Arthur Kelly biography

Born: December 24, 1886 - Petone
Died: c.1965 - Oldham, England
Test record: 3 Tests (1908) - 1 try (3 points)
Tours: 1907-08 tour of Britain and Australia

Wellington utility back Arthur Kelly played 21 games - including three Test matches - the trailblazing 1907-08 All Golds.

The diminutive Petone and Wellington rugby union player, renowned for his tackling ability, was handed a three-year ban from the code after reportedly receiving money after playing a club game in Nelson.

Accepting a place in the 'professional All Blacks' squad, Kelly played in two of the matches against NSW in August 1907, before playing games at five-eighth, halfback, centre and wing in Britain. He scored a try from the wing in the one-off Test against Wales and was in the centres for the second Test against Northern Union at Leeds.

Among his six appearances on the Australian leg of the tour on the way back home, the 22-year-old featured on the wing in New Zealand's 11-10 win over Australia in the series opener in Sydney.

Kelly played for Athletic and Wellington in 1908, and returned to England later that year to take up a deal with St Helens, playing 64 games from 1908-13. He served in WWI with the British Army and lived out his life in England.