New Test Wing Was Canterbury Under-20

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31729, 12 July 1968, Page 13

New Test Wing Was Canterbury Under-20

A 22-year-old wing three-quarters who learned his Rugby in Culverden will make his debut for New Zealand in the first test against France at Lancaster Park tomorrow.

He is M. W. O’Callaghan (Manawatu), who distinguished himself earlier this season by scoring eight tries in four games against AllJapan.

He replaces the Canterbury wing, A. G. Steel, who was ruled unfit yesterday because of a calf muscle injury.

O'Callaghan was bom in Culverden and educated at Culverden High School and Christchurch Boys’ High School, where he spent two years. In both years he was in the school’s second XV. He was at Lincoln College for one year, during which he was a Canterbury under-20 representative, and he is now in his third year at Massey College, where he is taking a veterinary course. He plays centre for Massey, but wing for Manawatu. Last season he played in all the union’s 12 matches, and scored nine tries.

This season he has played twice for New Zealand Universities, once for New Zealand Juniors, and once for the Massey-Victoria combined universities’ team, all against All-Japan. The visitors came to respect O’Callaghan for his great try-scoring ability. At school, O’Callaghan was a promising all-round athlete, and ran in inter-secondary school events for both Culverden and Christchurch B.H.S. But Rugby has been his chief interest and in gaining an All Black cap he has realised his greatest sporting ambition.

The new All Black’s father Mr D. W. O’Callaghan, has been prominent in country Rugby administration, and a vounger brother, Kevin, now 20, was a promising footballer until he was forced to give up the game through injury. He has now taken to golf, and is already down to a handicap of six.