Born: March 18, 1880 – Akaroa
Died: August 14, 1949 – Lower Hutt
Test record: 0 Tests
Tours: 1907-08 tour of Australia and Britain

Wellington forward and New Zealand rugby union representative Eric Watkins was part of the ‘All Golds’’ pioneering tour of 1907-08, though injury restricted his appearances for the famed team.

The hooker played for Wellington from 1901-06 and turned out in one rugby union Test for New Zealand, against Australia in 1905 in Dunedin while the country’s top players were away on the 1905-06 ‘Originals’ tour of Britain.

A member of the Wellington team that won the first-ever Ranfurly Shield challenge against Auckland in 1904, Watkins played for Wanganui in 1907 before accepting the offer to switch to rugby league and tour with the All Golds.

Watkins played in two of the historic matches against New South Wales in August 1907 but suffered a serious knee injury while training, which prevented him from playing in Britain.