| Birth name | John Lorraine Sullivan | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 30 March 1915 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Tahora, New Zealand | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of death | 9 July 1990 (aged 75) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of death | Wellington, New Zealand | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.79 m (5 ft 10 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 80 kg (180 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Occupation(s) | Oil company executive | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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John Lorraine Sullivan CBE (30 March 1915 – 9 July 1990) was a New Zealand rugby union player, coach and administrator. A three-quarter and second five-eighth, Sullivan represented Taranaki at a provincial level, and was a member of the New Zealand national side, the All Blacks, from 1936 to 1938. He played nine matches for the All Blacks including six internationals.[1]
He was selected by the editors of the 1937 Rugby Almanac of New Zealand as one of their 5 players of the year.
Following World War II, during which he saw service overseas, Sullivan became a rugby union coach, selector and administrator. He coached the Taranaki team during the late 1940s, the New Zealand under-23 side in 1958, and the All Blacks on their 1960 tour to South Africa. He was also a Taranaki selector, a North Island selector (1952–59) and a national selector (1954–60). Sullivan served on the New Zealand Rugby Union executive from 1962 to 1977, and was chairman between 1969 and 1977.[1]
In 1977, Sullivan was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal.[2] In the 1978 New Year Honours, he was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire, for services to rugby.[3] He died in Wellington in 1990,[1] and was buried in Te Henui Cemetery, New Plymouth.[4]