Steve T Casey
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Born in Dunedin and educated there at Christian Brothers’ School, Casey, who played for the Southern Club, first represented Otago as a twenty year old in 1903. The following year he progressed to the South Island team and in 1905 was selected in the “Originals”, the 1905/6 All Blacks who made a wonderfully successful tour through Great Britain.
With Aucklander George Tyler, Steve Casey formed a most effective front row combination in the 2-3-2 scrum formation then used. He played in the tests against Scotland, Ireland, England and Wales.
He toured again with the All Blacks, to Australia in 1907, playing in all three internationals. His front row partner that year was “Ned” Hughes who 14 years later created his own little piece of rugby history by playing against the 1921 Springboks, at 40 years of age.
Steve Casey played once more for New Zealand, in 1908 against the Anglo-Welsh, but was not called on again, though he continued turning out for Otago until 1913. In all he played 99 first class matches, 38 of them for New Zealand, including 9 tests.
Despite his 38 matches for the All Blacks Casey never scored a point for them. His front row partners did better, Tyler picking up 5 tries in his 36 appearances and Hughes 1 from 6 matches.
Profile by Bob Luxford
for the New Zealand Rugby Museum.
FULL NAME
Stephen Timothy Casey
BORN
Sunday, 24 December 1882 in Dunedin
DIED
Wednesday, 10 August 1960 in Dunedin
PHYSICAL
1.78m, 78kg
POSITION
Hooker
LAST SCHOOL
Christian Brothers’ School (Dunedin)
RUGBY CLUB
(First made All Blacks from)
Southern
PROVINCE
Otago
ALL BLACK DEBUT
Saturday, 1 July 1905
v Auckland at Auckland
aged 22 years, 189 days
INTERNATIONAL DEBUT
Saturday, 18 November 1905
v Scotland at Edinburgh
aged 22 years, 329 days
LAST TEST
Saturday, 6 June 1908
v British & Irish Lions at Dunedin
aged 25 years, 165 days
ALL BLACK TESTS
8 (0 as Captain)
ALL BLACK GAMES
30 (0 as Captain)
TOTAL ALL BLACK MATCHES
38 (0 as Captain)
ALL BLACK TEST POINTS
0pts
ALL BLACK GAME POINTS
0pts
TOTAL ALL BLACK POINTS
0pts
ALL BLACK NUMBER
116