Dick Smith was a rugby league player who represented New Zealand in one test match in 1932 against England on the wing. In the process he became the 218th player to represent New Zealand. He also played rugby league for Auckland. He was a member of the North Shore Albions (also named Devonport United), and the Newton Rangers clubs. His brother was Jack Smith, the New Zealand rugby league representative of the late 1930s, they were both the nephews of the well known sportsman of the 1890s-1910s George Smith.
Early life Dick Smith was born Walton Victor Roy Smith but later became known as Dick with his initials often being recorded as "R. Smith" and "R.W. Smith" in team lists and match reports throughout his career. He was born on 26 July 1911, to Walton Smith and Clara Evelyn Smith (née Green). He had an older brother named Richard Frederick Smith born in 1909, and a younger brother Charles Ernest Smith born in 1918, though Charles was better known as Jack Smith. Jack also went on to play for New Zealand in 1938 and 1939. Their uncle (Walton's brother) was George Smith, the famous sportsman who represented New Zealand in rugby union, rugby league, as well as winning the New Zealand Cup as a jockey. The family lived on Auckland’s North Shore at Devonport.
Cricket In 1925 Dick was playing for the North Shore 4th grade cricket side. He was awarded the "T. Eyres bat" for the "highest batting in the fourth grade" at the clubs annual awards. He progressed through the grades playing for the 3rd grade side by 1928 and in 1929 he was promoted to the North Shore senior B side aged 18 and was then chosen for the Auckland Colts for a tour of the South Island. In his side was future first class cricketer Trevor Lyon, and New Zealand Test cricketer Giff Vivian. He only managed 1 run in a match with an Otago side on 25 December. Smith scored 10 runs and took a catch in their match with Southland on 29 December. On 1 January he scored 34 at Oamaru against a North Otago side. It was said that he "did not get into his stride for some time, but hit hard for his 34". He also took a catch and a wicket as Auckland went on to win the match on the second day. On the 3rd against South Canterbury at Timaru, "Smith came to the crease [with Auckland 98/6] and played brightly,...the rest went easily with the exception of Smith, who was undefeated" on 43 at the end of Auckland's innings of 151. Auckland was bowled out for 125 in their second innings with Smith again not out on 7. In their final tour match against Ashburton on 7–8 January he scored 22 in a draw. He had been promoted up the order to bat at 5, after spending most of the tour at 7 or 8. After returning from the tour on 25 January he made his senior club debut for North Shore against United Suburbs. It was reported that "Bush and R. Smith brightened the outlook. The latter, a promoted colt, was eventually bowled when attempting to put Horspool out of the ground". On 29 March he scored 100 in a game against Eden while batting at number 4. The Auckland Star said "the cricket was brighter than has been seen for some time past at Devonport, and this fact was in great measure due to the innings of R. Smith, who carried his bat for 100 dead. This was his first century in big cricket, and, although his innings was not chance less, he deserves high praise for his sparkling display. At no time was his batting dull, and his crisp well-timed strokes sent the ball to the boundary on fifteen occasions. more at home to the slow stuff stuff than to the faster variety of bowling, Smith thrived on leg deliveries, although his off shots were at times brilliant. With coaching he should develop into a batsman of more than ordinary ability". After a handful of low scores to start the following season he was dropped to the B team and seemingly played no further cricket for North Shore.
Rugby league playing career Devonport United and Auckland debut In 1929 Dick Smith was playing for the Devonport United rugby league fourth grade side. Devonport had formerly been known as North Shore Albions, which was the name they would revert to later in the 1930s. His fourth grade side went undefeated for the season, winning all 16 matches and scoring 352 points and only conceding 23. Smith was the captain of the side and received the cup on behalf of the team at Devonport's prize giving. He likely debuted for the side the same season in a Roope Rooster loss to Richmond where it was said that Smith, a promoted junior had a torrid time of it at fullback and must strengthen his tackling. At the end of the season a small piece was written saying that Smith was welcomed back to the Devonport 4th Grade football (soccer) side. It also stated that he had scored 133 points for his rugby league team during the year. He had apparently registered the highest goal count for the Devonport sixth grade team a couple of seasons earlier.
Smith began the 1931 season in the Devonport reserve grade side. His debut in the senior side was on 11 July against Richmond Rovers in a round 11 match at Carlaw Park. Devonport won the game 14-10 with Smith scoring a try. The New Zealand Herald said "R. Smith, a reserve grade player, was given a trial at centre. His promise in this position was one of the features of the game. Smith is a tricky and clever player with a natural side-step which left tacklers frequently grabbing the air. He was inclined to go a little too far at times when in possession". His try came when Allan Seagar "made a brilliant opening and [he] followed him through and scored a fine try by the posts". Smith contributed a lot of Devonport's points over the remainder of the season. He scored tries in matches with Ellerslie-Otahuhu, Newton Rangers, Ponsonby United, and Marist Old Boys, as well as kicking several goals. He finished the season with 57 points from just 9 games making him the 4th highest points scorer in Auckland for the 1931 season. In the Roope Rooster final against Ponsonby on 19 September it was said that Smith along with Seagar "dazzled with their side-stepping and incisive tactical moves which invariably threw the defence awry". Later in the match in which he also kicked 5 goals "Smith paralysed his opponents with two sparking tries". The Herald writer said that "it was a pity the selectors did not give Smith an opportunity of playing as five-eighths with Davidson and List for Auckland against Northland". However Smith was ultimately named in the side at five eighths along with Dunn from Richmond. The match for the Northern Union Challenge Cup was played at Carlaw Park on 26 September. The game finished 19-19. Smith missed the conversion for Auckland's first try, but a while latter picked up a loose ball and sent Pat Meehan in for a try. He missed another conversion but in another attack set Meehan free again for another try.
Smith's next match was in the Stormont Shield final against Marist Old Boys which Devonport won 25–6 with Smith scoring 2 tries. Then Devonport had the opportunity to play Eastern Suburbs who were touring Auckland. On 10 October they played at Carlaw Park before an enormous crowd of 17,000. Smith scored a try and kicked 6 goals however Devonport still went down 41-27. A week later on 17 October Smith played in a combined Devonport-Marist side against Eastern Suburbs and won 14–13. Smith then played the tourists for the third time on 21 October as part of an Auckland Colts side. The colts lost 18–13 with Smith kicking a conversion and a penalty.
The 1932 season saw Smith again playing at five eighth for Devonport and in 13 games he scored 54 points through 6 tries and 18 goals. He was the 3rd highest scorer behind Frank Delgrosso and Alan Clarke. He kicked a conversion and penalty in their round 9 win over Marist 7 points to 5 which secured the Fox Memorial title with a round to spare.
New Zealand selection In mid July Smith was chosen in a trial match to assist with the selection of the New Zealand team to play the touring England side. The trial was a curtain-raiser to the Auckland match with South Auckland on 16 July. Smith played for the Probables side which beat the Possibles 26 to 12 and he scored a try. He picked up the ball around halfway and "cut in nicely to outpace Delgrosso and score a nice try". The Auckland Star said "the Shore colt, R.W. Smith played his best game this season, but is still inclined to selfishness". A week later he played in a second New Zealand trial match which was curtain-raiser to the North Island v South Island game. Smith was on the Probables team again but this time they lost 37 to 16 though he did manage a try and 2 conversions for the losing side.
Following the inter-island match and trial game the New Zealand team was named with Smith in the reserves for the first test by the selectors (Thomas McClymont, Archie Ferguson, and Jim Sanders). It was said that he "gained precedence over Prentice". It was then reported that P. Hart from the West Coast had not been able to recover from a leg injury that he sustained in the Inter-island match and so Smith replaced him in the starting side at wing. Unfortunately for Smith he was playing in a position that he had spent very little time in. The test was played at Carlaw Park before a crowd of 25,000 and saw New Zealand comprehensively outplayed, losing 24-9. New Zealand won very little scrum ball and the backs were starved of possession. Smith and Len Scott on the other wing "never saw the ball in orthodox attack. That was not their fault, but in individual effort neither ... was up to the standard that one expects in big league football". With New Zealand trailing 6-4 Smith was involved in an attack with Bert Cooke and Lou Hutt but Cooke's kick ahead saw the ball roll into touch a foot from the try line with Hutt and Smith the only players on hand. Then in the second half with England leading 11-9 Smith tackled Alf Ellaby with England threatening. England's final try came after "weak play by Laing and Smith gave England another try". The defence of Smith who was playing out of his regular position was also questioned along with that of his Devonport teammates Len Scott and Albert Laing "for neither our wingers nor the full-back were equal to the occasion. Scott, who was expected to make the "come back" he made against Parkin’s side in 1928, showed no initiative and Smith, well, he wilted. It was too grave a risk with both of these players, one of whom had made no pretense to being a wing three-quarter (Smith)...". For the second test all three were dropped and replaced by Steve Watene, Bert Cooke (who was moving from five eighth), and Ben Davidson. New Zealand lost 25 to 14 in Christchurch.
Smith played in a round 10 loss for Devonport against City Rovers in the first grade championship which Devonport had already secured and was then named in a North Island side to play England in Wellington. The line up was then changed to include 3 South Island players and so the side essentially became a ‘New Zealand XIII’. Smith was chosen in an outside five eighth position alongside Edwin Abbott, with Wilf Hassan at half back. The New Zealand selection was thrashed 59-8 at the Basin Reserve in Wellington before a crowd of 4,000. They were unfortunate to lose captain Lou Hutt to a compound fracture of his thumb early in the match and had to play the remainder of the game with 12 players. Despite the poor showing by the side Smith was at least named in the reserves for the third test to be played back in Auckland.
Smith then finished his season playing in 2 losses for Devonport. The first was a Roope Rooster semi final loss for Devonport against Marist where he contributed 10 of his sides points in their 19-18 defeat. While the second was in a loss to the same opponent in the Stormont Shield final.
Devonport and Auckland again