Stu Freebairn
| Born | William Stuart Scott Freebairn 12 January 1932 New Plymouth, New Zealand | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Died | 21 September 2025 (aged 93) Palmerston North, New Zealand | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 175 cm (5 ft 9 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 73 kg (161 lb; 11 st 7 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| School | Feilding Agricultural High School | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Occupation | Pharmacist | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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William Stuart Scott Freebairn (12 January 1932 – 21 September 2025) was a New Zealand rugby union player. He was a wing threequarter known for his speed, evidenced by having competed in long jump and relay events in national athletics championships.[1]
Biography
[edit]Freebairn played for the Feilding Yellows at club level and Manawatu at provincial level, representing the province in 84 games in which he scored 53 tries.[2]
Selected for the All Blacks at the age of 21, Freebairn played 14 matches on their 1953–54 New Zealand rugby union tour of Britain, Ireland, France and North America.[3] On the tour he scored 30 points (10 tries), but he was unable to make the test team due to the presence of the incumbents Ron Jarden and Morrie Dixon.[2]
After the tour, Freebairn was unavailable for rugby during the 1954 season while concentrating on his pharmacy studies. Although returning after his studies still a young man and continuing to play well for Manawatu and in All Blacks trials, he never regained selection to the All Blacks.[1]
Freebairn died at Palmerston North on 21 September 2025, at the age of 93.[4][5]
References
[edit]- ^ a b "Manawatū legend Freebairn proud of how life turned out for him". Manawatū Standard. 3 June 2023. Retrieved 11 June 2023.
- ^ a b "Stu Freebairn All Blacks profile". allblacks.com.
- ^ "1950s All Blacks gather in Palmerston North for Rugby Jamboree". Manawatū Guardian. 31 May 2022. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
- ^ Francis, Ben (9 June 2025). "Third-oldest living All Black dies, aged 93". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 22 September 2025.
- ^ "William Freebairn obituary". Manawatū Standard. 26 September 2025. Retrieved 26 September 2025.
Bibliography
[edit]- Palenski, R., Chester, R., and McMillan, N., (2005). The Encyclopaedia of New Zealand Rugby (4th ed.). Auckland: Hodder Moa Beckett. ISBN 1-86971-026-6
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