Born: October 15, 1939
Test record: 2 Tests (1961, 1967) – 0 points
Tours: 1961 tour of Britain and France, 1967 tour of Australia

Ellerslie and Auckland loose forward Bruce Castle made two Test appearances and embarked on two overseas tours for the Kiwis, both six years apart.

Castle debuted for his province as a 20-year-old in 1960, and featured in Auckland’s 13-8 win over Australia and the New Zealand Coaching School’s loss to the tourists the following season – leading to his selection for New Zealand’s tour of Britain and France at the end of the year.

The tyro debuted against a Manchester XIII and scored two tries in his next appearance against a Castleford-Featherstone combination. He made 14 appearances in total on the tour, including a Test debut in the second clash with Great Britain – a 23-10 loss at Bradford – with Brian Lee ruled out by injury.

Though he represented Auckland and New Zealand XIII against the 1962 Lions, and scoring a try as skipper in a narrow loss to the 1966 Great Britain tourists, Castle had to wait until 1967 to get another opportunity in the New Zealand team.

It was a recall to remember, however, with Castle named Kiwis captain for the tour of Australia. He led New Zealand in the first Test, a 22-13 loss at the SCG, but was replaced for the remaining Tests. Castle scored tries in wins over Toowoomba and Ipswich later in the tour.

After captaining Northern Zone’s tour of Queensland in 1968, Castle embarked on a player-coach stint with Turvey Park in Wagga Wagga, NSW, where his daughter, future Netball New Zealand, Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs and Rugby Australia CEO Raelene Castle, was born.

Later a Mangere East Hawks coach, Castle was also a Kiwis selector from 1999-2001.