Keith Arnold

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Keith Arnold was a 1940s rugby player and All Black.  He played all of his club rugby for Hautapu with the exception of 1941 when he played for Matamata.  He represented North Island Army in 1942 and went overseas in 1943.  In 1944 and 1945 he figured prominently in battalion and divisional matches and was one of the first choices for the famous ‘Kiwi’ side.

Keith ‘Killer’ Arnold played eight matches on the 1947 All Blacks Australian tour.  His outstanding contribution, however, came as no surprise to those who had seen him in action with the ‘Kiwis’, the 2nd NZEF team when it toured the British Isles, Germany and France in 1945-46.  Arnold had proved himself one of the leading forwards on that tour and his two tries at Swansea were among the real highlights of the 33 games played by that outstanding side.

He went on to play in four of the Kiwis’ five matches in New Zealand during the winter of 1946.  His style of play was an important asset to the Kiwis who loved to move the ball around at high speed.  Owing to his service overseas with the 21st Infantry Division, Arnold had played only three matches for Waikato when he toured to Australia with the All Blacks in 1947.  He made his debut against Auckland in 1941.  He had made two more appearances that season while he played four times in 1947 and five in 1948.  He was the Waikato captain in 1948.

They called him ‘Killer’ because he killed so many reputations among opposing halfbacks.  He didn’t play rugby for fun, he played to win and made every post a winning post.  Halfbacks and five-eighths were his meat and drink and he was as hard as nails.