Herb Lilburne

Who was Herb Lilburne?

Herbert "Herb"/"Herbie" Theodore Lilburne born in Burnham, was a New Zealand dual-code international rugby union and professional rugby league footballer of the 1920s and '30s, and coach of the 1940s, playing representative level rugby union for New Zealand, South Island, North Island, Canterbury, and Wellington, and at club level for Marist Albion RFC, as a Fullback, Centre, or Fly-half, i.e. number 15, or, 13 or 12, or 10, and playing representative level rugby league, for New Zealand, and Wellington, as a Wing, i.e. number 2 or 5, and having been reinstated from rugby league in the World War II amnesty, coaching club level rugby union for Zingari-Richmond Rugby Club. Following the injuries to the New Zealand captain Cliff Porter, and vice-captain Bill Dalley, Herb Lilburne was appointed captain for the first test of New Zealand's 1929 tour of Australia, at 21-years and 112-days he is the youngest New Zealand test captain to date, he died in Dunedin