Len Scott
Leonard Joseph Scott was a rugby league player. He represented the New Zealand rugby league team in 5 tests between 1928 and 1936, becoming the 191st player to represent New Zealand. Scott also played for the North Shore Albions club based in Devonport on Auckland's North Shore. Scott also played representative matches for Auckland, Auckland Colts, Auckland Province, New Zealand trial sides, a New Zealand XIII, and the North Island. He is the cousin of New Zealand rugby league player and New Zealand test cricketer, Verdun Scott and the two played together at North Shore later in Len's career.
Early life
Len was born in Birkenhead on 25 February 1907 to Joseph and Catherine Scott. Len was the oldest child of Catherine and Joseph though he did have older step brothers after his father remarried, and an older step sister. Len's full siblings were Raymond Henry, Kenneth Gordon, John Colin, and Vincent Laurence. Catherine died on 23 December 1916, ten days after giving birth to Vincent while the family lived at 31 Vauxhall Road, Devonport aged just 35. She had been "confined" on the day of the birth of Vincent and complained of being ill on the day of her death but died just before Dr. Atkinson, who had been summoned, could arrive. The doctor gave evidence that the death was "due to a cerebral embolism" which was in accordance with the coroners verdict.Len's father Joseph was a carter who worked in the Devonport suburb. He died of influenza during the epidemic of 1918 on 8 November, aged 45. This of course left all the children orphaned. Mary, the eldest sister had wanted to take care of the children but was only aged 16 at the time. Instead the family spent time with their cousins who also lived in Devonport and at a local orphanage.
Playing career
Devonport United (North Shore Albions)
Len Scott made his senior debut on the wing for Devonport United in the first match of the season on 24 April 1926 when aged 19. He played alongside Allan Seagar who was at centre. His cousin Alfred Henry Scott was playing in the forwards. Another cousin, Matthew Scott, Alf's brother, had retired the season prior. The match was played at Carlaw Park before a crowd of 7,000 and saw Devonport lose to Ponsonby United 31-21. The New Zealand Herald said following the match that "a wing who impressed was L. Scott, a promoted junior. He has plenty of pace and handles the ball well. K. Scott is another dashing player, but had few opportunities". The "K. Scott" had transferred to the Devonport club in 1925 from the Kiwi club in Melbourne and it is unknown if he was related. It is highly unlikely that it was his younger brother Kenneth as he was just 15 years of age. The following week he played against Richmond Rovers, and then in round 3 against Marist Old Boys. He scored his first and second tries in first grade in a 19-15 loss in this match. The first came when he took a pass from cousin Alf and "he had speed on and ran down to score near the corner". He nearly scored again a while later but was "thrown out with only a few yards to go", however shortly afterwards in a passing movement he received the ball and "dashed over the line". He later saved a try, preventing John Stormont from scoring. Then with the score 19-13 to Marist late in the match he secured the ball and "passed to Douglas, who dived over" to narrow the score before the end of the match. The Auckland Star said that "L. Scott and K. Scott were the best of Devonport's backs" while the Herald said Len "has lots of pace and uses it to good advantage". Scott scored a try in a 13-6 loss to Grafton Athletic on 15 May at the Devonport Domain, and then 2 more tries in a 14-5 win over City Rovers on 5 June. Then in round 7 at the Devonport Domain he scored a remarkable 5 tries in a 40-14 thrashing of Newton Rangers. By this stage of the season he was the second highest try scorer in the competition with 9, just 1 behind try scoring legend Lou Brown on 10.He scored another brace of tries in a 19-16 loss to Ponsonby United. Scott's form was so good in his debut season in first grade that there was speculation that he was close to Auckland squad selection. He was named in the reserves for a New Zealand trial match at Carlaw Park on 3 July but was not required to take the field. A week later he replaced Jim Parkes in the A Team in a second New Zealand trial after he was promoted to the Probables side in the other trial match to replace the injured Lou Brown. His A Team was defeated by the B Team 30 points to 28.
Scott then returned to the Devonport side and scored a try in a 24-0 win over Richmond Rovers. His try was set up by his cousin Alf, and later in the match the Auckland Star described some action: "the Scott trinity showed up well for Shore when A. Scott, L. Scott, and K Scott combined well, a family affair that carried play into the Richmond twenty-five" with K Scott scoring soon after. He scored again in a 31-13 win over Marist the following weekend. Unsurprisingly Scott was not selected for the New Zealand side to tour England and Wales. He was picked as a reserve for the Auckland side to play New Zealand prior to their departure. Then in August he was named in the training squad for the Auckland match against Otago. He was not named to play but came on to replace the injured Douglas just before halftime to make his Auckland debut in a 14-4 win in the 7 August match. He used his pace to save a try beating Cameron to the ball and kicking it out. Following a 42-8 win for Devonport over Grafton where he again crossed the try line Scott was named in the squad to play in Auckland's match with Canterbury though was ultimately named in the reserves and was not required to play.
Scott's final 2 appearances for Devonport came in the semi-final win over Marist in the Roope Rooster where he scored a try, and then in the 16-15 Roope Rooster final loss to Richmond on 16 October. He scored a first half try which gave Devonport a lead when his "speed carried him over near the corner". It was said that he and K. Scott were the pick of the three-quarters. He had been named in the Auckland squad for their match with South Auckland on 9 October but was only named in the reserves on match day once more. His final match of his debut season was for an Auckland Colts side against the B Division representative side on 30 October. It was a remarkable season which saw Scott the equal top try scorer in first grade club football with 17 tries, which tied him with G. Wade of City Rovers.
The 1927 season saw Scott as the leading try scorer on his own for senior competitions. He scored 14 tries in 15 matches for Devonport. He scored in the opening game of the season in a win over City when he charged down a kick. The Auckland Star said that the North Shore wings were given few opportunities which was "a pity, as Scott was in brilliant form". He then scored another try in a 12-8 loss against Marist in round 2 before scoring 4 tries in a 47-3 thrashing of Grafton Athletic. He scored in 3 consecutive matches against Ponsonby, Newton, and City where it was said he "gave a dashing display, and was the best of the three-quarters". Despite Scott's try scoring feats he did not make any of the representative sides for the year. After a try scoring win over Grafton on 23 July the New Zealand Herald remarked in a piece about possible players to be selected for Auckland's southern tour that "Scott and Little are perhaps the speediest three-quarters playing the code, although their football is at times erratic". Then after a match with Ponsonby it was said that he and Hemingway were the weak links with "their failure to keep in position expensive". It was possibly for these reasons and his young age that he was overlooked for the Auckland rep side.
Auckland selection
The 1928 season was arguably the most significant of Scott's long career. He scored 19 tries in 16 games for Devonport to once again lead the competition in try scoring. He also played 5 matches for Auckland and another for Auckland Province. It would also see him make his New Zealand debut, along with an appearance for a New Zealand XIII. He scored 2 tries in a round one win over City and a week later 2 more tries in a 12-11 win over Newton. The first came after he "raced on a short diagonal line and dived through a tackle by Hardgrave to score wide out". It was said that he and Saxon, on the other wing were "quick to embrace any chance that came their way". In round 3 he scored 4 tries in Devonport's 31-22 win over Marist. The Herald reported that he "had a regular field day, scoring four tries he could have registered another, as he had all the opposition beaten when he gave Horace Dixon an easy try. Scott displayed great determination in going for the line, an example which some other senior three quarters could very well emulate. There is one weakness about his play, however, and that is on defence. Should he improve in this department of the game, he has the makings of a real champion". He went try-less in a win over Richmond before scoring again against Ponsonby, before scoring 2 more against Ellerslie United. After the Ponsonby match the Auckland Star said that in regards to Auckland selection "one of the wings, L. Scott, on form, must be well in the running".Scott was indeed named in the Auckland side to play South Auckland on 16 June. He was picked on the wing with Craddock Dufty at fullback, Allan Seagar at centre, and Claude List on the other wing. It was said that "Dufty, Gregory, Wetherill, and List were certain of selection, and L. Scott, by reason of sheer achievement has won his place". Auckland won the match 22-3 with Scott scoring a try. "L. Scott and Hardgrave were ideal wings in the three quarter line" while his cousin Alf played well in the forwards. His try came when Dufty chimed in to a back movement and "made an easy try for Scott". The Herald did however say that while he "was good on attack spoiled an otherwise sound game by repeatedly tackling high".
Scott then returned to club football where he scored a try in an 8-6 win over City, and then 3 tries in a 23-16 loss to Newton, before another try in a 14-13 loss to Marist in round 10. His try came after he received the ball "on the right flank, and the winger cut in-field beautifully to outstrip the opposition and score in a handy position". He was then selected in an Auckland trial on 11 July. His Auckland Probables side went down 24-14. The "wing three quarter honours were fairly well divided between Hardgrave, List, and Scott … L. Scott played his usually unobtrusive yet essentially sound game". Then in a match for Devonport he scored a brilliant try against Richmond. He made "dashing runs on the wing stamped him as a most determined player. His try in the second spell would have been scored by very few-if any-threequarters in the game".
Scott was then named in the reserves for the Auckland side to play Canterbury on 21 July but was not required to play. Four days later he was again picked for Auckland, but this time to start in their match with South Auckland at Carlaw Park. He scored 2 tries in a 19-17 loss. He and Hardgrave both played well "and finished off several movements by sheer dash and pace". After the match the North Island representative side to play the South Island was named and Scott was listed in the reserves. The Auckland Star said that Scott "played a splendid game against South Auckland, and it is just a toss-up as to the wisdom of Hardgrave's inclusion before him".