Gordon Pirie Lawson (15 September 1899 – 13 September 1985) was a New Zealand

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 its m ...

player. He was educated at Timaru Main School and then

Timaru Boys' High School Timaru Boys' High School (also known as TBHS), established in 1880, is a single sex state (public) secondary school located in the port city of Timaru, South Canterbury, New Zealand. TBHS caters for years 9 to 13 (ages 12 to 19 years). At th ...

. A

first five-eighth In the game of rugby union, there are 15 players on each team, comprising eight forwards (wearing jerseys numbered 1–8) and seven backs (numbered 9–15). In addition, there may be up to eight replacement players "on the bench", numbered 16– ...

, Lawson represented at a provincial level, and was a member of the New Zealand national side, 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 their 1925 tour of New South Wales. He played just two matches on that tour, and did not appear in any test matches for the All Blacks. After retiring Lawson took an active part in rugby administration, being the president of the Timaru High School Old Boys club between 1940 and 1947, and a South Canterbury selector in 1947. His three brothers, Douglas, Allan and William all played for South Canterbury. Lawson died in Timaru on 13 September 1985, and was buried at Timaru Cemetery.

References

1899 births 1985 deaths Rugby union players from Timaru People educated at Timaru Boys' High School New Zealand rugby union players New Zealand international rugby union players South Canterbury rugby union players Rugby union fly-halves New Zealand sports executives and administrators Burials at Timaru Cemetery {{NewZealand-rugbyunion-bio-1890s-stub