Pioneers of Rugby in Wellington 105: Frank Crist

Frank Crist was a leading player in Wellington club rugby for the Wellington Axemen and for the Wellington representative team, who went on to become one of the leading local First XV coaches of all time. Crist was also a World War two fighter pilot and squadron leader.

William Frank Crist was born in Dannevirke on 28 September 1919 – one of the first post-WW1 generation.

He attended Dannevirke High School 1932-36 and then moved to Auckland to train to be a teacher. His first teaching assignment was at Te Aroha College 1940-41, before joining the air force and heading to war.

Post-war, Crist joined the teaching staff at Wellington College and taught mathematics there between 1947-65, whilst initially also playing rugby for club and representative teams and becoming the First XV coach for a decade up to 1964.

Crist became headmaster of Hastings Boys’ High School between 1965-1984,

As a player, Crist was a “late bloomer,” as Keith Quinn wrote in his 2020 book ‘Give ‘Em the Axe! “He did not play for the Wellington reps till he was nearly 30 years old (he had favoured hockey for many years) but he was always great and colourful value.”

Crist was a lock and lineout forward in the Wellington Axemen team that won the Jubilee Cup in 1947 – although he was injured for some of the year so didn’t play a full part in the campaign.

This team was captain by Ray Dalton – https://clubrugby.nz/wp/2024/06/12/pioneers-of-rugby-in-wellington-073-ray-dalton/ – who was an All Blacks prop and also a former Air Force officer  and a flight navigator in the war and played with Crist in Services teams in Britain whilst stationed there, and perhaps the reason why Crist joined the Axemen.

As well as Dalton and Crist when fit, the Axemen’s pack in 1947 also included up and coming hooker Brian Lloyd who would play several seasons for Wellington between 1946-53 and captain the province and former Cantabrian and 1946 All Black Pat Rhind.

The team started the season off in solid but not spectacular form, winning four and losing two of their first six matches – but following this the Axemen didn’t lose again. Wellington beat Onslow in the first match of the second round to open up a three-point lead on the field. They then found their straps to beat Petone and the 1947 was as good as won.

Crist returned fit and firing in 1948 and played his way in the Wellington representative team.

His initial first-class rugby was for Services teams in Britain in 1943 and 1944.

Crist played 38 first-class matches for Wellington over four seasons between 1948-1951. During this time he was a first-choice lock in the team, making 10 appearances in each of his first three years and eight in his final season.

He was a New Zealand trialist in 1948, for the All Blacks teams that toured South Africa the following year.

In 1950 he locked Wellington’s scrum with St Pat’s Old Boys 1949 Jubilee Cup winning captain Harry Avery in their 12-6 defeat to the British and Irish Lions.

Following his Wellington representative days, he kept playing for other representative teams, including the Bohemians and Olympians club, and also for the Centurions club whom he played 18 matches for.

Crist retired from playing at the end of 1956 aged 37, having played 95 first-class matches.

He took up the coaching reins of the Wellington College First XV in 19 and remained in the role until 1964. Wellington College had many stirring wins in his 11 seasons in charge

In 1965 he transferred to Hastings Boys’ High School to become their headmaster. During his time there he didn’t have an active role coaching rugby but was a leading supporter. He retired in 1984. He was involved in Rotary in Hawke’s Bay for a number of years and notably spent time educating inmates at the Hawke’s Bay prison.

In 2013 the Fank Crist Centre was opened at Wellington College on the site of the former Old Boys’ gym overlooking the #2 field, which incorporates the Sports Academy and International Students’ Centre.

Crist died at Havelock North on 20 November 2012, aged 93.

REFERENCES

• Akers, Clive. New Zealand Rugby Register 1870-2015. New Zealand Rugby Museum, 2016.
• The Lampstand – Wellington College Magazine 2012, article by Adam Julian.
• Quinn, Keith. Give ‘Em the Axe! 150 years of the Wellington Football Club. Wakefields Digital, Wellington, 2020.
• Swan, Arthur C.; Jackson, Gordon F. W. (1952). Wellington’s Rugby History 1870 – 1950. Wellington, New Zealand: A. H. & A. W. Reed.