Arthur Brian "Snow" Erby

Arthur Erby, widely known as ‘Snow’ due to his mop of fair hair, overcame a lightweight frame for a front ranker - 5ft 11in and 12st 10lb - to represent his country in the early part of the 1920s. Along the way, Erby was a member of the first Australian side to win a series against New Zealand.

Erby proved himself as an athlete during his time at The King’s School. He played three years in the 1st XV (1918-20), the last as captain, the same year he was chosen for the GPS All Schools’ 1st XV. He also rowed in the King’s 1st VIII and sat in the number seven seat as captain when his crew won the 1920 Head of the River.

No sooner had he left the North Parramatta sanctuary than young Erby found himself packing down in the front row of University’s first grade side. He was then chosen for the “First Test”, in the presence of both the Governor-General and the State Governor no less, against the New Zealand Universities XV.

Early in the 1922 season, Erby popped up on the representative radar when picked for “The Rest” to oppose the New South Wales side that had toured New Zealand a year earlier in what was effectively a trial for the incoming Maori and All Black visits. Sadly, that contest is remembered for the tragic death of Robert Elliott Shute, Erby’s University teammate, from a cerebral haemorrhage after an innocuous tackle from Wests’ Jackie Shute, a namesake but not a relative. To perpetuate the memory of RE Shute, the Union’s first grade competition was designated the Shute Memorial Shield Competition and awarded for the first time, somewhat appropriately, to Sydney University in 1923.

Although Erby was not involved in the Maori Test series he did face the visitors for a NSW 2nd XV at Manly Oval. The young prop must have impressed in that contest as just a week later he was chosen as a reserve for the first ‘Test’ against New Zealand in Sydney. Erby was not required in what was a 19-26 loss however he held his spot on the bench behind the two Toms - Smith and Davis - for the final two ‘internationals’, both won by the home team, in what was, according to Australian records, the All Blacks’ first ever losing series.

In 1923, Erby finally earned his dues when he was picked in the New South Wales run-on XV for the first Test against the returning Maori. Although he did not know it at the time that fixture was Erby’s official Test debut after an ARU decision in 1994 elevated the remaining 34 New South Wales matches played against international opposition in the 1920-28 period to Test status (the five 1927/28 Waratahs’ internationals were given Test status in 1986).

Soon thereafter Erby, Otto Nothling, Billy Sheehan and ‘Bot’ Stanley were among a group of students whose participation on the tour to New Zealand was delayed due to the call of examinations. Nonetheless, Erby started each of the final two internationals, in what was an extremely tough and unsuccessful trip. In his tour review, ‘The Referee Special’ wrote: “It would be difficult to choose the best forward, for each and every man proved his worth in no uncertain manner. To say that the N.S.W. forwards were never beaten is to say that, though overmatched in stature and physique, they stuck out their unequal task in heroic manner, and in the line-out play alone proved inferior to the foemen. The names of Davis, Blackwood, Erby, Thompson, Elliott, Thorn, Taylor, Marrott, Ferguson, and Armstrong should be enshrined on the scroll of football fame in N.S.W. for the gallant efforts they made to uphold the honor of the light blue jersey against powerful forward divisions everywhere”.

Overlooked for the major representative games of 1924, Erby appeared destined for a similar experience in 1925 when he was not selected for the opening Test against New Zealand. In hindsight that omission was a blessing in disguise as New South Wales were humbled 3-26. Then, just four days later, the NSW 2nd XV with Erby in the tight five stunned the visitors with an 18-16 victory. The combination of the poor first Test result and the surprising 2nd XV victory triggered a selector axe swing like few seen before or since. Eleven of the starting 2nd XV, including Erby, were named in the run-on side with eight debutantes for the next Test, just three days hence. Despite what was a narrow 0-4 loss, the result returned some respectability to the Blue jersey.

That match was Erby’s last for his State. Unavailable for the tour to New Zealand, he then hung “out his brass plate as medico after a very successful sporting sojourn, at the University. He graduated [in 1927] with a double degree, Bachelor of Medicine and Master of Surgery.”

‘Snow’ Erby played five Tests for Australia in a three-year international career.

Highlights

1923 Erby won his first cap in the 1st Test, 27-23 victory over the Maori at the Showground. A week later he retained his spot in the 21-16 2nd Test win. Erby earned two more caps in the final two internationals of the tour to New Zealand.

1925 Erby played his fifth and final Test in the second match of the home series against New Zealand.