Robert B. Spray (1965 – 1972)
Bob Spray emigrated from England to Vancouver in 1947, and immediately became involved as a referee. From 1949 to 1952 he was the chairman of the B.C. Referees Society and he was president of the B. C. Rugby Union from 1952 to 1958. From 1960 to 1965, Bob was the (first and only) chairman of the Rugby Tours Committee of Canada.
While continuing to work organizing tours, both in-coming and out-going, Bob expanded his focus and started concentrating on national development. The importance of these touring activities cannot be overemphasized. The opportunity to play against these elite teams and the possibility of touring to other parts of the world, representing one’s province or country became the ambition of many young Rugby players.
Bob realized the ultimate administrative achievement when, with the reformation of the National Union in 1965, as a result of his success in promoting Canadian Rugby throughout the world, he was elected as the first president of the Canadian Rugby Union.
Throughout his administration, Bob negotiated a substantial number of visits from National teams and he served on organizing committees, often as Chairman. These countries included the British Lions (1966), Australia and New Zealand (1967), Fiji (1970), Australia (1971), New Zealand (1972) and Wales (1973). Bob also was instrumental in organizing the tour of the Canadian Team to Wales in 1971.
During his years as president of the National Union, Bob was, periodically, its delegate to the Canadian Sports Foundation. His leadership in this group resulted in the Foundation having a significantly greater voice as well as expanded use of the Administrative Centre in Ottawa and also receiving greater consideration from the Department of Health and Welfare in terms of grants to assist their sports. He became a Director and Vice-president of the Federation from 1972 to 1973.
From 1965, the National Union staged a National Championship and in 1972, for the first time, representative teams from nine provinces competed in a single level National Championship, a direct result of the effort and leadership of Bob Spray and a further indication of his contributions to the development of the game in Canada.
Bob Spray was inducted into the B. C. Sports Hall of Fame, as a builder, in 1975. He was inducted into the B. C. Rugby Hall of Fame, as a builder, in 2005. Bob’s outstanding administrative capabilities and his gentlemanly manner made him a great ambassador for the sport on the world stage. In 1964, when the Vancouver Sun donated the Jack Patterson Memorial Trophy, to be presented to the most deserving Rugby person in the province, Bob Spray was the first recipient.
No historical study on Rugby in Canada would be complete without reference to Robert B. Spray and the significant contributions made by this man to the furtherance of the game, not only in British Columbia, but in Canada. There was, perhaps, no one more dedicated to the true spirit of amateur sport in general and to the game for Rugby in particular and no one who has contributed more to the development of the sport in Canada than Bob Spray.
Contact Information
Rugby Canada
30 East Beaver Creek Road
Suite 110
Richmond Hill, Ontario
L4B 1J2 Canada
Socialize With Us
Design, Hosting, Online Registration & Administration Tools By:Powered By: