Claude List
Claude List, born Victor Claude Wilschefski, was a rugby league player who represented New Zealand in the 1920s and 1930s. He represented New Zealand in one test match against England in 1928 and three more tests against England in 1932. In the process he became the 190th player to represent New Zealand. He also represented Auckland 24 times from 1925 to 1933, and the North Island side three times from 1927 to 1932. He played his club rugby league in Auckland for the Kingsland Rovers/Athletics club from 1925 to 1930, Marist Old Boys from 1931 to 1934, and then Mount Albert United from 1934 to 1941.
Early life
Claude was born on 2 December 1902 in Maryborough, Queensland, Australia. His parents were Heinrich Wilschefski and Mary Frances Carter. Henry had been born in Germany while Mary was born in Gorton, Lancashire, England. Their families had both emigrated to Australia in the late 1800s and they married in 1897. They had three children, Percy Lawrence Wilschefski, Annie Evelyn Wilschefski, and Claude who was the youngest. Henry died in Queensland on 14 November 1903, when Claude was just 11 months old. In 1907 she remarried to Francis Martin List who had also been born in Germany. They had 5 children which became Claude's half siblings though the first born, Norman Andrew List died as an infant, Alice Holly List, Francis Martin List, Edna Marjorie List, and Irene Maude List.Some time between October 1915 and 1919 the family moved to New Zealand and lived in Glen Eden in 1919 according to census records. Francis was also a senior rugby league player and he and Claude played together on occasion.
Playing career
Queensland
Claude List had started playing rugby league in Queensland as a schoolboy at about the age of 10 in 1912.Kingsland Rovers
After moving to New Zealand the family settled in Auckland. The first mention of List is in a team list published on 10 June 1921, in the Auckland Star. He was named in the Kingsland Rovers third grade side along with another List though it is unknown who this was, possibly his older brother Percy. Claude would have been aged 18 at this time with Percy aged 22. His Kingsland side won the 3rd grade championship in the same season. The following 1922 season he continued to play for their 3rd grade side who were runners up in the championship. He was listed as "C List", while the other List in the team was "J List", his half brother, Johann. By 1923 Claude had moved into the Kingsland 2nd grade side.In 1924 he was still in the 2nd grade side and was playing on the wing. His Kingsland side won the 2nd grade knockout competition when they beat Otahuhu Rovers on 18 October. Earlier in the season he had played for Kingsland against the Devonport United 2nd grade side as curtain-raiser to the New Zealand v England test match at Carlaw Park.
List was selected for the Auckland Junior representative side to play Hamilton juniors in a match at Carlaw Park on 30 August. He played on the wing with the Auckland side winning the match 14 to 8. He was chosen for the same side to play Hamilton once more on 4 October. This time the match was played at Steele Park in Hamilton and Auckland won 17 to 8 with List on the wing again. He scored one of Auckland's 5 tries.
Senior debut and Auckland representative selection
The 1925 season was to be a remarkable one for List. He made his senior debut for Kingsland who had been promoted to the newly formed B Division in Auckland club rugby league. And he became one of the only players to gain selection for Auckland from that grade, a feat he beat in 1928 when he became the first ever player in New Zealand to be selected for the national side from effectively a second division side. His first appearance was in Kingsland's opening round match on 18 April against Northcote & Birkenhead Rambers in an early match at Carlaw Park. He scored 3 tries in a 21–3 win. List opened the scoring and then early in the second half was "prominent in a fine passing bout, and dived over in the corner", then minutes later he "broke away after a scrum and scored his third try". He scored 3 more tries in their 13 all draw with Māngere United in round 3 on Peter Moko Farm in Māngere. In their next match with Otahuhu Rovers on 23 May. He "made several breaks only to be pulled up by smart tackling" in a 16–3 loss. He then scored another try in a 8–5 loss to Northcote. Following a 9–5 loss to Ellerslie United the New Zealand Herald said List "was responsible for several particularly fine solo efforts". While in further comments on the match the following day they said "List, for Kingsland, is a clever player, who usually scores the most number of points for his side".Following a match with Mangere and then a bye, an Auckland trial side was selected between A and B teams. The match was a curtain-raiser to the North Island v South Island match at Carlaw Park on 27 June. List was selected in the three quarters of the B team by selectors Edward Fox, Albert Asher, and Ronald McDonald. He played well in a 5–0 win to his side. In the first half he saved a try after a break by Roy Hardgrave and later made a break with a run down the sideline and centred a kick which was saved by Charles Gregory. List again saved the B side when Hardgrave had made a "clever dribbling movement". The New Zealand Herald said during the week that "playing for the B team, List, the Kingsland player, showed up as a fine wing-three quarter. He has a good turn of speed and was the best of the B team's backs".
The match along with the inter-island game and an Auckland v South Auckland match were part of the trials to select the New Zealand side to tour Australia. Despite being a newcomer to the senior game the Auckland Star said that he was a little unlucky to not make the tour. List was chosen as a reserve for the Auckland side to play New Zealand on 2 July prior to their departure but did not take the field.
He then returned to his Kingsland side for 3 more club matches. The New Zealand Herald said that he was one of the players who had shown "particularly fine form" and was a young player who was in the frame for selection for Auckland's Southern Tour later in the season. After one further match for Kingsland on 25 July and following a bye he was named as an emergency player for Auckland's match with South Auckland on 19 August. Following Kingsland's loss to Otahuhu in the Stallard Cup, List was selected in the Auckland touring side. It was stated that he was 22 years old and weighed 12 stone.
With the New Zealand side on tour with a large number of Auckland players, the Auckland team was officially a B side with several young players aged 19 to 22. Their first match was against West Coast at Greymouth on the West Coast on 9 September. Auckland B won the match 22 to 15 with List scoring a try. His try came in the second half after "passing by Tim Peckham, Hector Cole, and Ben Davidson enabled List to score" in a tackle. He was then named in the match against Canterbury. Auckland B lost the match 6 points to 5 at Monica Park in Christchurch before a crowd of 2,500. List did not feature prominently in the match reports though was said to have "staged a useful dash down the far line". He was chosen again for their final tour match against Wellington on 16 September. Auckland thrashed the local side at Newtown Park in Wellington by 68 points to 9. List scored a try in the win. He combined with Ben Davidson to put Davidson in for a try to make the score 16–4. Then a while later Balks miskicked into List's hands and he was able to score easily under the posts with the conversion giving his side a 23–4 lead.
After their last tour match List was chosen in the full Auckland side to play South Auckland on 19 September. In his full Auckland debut he scored 2 tries in a 36–19 win at Carlaw Park. He played on the wing with Ben Davidson at centre with Leonard Riley and Hector Cole in the five eight positions. In the first half he "essayed a side dash down the line but was well grassed by Smith when near the corner flag". Then later in the half he "again tried to penetrate the strong defense and after dribbling, picked up the ball, threw across to Arthur Singe, who scored a good try". In the second half he was involved in a try to Davidson after he sprinted down the side line and in passed to a supporting Davidson, then a while later the two combined again but this time List scored in the corner. Later in the match "Horace Dixon thrust his way past several players and passed to Hector Cole, to Riley, who made the opening for List to again dash over near the corner". The Auckland Star said that "List fully justified his inclusion, and gave a brilliant exhibition" though the Herald noted that he had "started badly, but in the second spell gave a good exhibition". List was chosen as a reserve for the Auckland Province match against the touring Queensland side on 10 October with Johnston of South Auckland and Frank Delgrosso preferred on the wings. The Auckland Province side was thrashed 54–14 and during the match Auckland fullback Stan Raynor left the field but instead of being replaced by List he was replaced by Bill Te Whata. The Herald expressed surprise and said "when Raynor was hurt just before the interval there was considerable surprise when Te Whata, the reserve forward went on to the wing instead of List, the chosen reserve back… This is surely an injustice to the Kingsland player who was ready on the line. The action of the selectors cannot be commended and it is to be hoped that the New Zealand Council will ask for an explanation for a dangerous precedent has been set".
The 1926 season saw List play 16 matches for Kingsland scoring 11 tries and kicking a goal. He made 4 appearances for Auckland scoring 7 tries, being their equal leading try scorer along with George Wade. He also played in a New Zealand trial match scoring a try.
At the start of the year he was elected on to the Kingsland club committee. In their first game of the season against Otahuhu he scored all Kingsland's points with a try which he converted in a 6–5 loss. He was in his customary position on the wing. He "scored a fine try after Herring and McManus had made the opening". He scored further tries in a round 3 loss to Northcote where he was said to be "prominent" and a round 5 win over Parnell. His try against Parnell came when he got away and struggled across the line with "two or three men clinging to him". He was then involved in their next try after a passing movement with Herring. His 4th try of the season came on 19 June in a 19–2 win over eventual champions Northcote. The Auckland Star said that "List was … putting in great work… a brilliant try was scored when List went across under the posts after the ball had passed through five players' hands".
List was then named as a reserve for a New Zealand trial match at Carlaw Park. It was a curtain-raiser for the North Island v South Island clash and part of a programme of representative games to help the New Zealand selectors chose their squad to tour England and Wales. He was then chosen in a B Team trial side to play on 10 July with a Probables – Possibles match played after it. The Auckland Star mentioned that "all the best players will be fielded tomorrow, and the appearance of List in the B team will please hundreds of followers of the game, who hold he is as good a three-quarter as can be found in Auckland. It will be interesting to see how he shapes tomorrow". List's B Team won 30 points to 28. He scored one of their tries and was said to be one of their "outstanding" backs along with George Wade and Stan Prentice. List missed selection for the New Zealand touring side with the Herald speculating that Jim Parkes "is a weak link, and the inclusion of List would have been preferable".
After 2 more matches for Kingsland in which he scored a try in their round 10 win over Parnell he was selected for the Auckland side to play the New Zealand team before they left. He was picked for the wing but when centre Leonard Riley was unable to play List was moved to centre. Auckland won the match which had a festival type style by 52 points to 32 with List scoring a try. There were 14,000 in attendance at Carlaw Park for the match. He was involved in Maurice Wetherill's try which opened the scoring. He later ran "half the length of the field and when overtaken by Craddock Dufty threw in for Horace Dixon to pick up and score". His try came after a break by Tim Peckham who got the ball to Stan Prentice who passed to List "who beat Dufty with a clever swerve and scored". The Herald saying he "deserved his selection".
The Auckland Star made several criticisms of the New Zealand side chosen to tour, especially in the backs. Saying that " Littlewood, Hickey, and List are, to put it mildly, very unfortunate in not going on tour". Ironically it was the forwards that turned out to be more of an issue with 8 of them refusing to play after a falling out with coach Mair resulting in several backs having to play in the forwards and the offending players later banned for life.
List was then selected for the Auckland squad to train to play Otago on 7 August at Carlaw Park. He played well on the wing, scoring a try in a 14–4 win. His try gave Auckland a 5–2 lead after he received a pass from Payne and scored in the corner. List along with Prentice were said to have "handled the greasy ball in fine style" during the match.
The Auckland Star once again made note of List being unlucky to have not made the New Zealand side saying "List has by now convinced everybody of the quality of his play, also of the fact that all the good players in Auckland are not in the A grade competition". Returning to his Kingsland side he scored 4 tries in a 24–0 win over Otahuhu Rovers at the Auckland Domain on 14 August. A week later in a 21–8 win over Māngere United he scored 2 more tries and set up another for Carter.
Following the match he was named in the 19 man Auckland squad to play Canterbury. He made the final thirteen, playing in the centres in a 33–15 win at Carlaw Park before a crowd of 7,000. He threw the final pass for Wade's try, Auckland's second. Then "at midfield List shot through a gap with Wade trailing in support. The centre drew Canterbury's last line of defence, and then sent Wade across wide out" once more. Early in the second half he took a pass from Prentice and "accelerated the pace of the movement, and although hard pressed, got over at the flag with a couple of Canterbury backs clutching at him". Then later in the match "a long kick saw List and Blazey have a great race for possession, the Aucklander winning by a touch". The Herald said during the following week that "List was the outstanding back on the Auckland side, and his straight running and strong fending were very impressive. Coached on the right lines in the value of co-operating more with the wings, List will develop into a brilliant attacking centre three-quarter".
List returned to the Kingsland side for their match with Northcote. The 2 teams were leading the B Division competition with 2 matches remaining with Northcote holding a 1-point lead. Northcote won to seal the championship with Kingsland finishing runner up. The Herald said that "some good talent was hidden in the ranks of the B section teams. The ability of List, of Kingsland was cited, and it was contended that other players of equal merit only awaited a chance to make good".
List was then chosen for the Auckland side to play South Auckland side from the Waikato on 9 October. Auckland won 25 to 8 before a small crowd of 3,000 at Carlaw Park. List scored 3 tries, the first coming after Allan Seagar dummied past opponents and "then passed to List, trailing in support, for the Kingsland centre to sail in unopposed". A cross-kick by List then gave Wade on the wing a chance through his speed to gain possession and score under the posts. A while later Cleaver "gave a high reverse pass, and List, gathering the ball on the tips of his fingers, put the seal on a splendid bit of collaboration by diving across wide out". Then with still time remaining in the first half he "made a great opening and sailed for the line with Cleaver and Seagar in support. Paki made a game effort to stop the raid, but the ball was sent on for Seagar to score a good try". In the second half a passing movement saw List get the ball from Seagar and "racing on a diagonal line crossed to score wide out". The Herald said that "List was perhaps the best of the three-quarters, and his straight running made his play very impressive".
List then returned to his Kingsland side for their Stallard Cup knockout final match against Parnell on 16 October. Kingsland won by 25 points to 13. List set up a try to Carter and "was playing a fine game for Kingsland… made a clever opening and again Carter scored".