Tom Donnelly

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Tom Donnelly
Rugby union career
Full name	Thomas Mathew Donnelly
Date of birth	(1981-10-01) 1 October 1981
Place of birth	Rotorua, Bay of Plenty, New Zealand
Height	2 m (6 ft 7 in)
Weight	113 kg (17 st 11 lb)
School	Rotorua Boys' High School
Playing career
Position	Lock
New Zealand No.	1096
Provincial/State sides
Years	Club / team	Caps	(points)
2002–	Otago	83	(25)
correct as of 22 October 2013.
Super Rugby
Years	Club / team	Caps	(points)
2004–2011 2012-2013 2014-	Highlanders Crusaders Blues	65 19 0	(15) (0) (0)

correct as of 28 July 2013.
National team(s)
Years	Club / team	Caps	(points)
2009–	New Zealand	15	(0)
correct as of 5 November 2012.

Thomas Mathew Donnelly (born 1 October 1981) is a rugby union player who plays for the Blues Super Rugby team, and provincial rugby for Otago. He has also made 15 appearances for the All Blacks since 2009.

Playing career

Provincial Rugby

Born in Rotorua, Donnelly moved south in 2000 to attend the University of Otago, and made his debut for Otago in 2002. He quickly established himself as a fixture at lock for the province, and by 2005 was one of the standout players in the provincial championship, forming a dynamic partnership with James Ryan.

Although injuries and international duty have limited his availability for Otago, he remained a fixture in the squad, captaining the team for a stretch in 2007 in place of an injured Craig Newby. In 2008, he played his 50th match for the province.

Due to a shoulder injury and his time with the All Blacks, Donnelly made only a single appearance for Otago in the 2010 ITM Cup. However, in the 2011 ITM Cup he appeared in every game, serving as team captain for the majority of the season following an injury to Eben Joubert.

Super Rugby

Donnelly earned a place on the Highlanders for the first time for the 2004 Super 12 season, but was limited to only two appearances. However, he emerged as a full-time starter through the 2005 and 2006 seasons, starting 20 out of 24 games over that period.

After losing most of the 2007 Super 14 season to injury, he returned in 2008 in top form, marking himself as a future All Black. A strong 2009 would eventually see that promise fulfilled, as he cracked the national side for the first time at the conclusion of the year.

Donnelly started the first 5 games of the 2010 Super 14 season before being ruled out for the rest of the campaign with a serious ankle injury. Back healthy in 2011, he found himself in an unfamiliar position coming off the bench as the strong play of Josh Bekhuis and Jarrad Hoeata kept him out of the starting line-up.

After a disappointing season in 2011, Donnelly transferred to the Crusaders for the 2012 season.

On the 17th of October 2013 It was confirmed that Donnelly had moved to fellow Super Rugby team, The Auckland Blues

International Play

Donnelly was on the fringes of the All Blacks for several years, first being selected to the Junior All Blacks in 2006. He was again selected for the Junior All Blacks in 2007, and to an All Blacks wider training group in 2008.

After being selected to the Junior All Blacks again in 2009, Donnelly was called into the full squad due to an injury to Bryn Evans and made his debut against Australia in the final Tri Nations game of the season on 19 September, won 33-6 by the All Blacks in Wellington.

On the 2009 end of year tour, Donnelly featured in all 5 matches, earning positive reviews for his steady play.

In the 2010 Tri Nations tournament, Donelly played perhaps the finest rugby of his career as one of the form players for the All Blacks, starting every match as New Zealand went undefeated in the tournament. However, his international season would end on a sour note as he injured his knee against Ireland, ruling him out of the remainder of the end of year tour.

The All Blacks currently have a record of 14 wins against only 1 loss in games in which Donnelly has featured.

External links

v t e Otago Razorbacks squad

Forwards	Lee Allan Sam Anderson-Heather Hugh Blake Liam Coltman Tom Donnelly Gareth Evans Tom Franklin Paul Grant TJ Ioane Scott Manson Craig Millar Charlie O'Connell Willis Scott Aki Seiuli Ezra Taylor Tama Turirangi

Backs	Peter Breen Michael Collins Tony Ensor Matt Faddes Fa'asiu Fuatai Kieran Moffat Hayden Parker Buxton Popoali'i Josh Renton Ben Smith Jayden Spence Fumiaki Tanaka Teihorangi Walden

Coach	Tony Brown

Squads

v t e Blues – 2014 Super Rugby season

Forwards	Kane Barrett Luke Braid Tom Donnelly Charlie Faumuina Jerome Kaino Steve Luatua Tom McCartney Keven Mealamu Liaki Moli Brendon O'Connor James Parsons Sam Prattley Culum Retallick Peter Saili Angus Ta'avao Ofa Tu'ungafasi Patrick Tuipulotu Tony Woodcock

Backs	Pita Ahki Jamison Gibson-Park Frank Halai Bryn Hall Baden Kerr Benji Marshall George Moala Chris Noakes Ma'a Nonu Charles Piutau Francis Saili Lolagi Visinia Piri Weepu Jackson Willison

Coach	Sir John Kirwan

v t e Crusaders – 2013 Super Rugby season

Forwards	Dominic Bird Shane Christie Wyatt Crockett Tom Donnelly Corey Flynn Owen Franks Ben Funnell Nepo Laulala Richie McCaw Joe Moody Kieran Read Luke Romano Jordan Taufua Codie Taylor Matt Todd Jimmy Tupou George Whitelock Luke Whitelock Sam Whitelock

Backs	Tyler Bleyendaal Dan Carter Ryan Crotty Israel Dagg Andy Ellis Robbie Fruean Zac Guildford Willi Heinz Tom Marshall Johnny McNicholl Tom Taylor Telusa Veainu Adam Whitelock Did not play: Jeremy Su'a

Coach	Todd Blackadder

v t e Crusaders – 2012 Super Rugby season

Forwards	Wyatt Crockett Tom Donnelly Corey Flynn Ben Franks Owen Franks Ben Funnell Ross Kennedy Quentin MacDonald Richie McCaw Brendon O'Connor Kieran Read Luke Romano Matt Todd George Whitelock Luke Whitelock Sam Whitelock Did not play: Nick Barrett Joe Wheeler

Backs	Tyler Bleyendaal Dan Carter Ryan Crotty Israel Dagg Andrew Ellis Robbie Fruean Zac Guildford Willi Heinz Sean Maitland Tom Marshall Tom Taylor Adam Whitelock Did not play: Patrick Osborne

Coach	Todd Blackadder

Persondata
Name	Donnelly, Tom
Alternative names
Short description	New Zealand rugby union player
Date of birth	1981-10-01
Place of birth	Rotorua, New Zealand
Date of death
Place of death

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