First Five/Centre:
Wairarapa Bush (Masterton) 1971-72 [ 24 Games – 7 Tries = 25pts]
Otago (Upper Clutha) 1973-74-75-77-78-81 [ 55 games – 21 Tries]
Otago Country 1973-74-77-78-80-81 [ 8 Games – 2 Tries, 2 Drop Goals]
Zingari Richmond Invit. XV 1978 [ 3 Games – 1 Try]
NZ Colts 1972 [ 1 Game]
NZ Juniors 1974-75 [ 5 Games]
South Island 1975-78 [ 2 Games]
NZ Trials 1972-76-77-78 [ 4 Games]
NEW ZEALAND 1976 [ 12 Games (1 Test) – 9 Tries]
| ALL BLACK GAMES | 11 (1 as a substitute) 11 |
| ALL BLACK DEBUT | Saturday, 5 June 1976 v Ireland at Wellington aged 23 years, 126 days |
| INTERNATIONAL DEBUT | Saturday, 5 June 1976 v Ireland at Wellington aged 23 years, 126 days |
First Class Career : 114 games, 41 Tries, 2 Drop Goals = 167pts
ed: Tarras PS : John McGlashan College 1964-69 : XV’ 1968-69
Farmer
| DIED | Sunday, 26 October 2008 in Tarras, Otago |
Neil Purvis – All Black #746
Neill Purvis was a cheerful midfield or outside back whose steady and reliable play firstly for Wairarapa-Bush and then between 1973 and 1981 for Otago was rewarded with All Black honours In 1976.
A Central Otago product, Purvis, sturdily built at about 1.80m and 82kg, first came to prominence as an 18-year old in 1971 while working on the farm near Masterton of the All Black captain Brian Lochore.
Mainly as a second five eighths and occasionally at centre, Purvis played 24 matches for Wairarapa-Bush in 1971-72, including the clash against the 1971 British Lions. He faced another major International side the following year, the All Blacks on a rare Internal tour, and won praise for his efforts In a heavily outclassed side. That display won him a place in the All Black trials later in the year to pick the touring side for Britain and France. He also appeared for the New Zealand Under-21 side in 1972.
Purvis was back in his home province in 1973, appearing in nine matches for Otago as a mid-field back. He was chosen for that year’s New Zealand Colts side but could not take his place because of injury.
In 1974-75 he gained a national place, playing five matches for the New Zealand Juniors including the drawn game against the touring Romanians at Athletic Park.
In 1974, with Otago well served in the five eighths by Duncan Robertson and Lyn Jaffray and at centre by Don Colling, Purvis switched to the wing. Though not exceptionally fast he was a competent performer in this role and a consistent try scorer.
He played as a wing in the South Island side which upset the North in the 1975 inter-island fixture, a performance which advanced his claims for the 1976 tour of South Africa.
He played in the trials and just before selection for the tour gained his All Black jersey, and only test cap, when because of an injury to Grant Batty he was on the wing for the one-off international at Athletic Park against the touring Irish.
On the subsequent tour of South Africa Purvis’s lack of true pace was found out a little on the rock hard grounds. But he developed in confidence over the latter stages of the tour and from his 11 appearances he gained nine tries including doubles against Transvaal Country Invitation XV, the Leopards and Griqualand West Invitation XV.
Purvis was not picked for the All Blacks again, though he appeared in trials in each of the 1977 and 1978 seasons and for the South Island for a second time in 1978. He missed most of the 1977 provincial season with Injury but returned In 1978 in what was probably his best position at centre, helping Otago to a 10-8 win over the touring Wallabies.
His Otago career finished, after being unavailable for a period, with 11 matches in 1981, including a Ranfurly Shield challenge against Waikato and a strong performance in the province’s 13-17 loss to the Springboks. In all he made 56 appearances for Otago.
Owner and breeder of many top thoroughbred racehorses, including Cluden Creek, who won the Wellington Cup in 2004.
Purvis also played Brabin Cup (under-20) cricket for Otago. Profile by Lindsay Knight
for the New Zealand Rugby Museum.
