Angus Tait Gault (30 May 1912 – November 1983) was a rugby league player. He represented the New Zealand rugby league team in four matches in 1937 and 1938. In the process he became the 251st player to represent New Zealand. He played rugby union in the Waitomo area for Hangatiki, and represented Maniapoto in the early-to-mid-1930s before moving to Auckland and playing rugby league for the Manukau club. He went on to represent Auckland, Auckland Pākehā, the North Island, and ultimately New Zealand.
Early life Angus Gault was born on 30 May 1912, in Aviemore, Scotland. His parents were William Gault (1871–1958) and Agnes Henderson Tait (1879–1918). He had 6 siblings, William Gault (1905–1977), Robert G Gault (1906–?), Alexander Gault (1910–?), Hugh McCallum Gault (1916–?), Agnes Tait Gault (1918–2011), and Elizabeth Margaret Gault (1918–?). Mother Agnes appears to have died giving birth to twins Agnes and Elizabeth as her date of death was 6 July 1918, the same day the twins were born. The death and births occurred in Aviemore, Inverness-shire, Scotland.
Angus came to New Zealand aged 16 in 1928. He departed Southampton, England on 8 November on board the Tamaroa and was said to be a farmer on his shipping records. His older brother by 7 years, William, also emigrated. The first mention of Angus Gault in any of the New Zealand newspapers was on 29 August 1931, in the Waikato Independent. He attended a fancy dress dance at Karapiro Hall in the Waikato and won the waltz dance along with Miss V. McLeod.
In 1932 he competed in several athletic events in the Waikato and Bay of Plenty region. The first reported one was the Mamaku Sports Club meeting on 20 February. Mamaku is a small village on the Mamaku Plateau in the Bay of Plenty. He entered the 100 yards, 120 yards, and 440 yard races. Then in late March he ran in the 110 yard, 440 yard, 880 yard races at the Te Kuiti Friendly Societies' Sports Club meeting. He finished the summer athletic meetings when he competed in the Otorohanga Sports Club even on Easter Monday when he ran in the 100 yard, 220 yard, and 880 yard races.
Playing career Rugby union in the King Country 1932 It is unclear exactly when Angus Gault began playing rugby union for Hangatiki. He was in the side which played against Pio Pio on 7 May 1932. The blue and black of Hangatiki lost 21–0. Then on 14 May on the Te Kūiti Domain in a 8–3 loss to Te Kuiti, Gault played a "good game". Gault played in matches against Mangapehi (21 May), Athletic (28 May), and then Toko on 4 June. His form in the loose forwards caught the eye of the selectors and he was chosen as one of the forward reserves for the Maniapoto representative side. Maniapoto was a sub union of the King Country province. The side was to play Ōtorohanga on 11 June at Ōtorohanga. Gault came on at the half time break to replace Brown, with Maniapoto who were leading 14-0 and went on to win 29–0. He next played in Hangatiki's 23–6 loss to Pio Pio on 18 June before they played Te Kuiti on 25 June. Gault's specific play was mentioned for the first time in the Te Kuiti match which Hangatiki won 6–3, when it was said that "Gault was doing good work in the loose…", "J. Nikora came through, and when he was collared the forwards headed by Gault, carried on the good work, and got almost across the line…". Weather had disrupted the season around this point considerably and Gault did not play again until 9 July when he was chosen for a Country side to play a Town side in the Maniapoto Sub-union. Gault finished the season with a game for Hangatiki against Mangapehi and was not named in their final matches of the season against Athletic and Toko. His brother William was playing during the year for the Otorohanga side in the same region.
1933 The 1933 season began with Gault playing in the opening round match between Hangatiki and Te Kuiti on the newly opened domain ground on 6 May. His following matches were against Pio Pio then Nehe at Rugby Park with Hangatiki winning 8 to 3. He played in matches against Mangapehi on 10 June, and Te Kuiti on 17 June and was then selected in the Maniapoto sub union representative side to start. The match was played on 24 June against Otorohanga for the Carlsen Cup. His 28-year-old brother, William was on the opposition Otorohanga side. Maniapoto who wore green and white could only manage a 6–6 draw against the black and white of Otorohanga which meant that the later side retained the Carlson Cup.
He returned to his Hangatiki side to play against Pio Pio and Nehe on 1 and 8 July respectively. Gault was mentioned in their 6–3 win when "play centred midfield until Gault, Davis and Grey led the blue pack into the yellow territory where a nice kick by the defenders enabled Trench to follow up fast and catch the Blue full-back in possession". Late in the match with the score 3-3 Gault "suffered a temporary injury" but was able to play on and Hangatiki scored to win. The King Country Chronicle said "Gault, Davis, Hare and Wiske were worthy of mention". In Hangatiki's 29 July match against Te Kuiti, lost 31–6, Gault played an outstanding game. He broke through Te Kuiti but was tackled "just in time" by J. Barlow, then he was involved in "a loose dribbling rush" with Irvine. The King Country saying at this point that he "was playing a really great game". Later Hangatiki scored to make it 11–6 with "Gault's work responsible for a score". Following a game with Mangapehi on 5 August Gault was selected in the forwards for Maniapoto to play Tainui on 12 August. The match was played on the coast and was drawn 3-3. Gault was reported to be one of the "most effective forwards" for Maniapoto along with Koroheke, Hare, and Andrews. Two weeks later the same teams met again for the return match at Rugby Park with Gault again selected in the loose forwards. Maniapoto won 27–5 with Gault "doing good work" in the forwards. He was later mentioned for defensive work and then he came close to scoring in the second half. His final game of the season was for Hangatiki against Te Kuiti in the Pukeweka Shield final on 2 September. The match was also being played as a benefit match for P. Davis who had badly fractured his leg playing for Hangatiki earlier in the season and had been in hospital since. Te Kuiti won 17 to 11 with Gault mentioned after coming away with the ball from a lineout after some "hard skirmishing". A while later he and Riddle burst away but it amounted to nothing.
1934 In 1934 Gault was elected on to the Hangatiki club's social committee for their "Waitomo" sector. The club also had a Hangatiki sector. Gault's first match of the season was for Hangatiki against Te Kuiti on 28 April. Hangatiki were well beaten 34-0 although at one stage "Gault made a spectacular burst to be caught just short of the line". He played in games against United on 5 May and Nehe on 12 May. In the latter match he was mentioned as playing well in the forwards though he "missed a fairly easy shot at goal" late in the match in an 11–3 win. There was relatively little coverage of their matches during the season and Gault did not make any representative appearances. He did however play for the Druids and Foresters side against Oddfellows on 15 September in an annual match for the Le Quesnoy Banner. He was out of the forwards for the game with the King Country Chronicle remarking "Gault, trying his hand as a winger, was nothing if not impetuous". He was involved in their final try in an 18–8 win when he charged through before B. Barlow scored.
1935 The 1935 season was to be a busier one for Gault. He played 13 matches for Hangatiki and 2 for Maniapoto. It was to be his final season playing rugby in the King Country. He scored a try in their opening round loss to Te Kuiti on 4 May by 26 points to 6. He was mentioned several times in the newspaper with the Hangatiki forwards "led by Gault and Hislop, kept battling almost to the end". Gault's good work led to a try to Koroheke early in the match, with his own try coming soon after half time when he "battled a way through a melee and claimed a score". The paper also said that Gault was "fit and started off the season with a great burst of energy". He played games against Waitete, Te Awamutu, Pio Pio, and then Otorohanga on 1 June. He scored a try against Otorohanga after a "determined" effort with Hangatiki winning 11–8. It was noted at this point in the season that he was in the representative frame as he had been "playing very well for Hangatiki". Gault scored another try on 22 June in a 6–3 win over Waitete. He and Hislop were predominant in their forward pack. His try came after he "broke through the defence to score well out" and saw them secure the final lead. In an 8–6 loss to Pio Pio on 6 July he nearly scored twice but was denied by the defence each time.
Gault was then named in the Maniapoto side to play Waipā on Thursday, 18 July. Also named in the side was Frank Pickrang who was to join him at Manukau the following season. Before the match he played for Hangatiki in a 12–3 win over Otorohanga and was prominent in some attacking "dribbling rushes". The match against Waipā was for the Peace Cup and was an elimination match at Albert Park, Te Awamutu. Maniapoto won 6 points to 3 with Gault scoring one of their tries. In the first half he "created excitement when he dribbled down the side line, but he was grassed, and half time came with no score". At full time the scores were level 3–3 with ten minutes extra time each was decided upon. Gault scored after "a passing rush almost the full length of the field". The Waipa Post said that "Craig was the best of the visitors, with Gault and Pickrang particularly good in the tight work." After a match for Hangatiki against Te Kuiti he was selected for Maniapoto's match with Kawhia on July 27. He was chosen in the front row along with T. Brown, and T, Peterson. Against Kawhia, Maniapoto won 25-6 at home on Rugby Park in Te Kūiti on July 27, with Gault scoring one of their tries. Then for Maniapoto against Waitanguru on August 3 he played the "game of the day… especially in the first half, he played a tremendously powerful forward game, breaking through the tight, dribbling and handling at the head of every attacking movement". Gault was selected for the Maniapoto side to play their next Peace Cup game against Matamata but he ultimately did not play as he was away from the area at the time of the 17 August game.
Gault finished the season with three matches for Hangatiki. The first was against Waitete on 24 August, before a 16-11 semi-final win over Pio Pio in the Pukeweka Shield. Gault did "splendid work" for Hangatiki and was mentioned several times, and set up their last try after he "ploughed his way through the whole Pio Pio team… before Ted Davis got the ball across". Hangatiki won the final when they defeated Waitanguru 17 to 3. Gault scored with his try coming "from a forward rush", he failed to convert his own try. With the match Gault's career with the side came to an end.
Rugby league (Manukau) 1936