Born: October 18, 1901
Died: c. 1967
Test record: 1 Test (1928) – 0 points
Tours: 1930 tour of Australia

Otago’s Bert Eckhoff played one Test for New Zealand against the 1928 English tourists and toured Australia two years later.

At the forefront of rugby league’s rapid growth in Otago during the 1920s, Eckhoff represented the province against the famed 1925 Queensland team that featured all-time greats such as Herb Steinohrt, Vic Armbruster, Jimmy Craig and Tom Gorman.

The imposing forward’s Test call-up came for the deciding third match of the 1928 series against England for injured second-rower Jim O’Brien, after scoring a try against the visitors for a New Zealand XIII in Invercargill. The Lions would win the Test in Christchurch 6-5.

Eckhoff ventured across the Tasman with the New Zealand side in 1930, featuring in all but one of the 13 fixtures (no Tests were played). He scored a try in the first encounter with Queensland, while he also displayed his talents as a kicker with three goals in another loss to Queensland and a win over Brisbane as he again tangled with the likes of Steinohrt and Armbruster.

Eckhoff played in South Island’s historic win over North Island in 1929 and captained the team in 1930.