Dick Conway (rugby union)

New Zealand rugby union player

Richard James Conway (22 April 1935 – 25 May 2022), also known as Red Conway, was a New Zealand rugby union player. He played for the New Zealand national team, the All Blacks, between 1959 and 1965.[1]

Dick Conway
Conway in circa 1960
Full nameRichard James Conway
Date of birth(1935-04-22)22 April 1935
Place of birthWhakatāne, New Zealand
Date of death25 May 2022(2022-05-25) (aged 87)
Place of deathWhakatāne, New Zealand
Height1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Weight86 kg (190 lb)
SchoolWhakatane High School
Occupation(s)Carpenter
Rugby union career
Position(s) Loose forward
New Zealand No. 601
Provincial / State sides
Years Team Apps (Points)
1957–1961
1962–68
Otago
Bay of Plenty

72
()
National team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
1959–1965 New Zealand 10 (3)

Career

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Conway began playing professionally for the first time with Otago in 1957.[1] He went on to play 72 games for Bay of Plenty from 1962 to 1968, and was captain of the team.[1][2]

Conway began playing for the All Blacks in 1959.[3]

In 1960, he had a finger amputated so he could take part in a tour of Australia and South Africa.[4] This was because he always kept injuring his finger while playing.[5] He broke his finger before the Australia-South Africa tour began and his doctor said if he wanted to keep playing rugby, he would have to amputate it or otherwise it would keep breaking.[5]

Conway worked as a carpenter, and he coached rugby during the 1970s.[1]

Personal life

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Conway was born in Whakatāne, New Zealand on 22 April 1935. He studied at Whakatane High School. Conway died in Whakatāne on 25 May 2022 at the age of 87.[6][7]

References

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  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Luxford, Bob. "Red Conway". New Zealand Rugby. Retrieved 27 May 2022.
  2. "Big honour to be picked, says Reid". Bay of Plenty Times. 15 August 2011. Retrieved 27 May 2022.
  3. Leggat, David (20 July 2006). "The great All Black comebacks". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 27 May 2022.
  4. Johannsen, Dana; Cleaver, Dylan (10 September 2012). "Danger of ignoring hard knocks of the game". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 27 May 2022.
  5. 5.0 5.1 "Miracle recovery for Waratah Phil Waugh". Stuff. 1 March 2022. Retrieved 27 May 2022.
  6. "Former All Black Richard 'Red' Conway dies at 87". Stuff. 27 May 2022. Retrieved 27 May 2022.
  7. "Richard James Conway". The New Zealand Herald. 27 May 2022. Retrieved 27 May 2022.

Other websites

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  Media related to Dick Conway (rugby union) at Wikimedia Commons