Born: March 30, 1911 – Runanga
Died: March 24, 2002
Test record: 6 Tests (1935-37) – 1 try (3 points)
Tours: 1938 tour of Australia

Rugged Runanga forward Billy Glynn bookended his six-Test tenure in the New Zealand team with wins against Australia.

Representing West Coast from 1929 and South Island from 1932, Glynn’s hallmarks were outstanding defence and the pace of an outside back.

The 24-year-old was called up to debut for New Zealand against the 1935 Australian tourists, facing up to the likes of Ray Stehr, Sid ‘Joe’ Pearce and Wally Prigg, and scoring a try in a 22-14 victory at Carlaw Park. Glynn was retained for the second-Test loss but was replaced by Ray Lawless for the decider.

A strong performance for South Island against England earned Glynn a call-up to the pack for both Test matches, with the tourists winning both in Auckland.

He was selected at hooker for the 1937 series opener against Australia, a 12-8 loss, and at prop for the 16-15 victory in the second Test.

Glynn appeared in six matches on the Kiwis’ 1938 tour of Australia (no Tests were scheduled), pulling on the black-and-white jersey for the last time in a 19-all draw with a strong Sydney line-up that included Stehr and Pearce.

He came out of retirement after World War II to play for West Coast and finally hung up the boots in 1949.

The Runanga icon held the mantle as the oldest surviving Kiwi before passing away in 2002, aged 90.