Wattie Barclay

Captain Walter "Wattie" Pukauae Barclay, MM, QSM, (19 January 1894 – 12 November 1985) was a New Zealand rugby union player, sports administrator and military officer. He captained the New Zealand Māori Rugby Team and holds the record for the highest number of tries scored for the team with 40 career tries.

His brother, Frank Barclay, was a professional rugby league footballer who played representative level rugby league for New Zealand and for the New Zealand Māori team.

His other brother, Glen Barclay, was also a professional rugby league footballer who represented the New Zealand Māori team and was a member of the groundbreaking 1908 New Zealand Māori rugby league tour of Australia.

Barclay is the grandfather of master voyager and co-chair of the national coordinating committee for the Tuia 250 Encounters programme Hoturoa Barclay-Kerr CNZM. He is the granduncle of Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, Aaron Hape.

Rugby union career Early career Barclay's introduction to provincial rugby came in 1914 when he played break-away for Southern Hawke's Bay. Before returning to New Zealand, he was invited to play for Southern Command against Swansea Rugby Football Club and Llanelli Rugby Football Club.

Barclay's involvement in the Hawke's Bay provincial team - of which he was the Vice Captain - led to some controversy, most notably in the Ranfurly Shield match against Wairarapa at Masterton in 1927, which came to be known as the Battle of Solway. The game was a rematch with Wairarapa defeating Hawke's Bay 36 days previously. During the match a player was sent off from each side and the game was stopped twice when drunk spectators encroached on the ground. Hawke's Bay won the match 21–10, however, Wairarapa protested that Barclay had not lived in the Hawke's Bay area long enough to meet the eligibility criteria for selection. The New Zealand Rugby Football Union ruled that Barclay was not properly qualified and though Hawke's Bay had won the match, the game and the Ranfurly Shield was awarded to Wairarapa.

New Zealand Māori Rugby Team Barclay was first selected for the New Zealand Māori Rugby Team in 1921 and played in the 1921–23 and 1926–27 seasons His brother Frank was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal at the same time. He concluded his service with the rank of Second Lieutenant and was transferred to the Reserve of Officers in 1920.

World War II With the outbreak of World War II and as part of the preparations for the possibility of war in the Pacific, New Zealand defensive forces were expanded in 1941 and Barclay was transferred from the Reserve of Officers to the Territorial Force's North Auckland Regiment. Barclay attained the rank of Captain and was awarded the 1939–1945 War Medal and the New Zealand War Service Medal.

Awards and recognition

Rugby Many of the 1926–27 New Zealand Māori Rugby Team's matches were watched by the Prince of Wales (later King Edward VIII), including the match at Blackheath. In recognition of the esteem he held the team in he had the Prince of Wales Medal struck. However, due to the request of team manager Ned Parata and Barclay for the team to undertake additional fixtures in Canada, the team left the United Kingdom before the medals could be presented. The team was eventually presented with the medals on their return to New Zealand by Sir Charles Fergusson, the Governor-General of New Zealand.

Cultural recognition Following the 1926–27 New Zealand Māori Rugby Team's win over the Vancouver Ruggers in Victoria, British Columbia, Barclay was installed as a Chief of the First Nations in Canada by Chief Clear Sky of the Six Nations of the Grand River. He bestowed Barclay with the name of Chief Ra-Kwa-New-Ha-Ja, which meant "The Winner".

1914–15 Star Campaign medal awarded to British and Imperial forces who served in any theatre of the First World War against the Central European Powers during 1914 and 1915.

British War Medal Campaign medal awarded to British and Imperial forces for service in the First World War.

Victory Medal Campaign medal awarded to British and Imperial forces for service in the First World War.

1939–1945 War Medal Campaign medal awarded to citizens of the Commonwealth who had served full-time in the Armed Forces or the Merchant Navy for at least 28 days between 3 September 1939 and 2 September 1945.

New Zealand War Service Medal Campaign medal awarded to members of the New Zealand armed forces, the National Military Reserve and the Home Guard for 28 days' full-time aggregated service or six months' part-time aggregated service between 3 September 1939 and 2 September 1945.