Full name Andrew James O'Brien Position Hooker, Loose Forward Team Pld | Weight 87 kg (13 st 10 lb) Years Team Pld T | |
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Born 6 September 1897
Blenheim, New Zealand ( 1897-09-06 ) Died 9 May 1969, Auckland, New Zealand | ||
Andrew James "Jim" O'Brien (1897–1969) was a New Zealand rugby footballer who represented his country in rugby union and rugby league.
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Rugby union career
O'Brien began his career playing rugby union for Marlborough between 1919 and 1921. He also played for a combined Nelson-Marlborough-Golden Bay-Motueka side against the 1921 Springboks in the side's 26–3 defeat. In that game he lined up alongside fellow future dual-international Charles Fitzgerald.
In 1922 he moved north to Auckland, joining the Grafton club. He immediately was selected for the North Island side and subsequently the All Blacks tour of New Zealand and South Wales. He finished the tour having played in 3 games and scored one try. Returning to Auckland, O’Brien played his first game for the union late in the 1922 season. In 1923 he played five games for Auckland.
Rugby league career
O'Brien switched to rugby league in 1924, joining Marist in the Auckland Rugby League competition. He played for Auckland and made the New Zealand Kiwis for three tests against the touring Great Britain Lions side that year. He toured Australia in 1925 and gained another two Kiwi test caps playing against Great Britain when they toured again in 1928.
In 1929 he served as the secretary of the Marist club.