About Jack O'Brien
Lived 1889 – 1958 (aged 68). Jack O'Brien was a New Zealand rugby union player.
John Gerald O'Brien (9 December 1889 — 9 January 1958) was a New Zealand international rugby union player.
Born in Wellington, O'Brien was a lightly built fullback, known for his reliability under high kicks.
O'Brien played his rugby in Auckland with Marist and made his Auckland representative debut in 1910. He gained his first All Black call up for the 1914 tour of Australia, debuting in the opening Test at the Sydney Sports Ground, before a broken leg ended his tour early. Following war time service with the Divisional Signals Company, O'Brien played in the New Zealand Army team that won the 1919 Kings Cup and toured Australia again with the All Blacks in 1920, playing two unofficial Test matches against New South Wales.
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 O'Brien'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 O'Brien's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Jack O'Brien?
New Zealand rugby union player
When was Jack O'Brien born?
Jack O'Brien was born on 9 December 1889.
When did Jack O'Brien die?
Jack O'Brien died on 9 January 1958.
What was Jack O'Brien's occupation?
Jack O'Brien was a rugby union player.
What nationality was Jack O'Brien?
Jack O'Brien was New Zealand.
Sources & further reading
· DBpedia: Jack O'Brien (rugby union)
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Jack O'Brien. https://biography.guide/jack-o-brien-rugby-union-player/
MLA: "Jack O'Brien." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/jack-o-brien-rugby-union-player/.
Chicago: "Jack O'Brien." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/jack-o-brien-rugby-union-player/.
Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.
Page generated 2026-09-27 05:28 UTC