Ignatius Charles "Iggy" O'Donnell (27 May 1876 – c. 1946) was a

rugby union Rugby union football, commonly known simply as rugby union in English-speaking countries and rugby 15/XV in non-English-speaking world, Anglophone Europe, or often just rugby, is a Contact sport#Terminology, close-contact team sport that orig ...

player who represented

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...

Biography

Iggy O'Donnell, a

fly-half 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� ...

, was born in

Hillston, New South Wales Hillston is a township in western New South Wales, Australia, in Carrathool Shire, on the banks of the Lachlan River. It was founded in 1863 and at the had a population of 1,547. History John Oxley and his exploration party were the first Eu ...

and claimed a total of 2 international rugby caps for Australia. His debut game was against Great Britain, at Sydney, on 5 August 1899. His brother John ("Jack") O'Donnell, also played for Australia as a forward in the final Test of Australia's first-ever series with the Lions. Like his brother Jack, Iggy captained NSW against Queensland in their Sydney matches in both the 1900 and 1901 seasons and took on the role as the side's goal kicker

Both brothers were old boys of Saint Ignatius' College, Riverview, members of the Sydney's famous Wallaroos Rugby Club and later North Sydney (later re-branded as Northern Suburbs). Jack was a rookie in his early twenties and had never appeared in a state match when he packed down against the tourists. Jack later made 25 appearances for New South Wales, including three against David Bedell-Sivright's British/Irish side in 1904. He captained both Norths and NSW, but never again appeared in a Test. Jack O'Donnell died in 1956, aged 79

References

Australian rugby union players Australia international rugby union players 1876 births 1940s deaths Rugby union fly-halves Rugby union players from New South Wales People from the Riverina People educated at Saint Ignatius' College, Riverview New South Wales rugby union team players {{Australia-rugbyunion-bio-1870s-stub