[1] Hector Cole began playing for the Ponsonby United senior side in the Auckland Rugby League competition in 1922.

[4][5] Hector Cole's debut came on 22 April against Newton Rangers in a 15-10, round 1 win on Carlaw Park which had opened the previous season.

[7] He was also part of the side which won their third Roope Rooster end of season knockout title when they defeated Athletic in the final 11-10.

[8] In 1923 he played 14 matches for Ponsonby who once again won the Roope Rooster competition with a 14-3 win over City Rovers in front of 7,000 spectators.

[15] Just five days later Cole made his full Auckland debut in a match against the New Zealand team which had been selected to tour Australia.

[19] He was chosen in the New Zealand squad to play the first match against the touring Queensland side but was named in the reserves and did not take the field.

It was a memorial trophy named after the New Zealand international, and Marist player Bill Stormont who had passed away 3 months early from rheumatic heart disease aged just 26.

Cole played brilliantly at five eighth making many breaks and according to The New Zealand Herald "was always in the thick of attacking movements.

They refused to play under the leadership of manager Ernest Mair and were later banned for life, while the tour record of 17 wins and 17 losses was underwhelming.

Cole played in 15 matches including the first of the tour against Dewsbury which saw New Zealand win 13-9 in front of 16,000 spectators at Harrogate on 11 September.

Critics declared that Cole was "excellent" and his performance was reliable with his "straight running proving a constant source of worry to the Dewsbury men".

[36] Cole was then in the side which went down 17-5 to Warrington in atrocious conditions, though in this match he had been moved into the centres alongside Hec Brisbane.

[37] New Zealand's performance in a cabled report from London was described as "third rate" and Cole along with Stan Webb were said to be "negligible in defence and ineffective in attack".

[40][41] He was moved back to the centres for a 14-28 loss to St Helens Recreation on 30 October and played there again in an 18-10 win over Salford 4 days later.

Ben Davidson had sustained an ankle injury "a week or two previously" and did not recover in time to take his place in the starting line up so Cole joined the back-line in the centres.

[44] Cole was partnered with Jack Kirwan and the two of them were said to be "putting in some great work on attack, and England's inside backs, brilliant as they undoubtedly were, were sorely tried".

[48] Cole didn't appear in the New Zealand side again until their match with Pontypridd on Christmas Day at Taff Vale Park.

Cole was to play in his second test match which New Zealand lost 17-32 at Leeds in front of 8,000 spectators in wet conditions once again.

Early in the match from a counter-attack New Zealand rushed down field but Cole dropped "the ball when on the point of scoring".

[55] He made two more appearances for them in a round 1 Roope Rooster win over Grafton followed by a semi final loss against Devonport United.

On 4 August New Zealand played England at Carlaw Park in the first test of the series and in the evening a complimentary dinner was held for the teams.

As part of the evening ceremonies medallions were presented to Cole along with his fellow Auckland "loyalists" from the 1926-27 touring team (Bert Avery, Frank Delgrosso, Hec Brisbane, Craddock Dufty, Stan Webb, George Gardiner, Jack Kirwan, Charles Gregory, and Ernie Herring).

He was regularly named twelfth in the squads printed in the newspapers ahead of the matches indicating he was playing in the second row.

Then following the 6 July match with Richmond Rovers it was said that "the appearance of Cole, a member of the 1926 combination which toured England, caused some interest.

[citation needed] Hector Cole married Florence Gladys Verrall (1900-1986) on 9 June 1923 (she was born on 21 Dec 1900).

Hector worked as a bookbinder and cutter and in 1942 was living at 30 Kingsley St, Grey Lynn in Auckland according to the records of The New Zealand Gazette.