Born: 25 June, 1925 – Greymouth
Died: 24 February, 1982
Test record: 0 Tests
Tours: 1952 tour of Australia

West Coast front-rower played four matches for New Zealand on the 1952 tour of Australia.

A Kiwi triallist in 1948, the highly regarded Blackball bookend played in South Island’s win over North Island and for West Coast against Great Britain in a memorable 1950 season.

Two years later O’Donnell went across the Tasman with the Kiwis and turned out in matches against Riverina, Newcastle, Central Queensland and Toowoomba.

His nephew, Canterbury fullback Mike O’Donnell, played 10 Tests for New Zealand from 1977-81.