Roy Roper Obituary, Death – “He lived 100 years. Some of it was as an All Black. He devoted most of his time assisting family, friends, and community.” Roy Roper of New Plymouth, who wore the black jersey in 1949 and 1950, achieved their milestone on August 11. No former All Black survived long enough to blow out 100 birthday candles.The Herald interviewed All Black No 515 about his life off the pitch before his birthday.
When asked about his highlight of playing for the All Blacks during rugby’s amateur era, he laughed and said, “I don’t think I got a razoo out of the rugby union.”At the time of Roper’s All Blacks career, a little daily per diem could cover a meal or two glasses of beer, but it was nowhere like enough to replace the salaries they had forfeited to go into camp. “But I just enjoyed being in the team and one of the guys able to rise to the occasion,” Roper added.
“You were in the game to play for certain teams. The All Blacks were the best, and you all wanted to be there.” Roper turned 100 74 years after his All Blacks debut in the second test against the touring 1949 Wallabies. While another All Blacks side toured South Africa, selectors controversially chose a white-only team due to South Africa’s Apartheid rule, leaving Maori and Pacific players out. After missing the previous year’s All Blacks trials, Roper was overlooked for the tour despite being one of New Zealand’s fastest and best wings in 1949. He played against the Wallabies in New Zealand as part of a virtual third-strength lineup that included players barred from the South Africa tour owing to politics.
