Desmond Michael Connor (born 9 August 1935 in
Ashgrove,
QLD
)
, nickname = Sunshine State
, image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = Australia
, established_title = Before federation
, establishe ...
) is an Australian former
rugby union
Rugby union, commonly known simply as rugby, is a close-contact team sport that originated at Rugby School in the first half of the 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand. In it ...
halfback who represented internationally both the
Australian
Australian(s) may refer to:
Australia
* Australia, a country
* Australians, citizens of the Commonwealth of Australia
** European Australians
** Anglo-Celtic Australians, Australians descended principally from British colonists
** Aboriginal A ...
and
New Zealand national rugby union team
The New Zealand national rugby union team, commonly known as the All Blacks ( mi, Ōpango), represents New Zealand in men's international rugby union, which is considered the country's national sport. The team won the Rugby World Cup in 1987 ...
s. He is an inductee in the
Australian Rugby Union
Rugby Australia Ltd, previously named the Australian Rugby Union Limited and Australian Rugby Football Union Limited, is an Australian company operating the premier rugby union competition in Australia and teams. It has its origins in 1949. It ...
Hall of Fame.
Australian rugby career
After taking up the game at the
Marist Brothers Ashgrove, Connor honed his skills further with the
Brothers club. He made his representative debut for
Queensland
)
, nickname = Sunshine State
, image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = Australia
, established_title = Before federation
, establishe ...
in 1954 and made further appearances for the state over the next five years.
He was selected in
Australian national squad for the Wallabies
. Connor made his Australian test debut on 4 January 1958 against
Wales
Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the Bristol Channel to the south. It had a population in ...
and played in all five internationals on the Australian tour. Later that year he captained the Wallabies in Tests against the
New Zealand Māori rugby union team
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, and then played against the
All Blacks
The New Zealand national rugby union team, commonly known as the All Blacks ( mi, Ōpango), represents New Zealand in men's international rugby union, which is considered the country's national sport. The team won the Rugby World Cup in 1987, ...
on a tour of New Zealand.
[ ]
At the start of the 1960s he left Australia to continue his teaching career in New Zealand, teaching at Takapuna Grammar.
[
]
New Zealand rugby career
Following his move to New Zealand he was capped 12 times by the All Blacks
The New Zealand national rugby union team, commonly known as the All Blacks ( mi, Ōpango), represents New Zealand in men's international rugby union, which is considered the country's national sport. The team won the Rugby World Cup in 1987, ...
, with a record of 10 wins, a draw and a defeat. The defeat came in his final match in 1964, against Australia at Wellington
Wellington ( mi, Te Whanganui-a-Tara or ) is the capital city of New Zealand. It is located at the south-western tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Remutaka Range. Wellington is the second-largest city in New Zealand by metr ...
.
Coaching
He was to return to Australian rugby as a coach firstly at Brisbane Brothers
The Past Brothers Rugby League Football Club, or Brisbane Brothers Rugby League Football Club nicknamed the Leprechauns, or more commonly known as Brothers, or as The Brethren, was a rugby league club based in the city of Brisbane, Australia, ...
, then Queensland
)
, nickname = Sunshine State
, image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = Australia
, established_title = Before federation
, establishe ...
and Australia. He led the Wallabies in that role in their home series against New Zealand in 1968. A keen tactician and student of the game, Connor studied the rulebook and after consulting with referees, he introduced in the first Test the first short lineout used in the Southern Hemisphere.
Connor also oversaw the 1969
This year is notable for Apollo 11's first landing on the moon.
Events January
* January 4 – The Government of Spain hands over Ifni to Morocco.
* January 5
**Ariana Afghan Airlines Flight 701 crashes into a house on its approach to ...
and 1971 tours to South Africa.
References
* Howell, Max (2005) ''Born to Lead – Wallaby Test Captains'', Celebrity Books, Auckland NZ
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Connor, Des
1935 births
Australian expatriate sportspeople in New Zealand
Australia international rugby union players
Australia national rugby union team coaches
Australian rugby union captains
Australian rugby union coaches
Australian rugby union players
Brothers Old Boys players
Living people
New Zealand international rugby union players
New Zealand rugby union players
Rugby union scrum-halves
Rugby union players from Brisbane