Born: 24 October, 1881 – Wellington Died: 4 April, 1949 – Wellington Test record: 0 Tests Tours: 1907-08 tour of Australia and Britain, 1909 tour of Australia
Petone rugby union forward Daniel Fraser’s contribution to the fledgling rugby league code in New Zealand was primarily in an administrative capacity, but he was a member of the trail-blazing All Golds touring squad and took the field during the 1909 tour of Australia.
One of several Petone players included in Albert Baskerville’s team of ‘professionals’ to tour Australia and Great Britain in 1907-08, Fraser did not feature in any matches and instead assisted Baskerville with off-field and organisational duties.
Fraser helped fill the breach left by Baskerville’s tragic death on the return leg of the All Golds tour and was instrumental to the first rugby league match played in Auckland, between Auckland and Wellington in 1908.
He went to Australia with the 1909 New Zealand team as manager but played in one match as a second-rower, a 6-3 win over Newcastle.
Fraser, who passed away in 1949, is buried at Karori Cemetery, where five other All Golds tourists have also been laid to rest.
