John Maurice Tanner (11 January 1927 – 5 October 2020) 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 it ...

player. A second five-eighth and three-quarter, Tanner represented Otago and

Auckland Auckland (pronounced ) ( mi, Tāmaki Makaurau) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. The most populous urban area in the country and the fifth largest city in Oceania, Auckland has an urban population of about ...

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, ...

, from 1950 to 1954. He played 24 matches for the All Blacks, including five internationals, and captained the team on two occasions. Tanner died in Auckland on 5 October 2020.

References

1927 births 2020 deaths Rugby union players from Auckland People educated at Auckland Grammar School University of Otago alumni New Zealand rugby union players New Zealand international rugby union players Otago rugby union players Auckland rugby union players Rugby union centres Rugby union wings New Zealand dentists {{NewZealand-rugbyunion-bio-1920s-stub