Ray Harper (rugby union)

Raymond Aubrey Ian Harper QSO QSM (19 July 1927 – 4 April 2019) was a New Zealand rugby union player, administrator and manager.^[1]^[2]

Early life and family

Born in Invercargill on 19 July 1927, Harper was the son of Arthur and Bertha Harper.^[3] He was educated at Waitaki Boys' High School.^[3] In 1953, he married Natalie Winifred Thomas, and the couple went on to have two daughters,^[3] one of whom married rugby writer Bob Howitt.^[4]

Sporting career

Rugby union player

Harper represented Southland as a player for seven years.^[3]

Administrator

Harper was a life member of the Southland Rugby Union, serving as an administrator of the union for 24 years, and representing Southland on the NZRFU council from 1974 to 1987.^[5] Harper was involved in the planning for the inaugural Rugby World Cup in 1987,^[5] and was a tour manager for the Junior All Blacks on three tours.^[2] He managed the All Blacks on their 1980 tours to Australia and Fiji and North America and Wales.^[5]

Harper was a driving force behind the inauguration of Stadium Southland, Invercargill's all-weather sports venue.^[5]

Death

Harper died in Invercargill from bone cancer on 4 April 2019, aged 91 years.^[5]^[6]

Honours and awards

In the 1991 Queen's Birthday Honours, Harper was awarded the Queen's Service Medal for community service.^[7] In the 2004 Queen's Birthday Honours, he was appointed a Companion of the Queen's Service Order, also for community service.^[8]

Harper was awarded the Steinlager Salver award for exceptional contributions to New Zealand rugby at the 2012 Steinlager New Zealand Rugby Awards.^[2]^[5]

References

^ "Southland rugby legend Ray Harper has died". What's On Invers. 4 April 2019. Retrieved 5 April 2019.
^ ^a ^b ^c "Winners of 2012 Steinlager Rugby Awards announced". All Blacks. Retrieved 5 April 2019.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Taylor, Alister; Coddington, Deborah (1994). Honoured by the Queen – New Zealand. Auckland: New Zealand Who's Who Aotearoa. p. 172. ISBN 0-908578-34-2.
^ Williams, Guy (4 February 2017). "Long read: Wrapping up a life of rugby yarns". Retrieved 5 April 2019.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Savory, Logan (4 April 2019). "Stadium Southland instigator Ray Harper has died". The Southland Times. Retrieved 5 April 2019.
^ "Harper, Raymond Aubrey Ian (Ray), QSM, QSO". The Southland Times. 5 April 2019. Retrieved 5 April 2019.
^ "No. 52564". The London Gazette (2nd supplement). 15 June 1991. p. 31.
^ "Queen's Birthday honours list 2004". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 7 June 2004. Retrieved 5 April 2019.

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[1] "Southland rugby legend Ray Harper has died". What's On Invers. 4 April 2019. Retrieved 5 April 2019.

[ABStein-2] "Winners of 2012 Steinlager Rugby Awards announced". All Blacks. Retrieved 5 April 2019.

[HBTQ-3] Taylor, Alister; Coddington, Deborah (1994). Honoured by the Queen – New Zealand. Auckland: New Zealand Who's Who Aotearoa. p. 172. ISBN 0-908578-34-2.

[4] Williams, Guy (4 February 2017). "Long read: Wrapping up a life of rugby yarns". Retrieved 5 April 2019.

[ST_obituary-5] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Savory, Logan (4 April 2019). "Stadium Southland instigator Ray Harper has died". The Southland Times. Retrieved 5 April 2019.

[6] "Harper, Raymond Aubrey Ian (Ray), QSM, QSO". The Southland Times. 5 April 2019. Retrieved 5 April 2019.

[7] "No. 52564". The London Gazette (2nd supplement). 15 June 1991. p. 31.

[8] "Queen's Birthday honours list 2004". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 7 June 2004. Retrieved 5 April 2019.

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