Arthur Francis

Arthur Reginald Howe Francis (8 June 1882 – 15 June 1957), also known by the nickname of "Bolla", was a New Zealand dual-code international rugby union and rugby league footballer who played in the 1900s, 1910s and 1920s, and rugby union coach of the 1930s. He played representative level rugby union (RU) for New Zealand, Auckland, and at club level for Ponsonby RFC. He also played representative level rugby league (RL) for New Zealand and Australasia, as well as at club level for Wigan, as a forward (prior to the specialist positions of; ), during the era of contested scrums, and coached club level rugby union (RU) for Grammar RFC. Early years Francis was born in Wanganui, New Zealand. He was educated at Auckland Grammar. Rugby union career Francis played club rugby union for Ponsonby RFC, and was part of successive Auckland Rugby Union championships between 1908 and 1910. Francis made his Auckland début in 1904 and scored a penalty in the 1905 Ranfurly Shield victory over Wellington. Francis made his All Blacks début in 1905 against Australia and became an automatic selection, playing in a total of ten Test matches in the next five years. In 1910 Francis and teammate George A. Gillett rescued Anglo-Welsh Lions player Percy Down, who had fallen into the sea, keeping him afloat until a rope was lowered from the ship upon which Down was about to return to Great Britain.