequently coached Melbourne University club in 1932.

Profile by Lindsay Knight
for the New Zealand Rugby Museum.

FULL NAME

Donald Robert Louis Stevenson

BORN

Tuesday, 3 February 1903 in Dunedin

DIED

Wednesday, 11 April 1962 in Doncaster, England

POSITION

Fullback

LAST SCHOOL

Napier Boys' High

RUGBY CLUB
(First made All Blacks from)

Otago University

PROVINCE

Otago

ALL BLACK DEBUT

Wednesday, 30 June 1926
v Wellington at Wellington
aged 23 years, 147 days

ALL BLACK TESTS

0 (0 as Captain)

ALL BLACK GAMES

4 (0 as Captain)

TOTAL ALL BLACK MATCHES

4 (0 as Captain)

ALL BLACK GAME POINTS

0pts

TOTAL ALL BLACK POINTS

0pts

ALL BLACK NUMBER

326

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

Click on the date to be taken to the Match Card

1926

 30 Jun vs Wellington at Wellington 14-21  

 14 Jul vs A N.S.W. XV at Sydney 31-14  

 17 Jul vs N.S.W. at Sydney 11-6  

 20 Jul vs N.S.W. at Sydney 14-0  

Stevenson did not score any points for the All Blacks.

Stevenson played in no test matches for the All Blacks.