#616 Allan George Ernest Rowlands
(Poverty Bay 1955, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 65)
Pictured above Allan Rowland shaking hands with South African Captain C.M.Smith
June 30, v. SOUTH AFRICA, at Rugby Park, Gisborne Lost 3 to 32 Scorers – Pov Bay- East Coast: Penalty: H.H.Henare Referee: Mr. D. H. Millar (Otago)
Rowlands, Allan George Ernest – Marist OB – (Poverty Bay) b 13.9.1935, Gisborne.
Allan Rowlands shares with R.A.White the distinction of becoming a match centurion whilst serving as a Poverty Bay Representative.
Unlike R.A.White, however, he was not privileged to wear the Silver Fern, when less accomplished players have been called upon, but he can look back with satisfaction at being named as a reserve for the New Team at Christchurch in 1958 and with touring with the Under-23 New Zealand team to Japan and Hong Kong. When it is recalled that Allan Rowlands appeared in nine New Zealand Trial teams , and twice for North Island also, it will be appreciated how close to All Black honours came this grand prop forward.
Allan Rowlands was born at Gisborne, on September 13, 1935.
He attended the local Marist Bros. High School, after which he joined Marist Bros. Old Boys Club, gaining Poverty Bay junior honours before moving on to the senior grade. As a senior Allan Rowlands was selected for Poverty Bay in 1955, and whenever available was a first-call Prop thereafter, 45 of his matches for his Union being as its captain.
His Full record is :
- Poverty Bay (Marist) 1955(9)–56(9)–57(9)–58(4)–59(6)–60(9)–61(8)–62(9)–63(9)–65 (4), 76g, 6t
- Poverty Bay-East Coast 1955-56 (2) – 59 (2) -65 (3), 8g
- Barbarians Club 1955
- Centurions Club 1957
- Olympians Club 1963
- North lsland Colts 1955
- NZ Juniors Trial 1957
- NZ Juniors 1958 (9), 2t
- North Island 1957-58
- NZ Trials 1957 (2) – 58 (1) – 59 (3) – 60 (3), 1t
- Career: 109g, 9t
- Prop ed Marist HS, Gisborne
- Died 13-4-2017 aged 81
Total Matches – 109 matches