Stu Freebairn

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Stu Freebairn
BornWilliam Stuart Scott Freebairn
(1932-01-12)12 January 1932
New Plymouth, New Zealand
Died21 September 2025(2025-09-21) (aged 93)
Palmerston North, New Zealand
Height175 cm (5 ft 9 in)
Weight73 kg (161 lb; 11 st 7 lb)
School Feilding Agricultural High School
Occupation(s)Pharmacist
Rugby union career
Position(s) Wing
Provincial / State sides
YearsTeamApps(Points)
1952–1962 Manawatu 84 (159)
International career
YearsTeamApps(Points)
1953–1954 New Zealand

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]

Contents

Biography

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

  1. 1 2 "Manawatū legend Freebairn proud of how life turned out for him". Manawatū Standard. 3 June 2023. Retrieved 11 June 2023.
  2. 1 2 "Stu Freebairn All Blacks profile". allblacks.com.
  3. ↑ "1950s All Blacks gather in Palmerston North for Rugby Jamboree". Manawatū Guardian. 31 May 2022. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
  4. ↑ Francis, Ben (9 June 2025). "Third-oldest living All Black dies, aged 93". The New Zealand Herald . Retrieved 22 September 2025.
  5. ↑ "William Freebairn obituary". Manawatū Standard . 26 September 2025. Retrieved 26 September 2025.

Bibliography

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