| Full name | Frederick Richard Allen | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 9 February 1920 | ||
| Place of birth | Oamaru, New Zealand | ||
| Height | 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) | ||
| Weight | 79 kg (170 lb) | ||
| School | Phillipstown School | ||
| Rugby union career | |||
| Playing career | |||
| Position | First five-eighths/Fly-half | ||
| New Zealand No. | 449 | ||
| Amateur clubs | |||
| Years | Club / team | ||
| 1938-1941 1946-1949 |
Linwood Grammar |
||
| correct as of 2007-01-30. | |||
| Provincial/State sides | |||
| Years | Club / team | Caps | (points) |
| 1938 1939-1941 1946-1949 |
Canterbury Colts Canterbury Auckland |
||
| correct as of 2007-01-30. | |||
| National team(s) | |||
| Years | Club / team | Caps | (points) |
| 1946-1949 | All Blacks | 6 | (0) |
| correct as of 2007-01-30. | |||
| Coaching career | |||
| Years | Club / team | ||
| 1957-1963 1966-1968 |
Auckland All Blacks |
||
| correct as of 2007-01-30. | |||
| Rugby union career | |||
Sir Frederick "Fred" Richard Allen, KNZM, OBE (born 9 February 1920) is a former captain and coach of the All Blacks, New Zealand's national rugby union team. The All Blacks won all 14 of the test matches they played under his coaching.
Allen was born in Oamaru, New Zealand. He was educated in Christchurch, where he played for the Linwood club, and at Auckland Grammar School, where he played for the 1st xv as a winger. After captaining the Canterbury Colts in 1938, he was selected for Canterbury in 1939. During World War II Allen served as a lieutenant in the 27th and 30th Battalions. He played for service teams including the 2nd NZEF "Kiwis" Army team that toured Britain following the war.
When he returned to New Zealand he settled in Auckland, and was selected for the All Blacks in 1946. He continued to play for the All Blacks, and in 1949 was selected as captain for the 1949 tour to South Africa. Although each test match was very close, the All Blacks lost the series 4-0. Allen retired from playing after the series.
Allen went on to coach, and was a selector-coach for Auckland during their Ranfurly Shield era of the late 1950s. He became an All Blacks selector, before becoming All Blacks coach in 1966. A fierce but very effective coach, Allen picked up the nickname of "The Needle". The All Blacks' reign under Allen was the team's most successful; they won all 14 of their tests with him as coach.[1] The New Zealand Rugby Football Union awarded Allen the Steinlager Salver in 2002, and in 2005 Allen was inducted into the International Rugby Hall of Fame.
On 7 June 2010, Allen was made a Knight Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the Queen's Birthday Honours List for services to rugby.[2] He had previously been awarded an OBE in 1990.
On 25 September 2010, Allen became the oldest living All Black.[3]
Tests: 6 (6 as Captain)
Games: 15 (15 as Captain)
Total Matches: 21 (21 as Captain)
Test Points: 0pts
Game Points: 21pts (7t, 0c, 0p, 0dg, 0m)
Total Points: 21pts (7t, 0c, 0p, 0dg, 0m)