About Jack Kelaher
Lived 1912 – 1990 (aged 78). Jack Kelaher was a rugby union player.
John Desmond Kelaher (5 February 1912 — 31 July 1990) was an Australian rugby union international.
Kelaher was born in Barraba, New South Wales and boarded at St Joseph's College, where he was a member of two GPS 1st XV premiership teams. He played first-grade for Drummoyne straight out of school.
Known as "Jockey" on account of his small stature, Kelaher was a speedy winger and gained 13 Test caps for the Wallabies during the 1930s. He featured in all five Test matches against the Springboks on the 1933 tour of South Africa and scored a hat-trick of tries in an uncapped match against Rhodesia. The following year, Kelaher was on the Wallabies team that won a maiden Bledisloe Cup series over the All Blacks.
Kelaher's nephew Tim Kelaher was a Wallabies fullback of the early 1990s.
Don’t just read it —
keep it.
Full-length biographies made to live with: read them, listen on the way to work, watch them tonight.
- E-book
- Audio
- Video
Instant download · yours to keep · every purchase keeps this site free
Important facts
People in Jack Kelaher's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Related people
Same field, nearest in time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Jack Kelaher's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Jack Kelaher?
rugby player
When was Jack Kelaher born?
Jack Kelaher was born on 5 February 1912.
When did Jack Kelaher die?
Jack Kelaher died on 31 July 1990.
What was Jack Kelaher's occupation?
Jack Kelaher was a rugby union player.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Jack Kelaher. https://biography.guide/jack-kelaher/
MLA: "Jack Kelaher." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/jack-kelaher/.
Chicago: "Jack Kelaher." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/jack-kelaher/.
Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.
Page generated 2026-09-27 05:13 UTC