Born: April 23, 1939 - Greymouth
Died: September 9, 2002 - Sydney
Test record: 21 Tests (1961-66) - 1 try, 4 goals (11 points)
Tours: 1959 tour of Australia, 1961 tour of Britain and France, 1963 tour of Australia, 1965 tour of Britain and France
West Coast centre/five-eighth Graham Kennedy was one of New Zealand's most prominent players of the 1960s, playing 21 Tests for the Kiwis - including four as captain
Two-time Schoolboy Kiwi Kennedy was barely 20 when he went on New Zealand's 1959 tour of Australia, scoring five tries in as many matches in the centres. He bagged a hat-trick against Wide Bay.
The Marist (WCRL) star scored a try for West Coast against Australia in 1961 before embarking on the Kiwis' tour of Britain and France. It was an injury-interrupted trip for Kennedy, but after several starts at five-eighth he received a Test debut on the wing in the second Test defeat to Great Britain at Bradford.
'Ginger' Kennedy was chosen in the centres for the latter two Tests in France, scoring a try in a 23-2 win in Perpignan.
He cemented a Test spot the following season, featuring in the 2-0 series win over Great Britain, while he played in all three Tests on the 1963 tour of Australia and played in the loss to South Africa at Carlaw Park later that season before being named New Zealand's Player of the Year. He lined up in all three Tests in the cleansweep of France in 1964.
Kennedy was named on the bench for the 1965 series opener against Australia but came on to kick two goals in a 13-8 loss, then returned to the starting side alongside long-time centre partner Roger Bailey for the 7-5 win in the second Test.
The 26-year-old earned the vice-captain nod for the 1965 tour of Britain and France. He played in all six Tests and skippered the team in the drawn third Test against Great Britain, and all three matches against France.
Kennedy's international swansong was the 2-0 series loss to Great Britain in 1966, playing both Tests at five-eighth. He took up a player-coach role in Australia with Group 9 team Wagga Kangaroos in 1967. Kennedy became a respected coach in the region, including representative appointments with Riverina (against Great Britain in 1970 and in the 1974 AMCO Cup) and NSW Country Seconds.
A high school teacher in Wagga Wagga for 27 years, Kennedy was principal of St Dominic's College in Penrith from 1994 until his death in 2002.