Kevin Skinner

All Blacks prop of the late 1940s and 1950s who was also New Zealand heavyweight boxing champion.

Kevin Lawrence Skinner (24 November 1927 - 21 July 2014) was a New Zealand rugby union player who won 20 full caps for the All Blacks, two of them as captain. He was also a heavyweight boxer and won the New Zealand championship in 1947.

Quick Facts

Birth name: Kevin Lawrence Skinner
Born: 27 November 1927
Birthplace: Dunedin, New Zealand
Died: 21 July 2014
Place of death: Auckland, New Zealand
Height: 1.83 m / 6 ft
Weight: 97 kg / 214 lb
Position: Prop

Lore & Background

Born in Dunedin, Skinner was educated at Christian Brothers School, Dunedin, and St. Kevin's College, Oamaru, where he played in the first XV in 1943 and 1944 and captained the side in his final year. In 1945 he played senior rugby for the Dunedin Pirates as a lock. As a boxer he won the Otago heavyweight championship in 1946 and the New Zealand heavyweight title in 1947.

Reader's Guide

In 1947 Skinner played nine matches for the Otago representative team, including its successful Ranfurly Shield challenge against Southland, and also played for the South Island; he represented Otago again in 1948.