Jack Finlay (31 January 1916 – 30 June 2001) was a New Zealand
rugby union player. A versatile player, Finlay turned out in the
forwards for his club but usually as a
first
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or
second five eighth at provincial level for . He played just one match for the New Zealand national side, the
All Blacks, as a
Number 8 in the first test against the
touring Australian team at
Carisbrook in 1946, in which he scored a try.
During
World War II, Finlay was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the New Zealand Army infantry in August 1940, and rose to the rank of major.
He captained army rugby teams in Italy and North Africa.
Finlay was awarded the
Military Cross in relation to operations in Italy in the first three months of 1945. After the end of the war, Finlay toured Britain and Europe with the 2nd New Zealand Expeditionary Force rugby team, known as the "Kiwis" in 1945–46 as its vice-captain, appearing in 23 of the 38 games played, including against England, Scotland and Wales.
Finlay later became a selector, with Manawatu in 1949, the North Island side from 1949 to 1963, and the All Blacks between 1961 and 1963. He coached the 1964
New Zealand Colts
The New Zealand Under 21s rugby union team was a national representative team for players aged under-21. In 2008, in accordance with new IRB rule, the New Zealand Under 21s and the Under 19s were both permanently replaced by the New Zealand Unde ...
team on their 1964 tour of Australia.
He died in
Feilding on 30 June 2001,
and was buried at Feilding Cemetery.
References
1916 births
2001 deaths
Burials at Feilding Cemetery
Manawatu rugby union players
New Zealand international rugby union players
New Zealand military personnel of World War II
New Zealand recipients of the Military Cross
New Zealand referees and umpires
New Zealand rugby union coaches
New Zealand rugby union players
People educated at Feilding High School
Rugby union centres
Rugby union fly-halves
Rugby union number eights
Rugby union players from Taranaki
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