| Full name | Thomas Desmond Coughlan | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 30 April 1934 | ||
| Place of birth | Mosgiel, New Zealand | ||
| Height | 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) | ||
| Weight | 97 kg (15 st 4 lb) | ||
| School | St. Kevin's College, Oamaru | ||
| Rugby union career | |||
| Playing career | |||
| Position | Flanker | ||
| Provincial/State sides | |||
| Years | Club / team | Caps | (points) |
| South Canterbury | |||
| National team(s) | |||
| Years | Club / team | Caps | (points) |
| 1958 | All Blacks | 1 | (0) |
Thomas Desmond Coughlan who was born on 30 April 1934 in Mosgiel, New Zealand is a former international rugby player. He was a member of the All Blacks in 1958 playng in the flanker position.[1]
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Coughlan came from a farming background. He was educated at St. Kevin's College, Oamaru where he played rugby for the school.[1]
Later Coughlan played for the Temuka club. He represented South Canterbury from 1952 until 1960 making 76 appearances. He also played five times for combined South Canterbury-North Otago-Mid Canterbury selections, including matches against the 1955 Wallabies, the 1956 Springboks (in which he scored the Hanan Shield unions' only try) and the 1959 British Lions.[1] Caughlan later represented King Country, in 1961 (from the Aria-Mokauiti Club). He played for the South Island team in 1955, 1957, 1958 and 1960. He was a New Zealand trialist in 1953 and 1955–1961. He also played in the rest of New Zealand in 1960.[2]
Coughlan was selected for the All Blacks in 1958 and appeared in the first test against Australia at Athletic Park. Yet despite playing creditably in the All Blacks' 25–3 win over the Wallabies Coughlan was dropped to the reserves for the second test and from the squad entirely for the third. He never played for the All Blacks again but after good games in three trials was considered unlucky to have missed the 1960 side to tour South Africa. Between 1953 and 1961 he played in 14 All Black trials in all, including one for a New Zealand XV against the Rest in 1955. He was also in The Rest XV which met the All Blacks on their return from South Africa in 1960 and played for the South Island on four separate occasions, in 1955, 1957–58 and 1960.[1]