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Fifty Rep Games in a Row
Fifty representative Rugby football games in a row was the proud record attained by the Poverty Bay hooker, Tom Donovan, with the game against Wairarapa on June 11. Tom, who started his record run in June, 'l949, is a familiar and popular figure in Gisborne football circles, whose great love of the game and prowess as a hooker are matched only by his modesty and good sportsmanship.
Pictures on this page show only two of the teams Tom has been associated with, but with his present accomplishment they are milestones in a fine football career. The smaller picture, taken 18 years ago, might be said to mark the beginning of his success in club Rugby. The larger picture was taken in 1949, the year in which Tom first represented his province. Notes in parentheses about other players were provided by him.
The 1949 rep. team. Front row: J. Ferguson, N. Kane (vice-captain), M. Beuth (Union Chairman), I. Shaw (captain), S. Lee. Middle row: F. Solomon (coach), and a former Maori All Black), G. Harris, G. Elliott, J. Cleary, R. White (present All Black), K. Bullivant (former Maori All Black), C. McKinley (coach). Back row: I. Woodford, B. Fitzpatrick (present All Black), T. Donovan, J. Shaskey, J. Barbour, R. Cowley.
The Marist 3rd Grade team, winners of their grade in 1937. Front row: M. Bee (who was killed in action in the war), B. Quinn (former sprint champion of Gisborne, who was also killed in action), F. Lee (captain), S. Lee, and T. Donovan. Middle row: T. O'Brien (coach), K. Hall, A. Sommers (killed in a plane crash while being repatriated to England during the war), R. Thomson, T. Dunlop, H. Samson. Back row: P. Fischbach, L. Samson, P. Barry, P. Edwards (now manager of the Coronation Hotel).
, M. Beuth (Union Chairman), I. Shaw (captain), S. Lee. Middle row: F. Solomon (coach), and a former Maori All Black), G. Harris, G. Elliott, J. Cleary, R. White (present All Black), K. Bullivant (former Maori All Black), C. McKinley (coach). Back row: I. Woodford, B. Fitzpatrick (present All Black), T. Donovan, J. Shaskey, J. Barbour, R. Cowley.\r\n\r\nGisborne Photo News - No 12 : June 30, 1955'); void 0){kind=link}
, M. Beuth (Union Chairman), I. Shaw (captain), S. Lee. Middle row: F. Solomon (coach), and a former Maori All Black), G. Harris, G. Elliott, J. Cleary, R. White (present All Black), K. Bullivant (former Maori All Black), C. McKinley (coach). Back row: I. Woodford, B. Fitzpatrick (present All Black), T. Donovan, J. Shaskey, J. Barbour, R. Cowley.\r\n\r\nGisborne Photo News - No 12 : June 30, 1955'); void 0){kind=link}
, M. Beuth (Union Chairman), I. Shaw (captain), S. Lee. Middle row: F. Solomon (coach), and a former Maori All Black), G. Harris, G. Elliott, J. Cleary, R. White (present All Black), K. Bullivant (former Maori All Black), C. McKinley (coach). Back row: I. Woodford, B. Fitzpatrick (present All Black), T. Donovan, J. Shaskey, J. Barbour, R. Cowley.\r\n\r\nGisborne Photo News - No 12 : June 30, 1955'); void 0){kind=link}
, B. Quinn (former sprint champion of Gisborne, who was also killed in action), F. Lee (captain), S. Lee, and T. Donovan. Middle row: T. OBrien (coach), K. Hall, A. Sommers (killed in a plane crash while being repatriated to England during the war), R. Thomson, T. Dunlop, H. Samson. Back row: P. Fischbach, L. Samson, P. Barry, P. Edwards (now manager of the Coronation Hotel).\r\n\r\nGisborne Photo News - No 12 : June 30, 1955'); void 0){kind=link}
, B. Quinn (former sprint champion of Gisborne, who was also killed in action), F. Lee (captain), S. Lee, and T. Donovan. Middle row: T. OBrien (coach), K. Hall, A. Sommers (killed in a plane crash while being repatriated to England during the war), R. Thomson, T. Dunlop, H. Samson. Back row: P. Fischbach, L. Samson, P. Barry, P. Edwards (now manager of the Coronation Hotel).\r\n\r\nGisborne Photo News - No 12 : June 30, 1955'); void 0){kind=link}
, B. Quinn (former sprint champion of Gisborne, who was also killed in action), F. Lee (captain), S. Lee, and T. Donovan. Middle row: T. OBrien (coach), K. Hall, A. Sommers (killed in a plane crash while being repatriated to England during the war), R. Thomson, T. Dunlop, H. Samson. Back row: P. Fischbach, L. Samson, P. Barry, P. Edwards (now manager of the Coronation Hotel).\r\n\r\nGisborne Photo News - No 12 : June 30, 1955'); void 0){kind=link}