William Smith (rugby union)

William Ernest Smith (9 March 1881 – 25 May 1945) was a New Zealand rugby union player. He was educated at Nelson College where he was a member of the 1st XV in 1897.^[2] A first five-eighth, Smith represented Nelson at a provincial level, and played only one match for the national side, the All Blacks, in 1905,^[3] an international against Australia in Dunedin.^[2]

William Smith

Birth name	William Ernest Smith
Date of birth	(1881-03-09)9 March 1881
Place of birth	Wellington, New Zealand
Date of death	25 May 1945(1945-05-25) (aged 64)
Place of death	Wellington, New Zealand
Height	1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)
Weight	90 kg (200 lb)
School	Nelson College
Occupation(s)	Accountant[1]
Rugby union career
Position(s) First five-eighth Provincial / State sides Years Team Apps (Points) 1900–08 Nelson () International career Years Team Apps (Points) 1905 New Zealand 1 (0)

Smith served in the Canterbury Infantry Battalion in World War I and was wounded at Gallipoli.^[4][5] He died in Wellington in 1945 and was buried in the soldiers' section of Karori Cemetery.^[5]