Though not always receiving the credit that was his due, Jack Sullivan was a towering figure in New Zealand rugby over a 40-year period between the mid 1930s and the mid 70s. He reached the top in the three of the game's most important spheres, as a player, then a coach-selector and finally as an administrator.

For any one of the contributions he made Sullivan would occupy a lofty place in the game's history. But to do it in three and over such a long time made him a man of considerable distinction. Moreover, Sullivan reached the summit in his business life and finished as the national head of a major oil company.

Originally from rural King Country, Sullivan grew up in Taranaki and his exceptional playing talent first emerged as a member of New Plymouth's Tukapa club. He was playing senior rugby in his mid teens and by the age of 19 he was in Taranaki representative sides.

From his first season in 1934 it was clear Sullivan had special ability. Usually a midfield back at either centre or second five-eighths, Sullivan scored four tries in his representative debut against Wanganui and finished the 1934 season with eight tries in six matches.

Blessed with considerable pace and natural strength, Sullivan was sturdily built at about 1.79m and nearly 80kg. He was equally skilled either on attack or defence. In his second season with Taranaki in 1935 Sullivan again scored steadily, nine tries from 10 appearances.

But even though the All Blacks made a major tour of Britain in 1935-36 Sullivan was not a contender and it was not until the 1936 domestic season that he entered national calculations. He had the first of his four matches for the North Island that year and was included in the All Black squad for the two-match series against the touring Wallabies.

His only All Black appearance that year, though, was in the midweek practice match played between the two tests against South Canterbury. In 1937 Sullivan had an outstanding match captaining Taranaki against the touring Springboks to confirm his place in the upcoming three-match test series.

Sullivan was one of the better performed All Blacks in a backline that for most part was outplayed by the brilliant Springboks, still revered as one of the finest sides to tour New Zealand. In the second test at Lancaster Park Sullivan scored both of the All Blacks' tries in the 13-6 defeat. Inexplicably, Sullivan who had been at centre was moved to the wing for the third test at Eden Park which saw the All Blacks receive a drubbing.

In 1938 Sullivan toured Australia and again was one of the All Blacks' leading players. He played in five matches, scored four tries and was a first choice for all three tests, though in the first two he played at second five. His only game in his preferred position at centre was in the third test.

After another polished trial performance Sullivan was a certainty for the 1940 tour of South Africa. Unfortunately, the abandonment of that tour and the outbreak of World War II meant a premature end to his playing days which embraced only 61 first class matches, of which 44 between 1934 and 1940 had been for Taranaki.

Sullivan did not get the consolation at the end of the war of a tour with Britain and France with the Kiwi Army team. Playing in an overseas services match in 1942 he suffered a serious leg injury.

Sullivan then turned to coaching, selecting and administration where he was to reach further honours. Between 1947 and 1951 he was Taranaki's coach or a member of the union selection panel. Between 1952 and 1959 he was a North Island selector and from 1954 to 1960 he was a national selector. In this role he acted as coach of the New Zealand under 23 team which toured Japan early in 1958 and in 1960 of the All Blacks in South Africa. Strangely, because Sullivan himself had been such a superb attacking back, the 1960 All Blacks were criticised for favouring 10-man rugby and an over reliance on Don Clarke's boot.

In 1962, following a transfer to Wellington, Sullivan was on the New Zealand union executive until 1977. In 1969 he became the NZRU chairman and served in that post until 1977.

These years involved major controversy over contacts with South Africa and Sullivan was chairman of the union when the 1973 Springbok tour was cancelled at the direction of the Government and then in 1976 when the All Blacks' tour of South Africa went ahead only to help cause a huge boycott of the Montreal Olympic Games. Through all this Sullivan remain stoical though often enduring criticism for his media relations. His terse, "No comment," to most queries won him a measure of infamy.

His brusqueness tended to disguise the fact that Sullivan was a sincere, honest man with a formidable intellect who could be a devastating debater. He was also a master of much administrative detail who like many of his generations staunchly resisted professionalism, undoubtedly because they were aware of the problems that it would cause.

A measure of Sullivan's competence was that after starting his working life as a driver, and with little formal education, he rose to be the national head of an oil company. Sullivan was president of the Taranaki union before his move to Wellington and was a life member of both the Taranaki and New Zealand unions.

One of Sullivan's brothers, Colin, also represented Taranaki and another, George, refereed the 1950 fourth test between the All Blacks and the Lions at Eden Park. His son, John, a five eighths who had been an excellent secondary schools player, was a regular senior club player for Wellington's Marist-St Pat's club and had a first class game in 1971 for a Wellington XV against Horowhenua.

Profile by Lindsay Knight
for the New Zealand Rugby Museum.

FULL NAME

John Lorraine Sullivan

BORN

Tuesday, 30 March 1915 in Tahora

DIED

Monday, 9 July 1990 in Wellington

PHYSICAL

1.79m, 79.8kg

POSITION

Three-quarter and second five-eighth

LAST SCHOOL

Tangarakau School

RUGBY CLUB
(First made All Blacks from)

Tukapa

PROVINCE

Taranaki

ALL BLACK DEBUT

Wednesday, 9 September 1936
v South Canterbury at Timaru
aged 21 years, 163 days

INTERNATIONAL DEBUT

Saturday, 14 August 1937
v South Africa at Wellington
aged 22 years, 137 days

LAST TEST

Saturday, 13 August 1938
v Australia at Sydney
aged 23 years, 136 days

ALL BLACK TESTS

6 (0 as Captain)

ALL BLACK GAMES

3 (0 as Captain)

TOTAL ALL BLACK MATCHES

9 (0 as Captain)

ALL BLACK TEST POINTS

9pts (3t, 0c, 0p, 0dg, 0m)

ALL BLACK GAME POINTS

9pts (3t, 0c, 0p, 0dg, 0m)

TOTAL ALL BLACK POINTS

18pts (6t, 0c, 0p, 0dg, 0m)

ALL BLACK NUMBER

428

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

Click on the date to be taken to the Match Card

1936

 9 Sep vs South Canterbury at Timaru 16-13  

1937

 14 Aug vs South Africa at Wellington 13-7  

 4 Sep vs South Africa at Christchurch 6-13  

 25 Sep vs South Africa at Auckland 6-17  

1938

 16 Jul vs N.S.W. at Sydney 28-8  

 23 Jul vs Australia at Sydney 24-9  

 30 Jul vs Queensland at Brisbane 30-9  

 6 Aug vs Australia at Brisbane 20-14  

 13 Aug vs Australia at Sydney 14-6  

Points scored for the All Blacks

t

c

p

dg

pts

vs South Africa, 4 Sep 1937

2

-

-

-

6

vs N.S.W., 16 Jul 1938

2

-

-

-

6

vs Australia, 23 Jul 1938

1

-

-

-

3

vs Queensland, 30 Jul 1938

1

-

-

-

3

Totals

6

0

0

0

18

Test Record by Nation

P

W

D

L

t

c

p

dg

pts

Australia

3

3

-

-

1

-

-

-

3

South Africa

3

1

-

2

2

-

-

-

6

Totals

6

4

0

2

3

0

0

0

9