Born: 29 July, 1930 – Auckland Died: 1 December, 1981 – Auckland Test record: 2 Tests (1954) – 0 points Tours: 1954 World Cup
Auckland winger Jim Austin featured for the Kiwis at home and abroad in 1954.
Impressive form at provincial level saw the 24-year-old come onto the flank for Vern Bakalich in the third-Test decider against Great Britain, won 12-6 by the tourists in heavy Carlaw Park conditions. Austin backed up two days later to play in Auckland’s spiteful 5-4 defeat of the Lions.
He was subsequently chosen in New Zealand’s 18-man squad for the inaugural World Cup in France, making his only appearance in a 26-6 defeat to Great Britain in Bordeaux.
Austin played in all three post-tournament exhibition matches against Australia – in Leigh, England and the back-to-back encounters in California, at Long Beach and Los Angeles, scoring a try in the latter.
