John Herbert Bond

An enthusiastic hooker, he played with determination and tenacity and kept Jimmy Clarken, one of the hardest players in Sydney rugby, from a regular spot in the AIF XV (Australian Imperial Forces). Bond played for North Newcastle after graduating from Wickham Public School, Newcastle, and won the 1910 and 1911 Newcastle premierships. He was a quarter-master sergeant in the AIF and played in the King’s Cup against Forces from other countries.

After WW1, the AIF XV toured Australia in 1919 and won every game including three matches against Australia. AIF won 25-18, 20-13 and 22-6 and Bond scored a try in the first game. After his discharge, Bond joined Glebe-Balmain Club and in 1920 he made his international debut against New Zealand. He appeared in all three Tests played at Sydney Sports Ground. Australia lost the matches 15-26, 6-14 and 13-24. He managed to score a try in the second Test through his determination and support play. Bond made the tour of New Zealand in 1921 and played eight out of ten matches including a sole Test at Christchurch ,which Australia won 17 to nil. Australia lost only the last match of the tour to Wellington 8 to 16. He was never selected again after the tour.

Johnny ('Plumb') Bond was, as noted, on the 1919 tour of Australia by the AIF, and the tour did much to put rugby on a sound footing once more, as rugby union stopped in Australia during the war, while rugby league kept playing. Though games were played by the AIF in Queensland, rugby did not return there until 1929. Bond played against NSW (42-14, try), Australia (25-18, try), Queensland (38-7, try), Queensland AIF (30-3, try), Australia again (20-13) and Australia (22-6). A hooker, his performance in scoring four tries was outstanding. In 1920 he appeared for NSW against the 1920 touring All Blacks (15-26), scoring a try in the second NSW match (6-14), and was in the third NSW game (13-24).

In 1986 all these matches were declared as Tests, because from 1919 to 1929 no rugby was played in Queensland. In 1921 he was 27 years of age, and weighed 11 stone on the 1921 NZ tour. It was a 10-match tour and he played in eight of the games, against Waikato (28-11), Poverty Bay (26-8), Wairarapa (34-5), Marlborough (19-11), Buller (25-11), West Coast (26-11), New Zealand at Christchurch (17-0) and Wellington (8-16). Bond's first Test was New Zealand versus NSW at the Sydney Sports Ground 24 July 1920. New Zealand won by 26 to 15. The team on his debut was Jackie Beith, Larry Wogan, Roland Raymond, Roy Chambers, Arthur Mayne, Tom Lawton, Arthur Walker, Bob Marrott, Viv Dunn, Ian Ormiston, Charlie Fox, Ray Elliott, Willie Watson (capt.), John Bond and Tom Davis. Howell,et al, wrote in The Wallabies “Viv Dunn, Bob Marrott, Willie Watson and John Bond played well in the forwards.” When he returned from the tour his representative days ended. Though virtually unknown today, Bond played four Tests for Australia , and seven non-Test matches.