FAMOUS RUGBY PLAYER

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27383, 8 May 1950, Page 7

FAMOUS RUGBY PLAYER

Death Of Mr T. W. Lynch NOTED SPORTING RECORD The death occurred at Clyde on Saturday of Mr Thomas William Lynch, of Alexandra, in his fifty-ninth year. He was one of a famous family of Rugby footballers, his father. Mr T. W. Lynch, sen, who is still living in Timaru, having played for Otago and the South Island as a wing three-quarter against Stoddart’s English team in 1888, while his son, T. W. Lynch 111. represented Otago in 1947 and 1949. The late Mr Lynch played for New Zealand in 1913 and 1914. Educated at the Marist Brothers School, Timaru, and St. Patrick's College, Wellington, Mr Lynch was a member of the first fifteen and first eleven at the latter school, and when he returned to Timaru, quickly established himself as one of the most brilliant backs in the Dominion. He played for the Timaru Celtic Football Club and represented South Canterbury for many years. He represented the South Island against the North Island in 1911-12-13-14 and although best known as a wing three-quarter filled five-eighth and centre threequarter positions in the South Island team on two occasions. He toured California and British Columbia with the All Blacks in 1913 and was a prolific try-getter. Before leaving the Dominion he played for New Zealand against Australia, and scored three tries. In 1914, he was a member of the New Zealand team which had an unbeaten record in Australia and headed the list of scorers with 16 tries, three of them scored in one match against Central-Western (New South Wales) at Orange and three ip the first match against Queensland at Brisbane. He was one of the few men to score 100 points for New Zealand, his total of 113 points being made up of 37 tries and one conversiorPryed j n the pi rs t World War, first on a hospital ship and then in France, being severely wounded in the shoulder. This affected his Rugby career, but when he later took up farming in the Balfour district, he played many fine games at full-back for Southland in the. 1921-22 seasons including the match against the 1921 Springboks. , Had Mr Lynch taken his cricket as seriously as he d’d his football, he would have gone far in the game as he was a hardhitting and attractive batsman. He played for South Canterbury, and at one time the representative sice included him, his father and brother. Mr J. Lynch. When he was playing in Central Otago, he was given two trials for- the Otago team. In South Canterbury he had considerable success as a sprinter on the running track, and although he did not take part in the game competitively to any extent, he was also a good golfer. He has been prominently associated with the administration of many branches of sport in Central the First World War, the late Mr Lvnch was a stock agent for the National Mortgage and Agency Company, Ltd, at Waimate. and before going farming in Northern Southland, he was with the firm of Dalgety’s at Timaru for a short time. For many years past he had been a fat lamb buyer for the New Zealand Refrigerating Company in Central Otago He is survived by his wife, two sons— Mr T. W. Lynch (Christchurch) and Mr S. Lvnch (Alexandra)—and two daughters. Misses Elizabeth and Susan Lynch, of Alexandra.-