Lane Penn

Paul Lane Penn (12 June 1938 – 10 May 2014) was a New Zealand rugby union player, coach and administrator. A wing, Penn played for Taranaki and Wairarapa at provincial level, and later became coach of Wairarapa-Bush. He was an All Black selector from 1988 to 1991, and served as president of the New Zealand Rugby Football Union from 2001 to 2003.

Biography Penn was born in Stratford, New Zealand on 12 June 1938, and was educated at New Plymouth Boys' High School. He made his debut for Taranaki while still at school, and went on to play more than 50 games for the province — including 10 Ranfurly Shield matches, and internationals against France and Australia — between 1957 and 1963. After moving to the Wairarapa, Penn joined the Gladstone club and played 12 games for the provincial side there between 1965 and 1966. His two-year term was characterized by his strong advocacy for grassroots and provincial rugby in New Zealand.

Outside of rugby, Penn was a farmer at Opaki, near Masterton. He died at Wairarapa Hospital on 10 May 2014, following a stroke suffered while working on the farm two days earlier.