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James Allan (rugby union)

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James Allan
James Allan
Date of birth(1860-09-11)11 September 1860
Place of birthTaieri, Otago, New Zealand
Date of death2 September 1934(1934-09-02) (aged 73)
Place of deathHāwera, Taranaki, New Zealand
Weight90 kg (198 lb)
SchoolOtago Boys' High
Rugby union career
Position(s) Forward
Amateur team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
Taieri ()
Provincial / State sides
Years Team Apps (Points)
1881–86 Otago ()
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
1884 New Zealand 8 (0 Tests) (6)

James Allan (11 September 1860, in East Taieri, New Zealand – 2 September 1934, in Hāwera, New Zealand[1][2]) was a New Zealand rugby union player who played eight games for the All Blacks, the New Zealand national rugby union team, and was nicknamed the Taieri Giant.[1][2] Allan played in the first match contested by the New Zealand team, and the New Zealand Rugby Union regard him as the first ever All Black.[3]

Allan played as a forward and played six seasons for his province Otago, from 1881 to 1886.[1] Allan's eight All Black appearances came on the 1884 New Zealand rugby union tour of New South Wales on which he scored three tries.[1] He was one of New Zealand's most valuable players. on the tour, where he played eight of the All Blacks' nine games – all played over 23 days.[1]

Allan was highly regarded as a forward with contemporary reports saying he was "consistently in the vanguard".[1] Allan was also reported to be never far away from the ball along with being as "hard as nails".[1] During his playing career at Otago, Allan became a distinguished player for the province. He had three other brothers who represented Otago.[1][2]

Allan was a pupil of Otago Boys' High School.[1][4][2]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i James Allan at AllBlacks.com. Retrieved on 22 January 2007.
  2. ^ a b c d Chester, Rod; McMillan, Neville; Palenski, Ron (1987). The Encyclopedia of New Zealand Rugby. Auckland, New Zealand: Moa Publications. p. 20. ISBN 0-908570-16-3.
  3. ^ All Blacks in Playing Order. Retrieved on 22 January 2007.
  4. ^ "My Class List - 1871". The Otago Boys' High School Foundation. Retrieved 6 January 2010.
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