Born: 18 February, 1915 Died: 23 May, 1998 – Gisborne Test record: 2 Tests (1936) – 0 points
Frank Pickrang was a second-rower for New Zealand in both Tests against the Great Britain tourists of 1936.
A King Country rugby union rep, Pickrang moved to Auckland and switched codes with Manukau and made an immediate impact in the 1936 ARL club competition to win selection for Auckland Māori and Auckland.
Pickrang stood out for North Island in its victory over South Island before playing for Auckland against the Lions in the opening match of the New Zealand leg of their tour. The 21-year-old’s rapid rise continued when he was named in the Test line-up and reports of Great Britain’s 10-8 and 23-11 wins pinpointed Pickrang as one of the hosts’ best forwards.
He joined Ponsonby United in 1937 and was chosen in a 15-man squad for the first Test against Australia, but a shoulder injury rendered him unavailable for New Zealand’s and New Zealand Māori’s clashes with the tourists.
Pickrang moved to Whangarei in 1939 and represented Northland against Taranaki in a Carlaw Park-hosted fixture. He served in World War II with the Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force and later reverted to rugby union in the Waikato after returning home.
