Thomas Desmond Coughlan
Encyclopedia
Thomas Desmond Coughlan who was born on 30 April 1934 in Mosgiel
Mosgiel
Mosgiel is an urban satellite of Dunedin in Otago, New Zealand, fifteen kilometres west of the city's centre. Since the re-organisation of New Zealand local government in 1989 it has been inside the Dunedin City Council area, but was physically separate from the contiguous suburbs until...

, New Zealand is a former international rugby player. He was a member of the All Blacks
All Blacks
The New Zealand men's national rugby union team, known as the All Blacks, represent New Zealand in what is regarded as its national sport....

 in 1958 playng in the flanker
Flanker
Flanker may refer to:*The NATO reporting name for the Sukhoi Su-27 and derivatives:**Flanker-A: Sukhoi T-10 **Flanker-B: Sukhoi Su-27**Flanker-C: Sukhoi Su-30 **Flanker-D: Sukhoi Su-33...

 position.

Early life

Coughlan came from a farming background. He was educated at St. Kevin's College, Oamaru
St. Kevin's College, Oamaru
St Kevin's College in Oamaru, New Zealand was founded in 1927. It is a Catholic school run by the Christian Brothers and Dominican Sisters for boaders and day students...

 where he played rugby for the school.

Senior rugby

Later Coughlan played for the Temuka
Temuka
Temuka is a town on New Zealand's Canterbury Plains, 15 kilometres north of Timaru and 142 km south of Christchurch. It is located at the centre of a rich sheep and dairy farming region, for which it is a service town.-History:...

 club. He represented South Canterbury from 1952 until 1960 making 76 appearances. He also played five times for combined South Canterbury-North Otago-Mid Canterbury selections, including matches against the 1955 Wallabies, the 1956 Springboks (in which he scored the Hanan Shield
Hanan Shield
The Hanan Shield is one of the most prestigious trophies in New Zealand's domestic rugby union competition. First played for in 1946 after being presented by the Mayor of Timaru, A.E.S. Hanan. The Hanan Shield is based on a challenge system played between North Otago, South Canterbury and Mid...

 unions' only try) and the 1959 British Lions. Caughlan later represented King Country, in 1961 (from the Aria-Mokauiti Club). He played for the South Island team in 1955, 1957, 1958 and 1960. He was a New Zealand trialist in 1953 and 1955–1961. He also played in the rest of New Zealand in 1960.

All Black

Coughlan was selected for the All Blacks in 1958 and appeared in the first test against Australia at Athletic Park
Athletic Park
Athletic Park can refer to many places, including:In the United States*Athletic Park , also known as Luna Park and Carnival Court*Athletic Park *Athletic Park *Athletic Park *Athletic Park...

. Yet despite playing creditably in the All Blacks' 25–3 win over the Wallabies Coughlan was dropped to the reserves for the second test and from the squad entirely for the third. He never played for the All Blacks again but after good games in three trials was considered unlucky to have missed the 1960 side to tour South Africa. Between 1953 and 1961 he played in 14 All Black trials in all, including one for a New Zealand XV against the Rest in 1955. He was also in The Rest XV which met the All Blacks on their return from South Africa in 1960 and played for the South Island on four separate occasions, in 1955, 1957–58 and 1960.
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