Lane Penn

Who was Lane Penn?

Jeff Lane Penn was a representative rugby football player for Taranaki and Wairarapa-Bush, and coach of a highly competitive Wairarapa Bush side 1983-1987. He has been employed as All Black selector 1988-1991, and as president of the New Zealand Rugby Football Union 2001-2003.

Lane Penn was born in Stratford, New Zealand, and received his secondary education at New Plymouth Boys' High School. He was selected for Taranaki while still at school, and played more than 50 games from 1957-1963. He moved to the Wairarapa, and played 12 games for the provincial side there 1965-1966.

After coaching the Wairarapa-Bush club side Gladstone to a club championship, he took over the job of coaching of the Wairarapa-Bush from Sir Brian Lochore in 1983. He was successful at maintaining a highly competitive provincial team against all the odds, and the team regularly hit the headlines with outstanding performance against the larger unions of the country. All Blacks Brett Harvey and Brent Anderson were among the team's stand-out players.

In 1988 Penn’s efforts were recognized and he was appointed All Black selector. Over the next few years Penn coached the New Zealand Development team, New Zealand Marist and divisional sides on overseas tours, and no national team that he coached ever tasted defeat. Penn was employed as assistant coach to Alex Wylie, and served on various NZRFU committees and judiciary panels. He was a member of the selection panel which chose John Hart as All Black coach.