Cecil Edward Oliver (Ces) Badeley

All Blacks ID: #215

While Ces Badeley is remembered today as one of the Invincibles, his name is not the first culled out of most memories. Players like George Nepia, Maurice and Cyril Brownlie, Mark Nicholls, Bert Cooke and team captain Cliff Porter hold pride of place in any recollection of that great team. Yet, had fortune been a little kinder to Badeley, he might be ranked right up with the greatest.

The reason for what seems a bold claim is that for most of 1924 it appeared certain Badeley would be appointed captain of the tourists. He had led the side, composed entirely of men who were selected for the main tour, which toured Australia in mid-year and took his seat at the top table during the various farewell functions. No captain had been officially appointed at that stage but there was every indication the Auckland five-eighth had the job.

Depending on which story one prefers to believe, there are a number of possible reasons for the replacement of Badeley with Porter prior to sailing. Firstly, and possibly most important, was that Badeley had been hampered by a long-standing knee injury, aggravated in the first New South Wales match, and it was believed that this could limit his active participation on tour. As it happened he only played two of the 32 matches.

Secondly, the presence of players like Neil McGregor, Nicholls and Cooke meant it was by no means certain Badeley would win a test spot. This scenario, while also likely, would not have been a killer blow, as Porter missed three of the four tests anyway.

Darker mutterings concerned an anti-Auckland faction in New Zealand rugby at the time, not helped by strong criticism of the All Blacks' performance against Auckland shortly after their return from Australia and the clamour to get Don Wright added to the team, failure to get on with manager Stan Dean, who could be a martinet at times (Ernest Little, not Dean, had taken the team to Australia) and perhaps suspicions that Badeley may struggle to control some of the hard, strong-willed characters who made up the team, especially as he was named in the second batch of players rather than the first 16, the 'certainties'. Badeley himself told Rod Chester and Neville McMillan in 1977 that he felt his knee was the biggest issue when the change of captain was made.

Whatever the reason for his demise as skipper, there was no doubt that Cecil Edward Oliver Badeley was a brilliant player when at the top of his form. Born at Auckland on 7 November 1896, he had first come to light as an exceptionally talented member of a high-class Auckland Grammar School backline during the First World War, sharing top billing with his brother Victor and a slightly younger man, Max Grierson. The trio, all later selected for New Zealand although Grierson never took the field, had no peers at the time and Grammar forged a remarkable record - they won or shared 14 consecutive titles between 1910 and 1923 and won wartime matches by colossal scores.

Badeley was old enough to go to war and served with the NZ Rifle Brigade in the later stages of the conflict. On his return he linked with Grammar Old Boys, which produced seven All Blacks during the 1920s. While the club was very strong, many others were as well and Grammar only won two titles - 1920 and 1922, when the Gallaher Shield was on offer for the first time.

He made his Auckland debut in 1920 and won All Black honours the same season, touring New Zealand and Australia with a skilled, high-scoring unit that remained unbeaten. Badeley played eight of the ten matches in a variety of inside back positions. The 5ft 7in (1.70m), 10st 9lb (67kg) Badeley contributed seven tries to the team's mighty tally of 89. When the All Blacks drew with Auckland prior to the tour, Ces and Vic were their teams' respective kickers. He played the first two tests against South Africa the following season at first-five, losing his place to Otago's Billy Fea for the decider.

He gained the unusual distinction of representing South Island in the 1922 inter-Island match although a resident of Auckland (he replaced Jack Steel during the game and ended up opposing brother Vic, who was a replacement for North) but missed selection for the Australian tour - Vic won his All Black jersey on this tour, meaning the brothers never played in the same All Black side. Ces played no other first-class rugby in 1922 or 1923, being bothered by knee problems.

He only displayed his true class once in an All Black jersey in 1924, having a top game against Manawatu-Horowhenua and scoring a brilliant try. On tour he helped coach the backs once it became clear his active participation was at an end.

He later played scattered matches for Auckland until 1928 and represented North Auckland in 1926, when he was living in Whangarei. His injury problems meant he only played 47 first-class matches in his decade-long career.

As well as his rugby skill at college Badeley had been a class batsman in the First XI, setting a school record that stood for years by scoring 189 against Sacred Heart.

Ces Badeley outlived all his 1924 colleagues except three; he died at Auckland three days after his 90th birthday, on 10 November 1986.

http://stats.allblacks.com/asp/Profile.asp?ABID=30

• Military award: British War Medal, Victory Medal
• Military service: World War I, 1914-1918, 43665 - Army, NZMR Specalist section Signals - Jan 10 1917

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In the All Blacks Rugby Team in 1921 that played against the South Africa Springboks.

• Reference: Famous People Throughout History - SmartCopy: Jun 17 2020, 11:22:17 UTC