Tom Donnelly was called into the 2007 Junior All Blacks during their Pacific Nations Cup campaign after Hoani MacDonald suffered an injury. It is the second year running that Donnelly has been in the squad.

Donnelly made his debut for Otago in 2002 and became a regular member of the side in 2003, fulfilling early promise. His appearances in 2004 were restricted by injury, but he made a national mark in 2005 for both the Highlanders and Otago in tandem with All Blacks lock James Ryan.

He rates the draw against Otago Boys High in the Secondary Schools final in 1998 as one of his best moments in his career and lists World Cup-winning Australian captain John Eales as a player he respects the most.

In 2009 Donnelly would be called into the All Blacks on the back of some impressive form for Otago during the Air New Zealand Cup.

He would go on to play in the final match of the Investec Tri Nations against the Wallabies, and would feature in every match of the All Blacks end of year tour. Many would remark that Donnelly was one of the most well rounded locks to play for the All Blacks on the test stage.

New Zealand Representative Teams
2006 Junior All Blacks
All Blacks 2009-2010

Career Notes
• One of only members of this 2006 Junior All Blacks squad yet to appear in the black jersey for any national side.
• Scored his first Rebel Sport Super 14 try in 2006, against the Blues at Carisbrook.
• Scored his first try for Otago in 2005, against Southland during the Air New Zealand NPC.
• Has never been selected for a New Zealand age-grade team but started at lock for the Possibles side in the 2005 All Blacks Trial.
• Represented Otago at the Under 21 and Under 19 levels.
• Played two matches in his debut season for the Highlanders in 2004, his only two first-class appearances of the year.
• Played for the Rotorua Boys’ High School First XV, captained by Highlanders teammate and 2006 All Black Craig Newby, that won the National championship in 1998.

Career Comments:
Below figures correct at beginning of the 2006 rugby calendar:
Provincial Caps 23
Provincial Points 5 (1t)
Provincial Debut 2002 v Marlborough
Super 14 Caps 11
Super 14 Points 0
Super 14 Debut 2004 v Chiefs

FULL NAME

Thomas Joshua Sebastian Donnelly

BORN

Thursday, 1 October 1981 in Rotorua

AGE

28

PHYSICAL

2.00m, 110kg

POSITION

Lock

LAST SCHOOL

Rotorua Boys' High

RUGBY CLUB
(First made All Blacks from)

Matakanui Combined RFC

PROVINCE

Otago

SUPER 14 TEAM

Highlanders

RUGBY NICKNAME

Sassy

ALL BLACK DEBUT

Saturday, 19 September 2009
v Australia at Wellington
aged 27 years, 353 days

INTERNATIONAL DEBUT

Saturday, 19 September 2009
v Australia at Wellington
aged 27 years, 353 days

LAST TEST

Saturday, 21 August 2010
v South Africa at Johannesburg
aged 28 years, 324 days

ALL BLACK TESTS

12 (0 as Captain)

ALL BLACK GAMES

0 (0 as Captain)

TOTAL ALL BLACK MATCHES

12 (0 as Captain)

ALL BLACK TEST POINTS

0pts

ALL BLACK GAME POINTS

0pts

TOTAL ALL BLACK POINTS

0pts

ALL BLACK NUMBER

1096

The All Black Games that Donnelly has played.
(+) = substitute; (-) = replaced

Click on the date to be taken to the Match Card

2009

 19 Sep vs Australia at Wellington 33-6 (-) 

 31 Oct vs Australia at Tokyo 32-19 (-) 

 7 Nov vs Wales at Cardiff 19-12 (+) 

 14 Nov vs Italy at Milan 20-6  

 21 Nov vs England at London 19-6 (-) 

 28 Nov vs France at Marseilles 39-12  

2010

 26 Jun vs Wales at Hamilton 29-10 (-) 

 10 Jul vs South Africa at Auckland 32-12 (-) 

 17 Jul vs South Africa at Wellington 31-17 (-) 

 31 Jul vs Australia at Melbourne 49-28 (-) 

 7 Aug vs Australia at Christchurch 20-10 (-) 

 21 Aug vs South Africa at Johannesburg 29-22 (-) 

Donnelly has yet to score any points for the All Blacks.

Test Record by Nation

P

W

D

L

t

c

p

dg

pts

Australia

4

4

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

England

1

1

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

France

1

1

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Italy

1

1

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

South Africa

3

3

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Wales

2

2

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Totals

12

12

0

0

0

0

0

0

0