Andrew James "Jim" O'Brien (1897–1969) was a New Zealand

New Zealand

New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...

 rugby football

Rugby football

Rugby football is a style of football named after Rugby School in the United Kingdom. It is seen most prominently in two current sports, rugby league and rugby union.-History:...

er who represented his country in rugby union

New Zealand national rugby league team

The New Zealand national rugby league team has represented New Zealand in rugby league football since intercontinental competition began for the sport in 1907. Administered by the New Zealand Rugby League, they are commonly known as the Kiwis, after the native bird of that name...

 and rugby league

New Zealand national rugby league team

The New Zealand national rugby league team has represented New Zealand in rugby league football since intercontinental competition began for the sport in 1907. Administered by the New Zealand Rugby League, they are commonly known as the Kiwis, after the native bird of that name...

.

Rugby union career

O'Brien began his career playing rugby union

Rugby union

Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...

 for Marlborough

Marlborough Rugby Union

Marlborough Rugby Union was a New Zealand rugby union team that played from 1888-2005.Marlborough was founded in 1888 and played at Lansdowne Park in Blenheim.-Championships:...

 between 1919 and 1921. He also played for a combined Nelson

Nelson Rugby Union

Nelson Rugby Union was founded in 1885, and played provincial rugby until 1967 when they decided to merge with the Golden Bay-Motueka Rugby Union to create Nelson-Bays.-Nelson in Ranfurly Shield:...

-Marlborough

Marlborough Rugby Union

Marlborough Rugby Union was a New Zealand rugby union team that played from 1888-2005.Marlborough was founded in 1888 and played at Lansdowne Park in Blenheim.-Championships:...

-Golden Bay-Motueka

Golden Bay-Motueka Rugby Union

Golden Bay-Motueka Rugby Union was founded in 1920, and played provincial rugby until 1967 when they decided to merge with the Nelson Rugby Union to create Nelson Bays.-Golden Bay-Motueka in Ranfurly Shield:...

 side against the 1921 Springboks

South Africa national rugby union team

The South African national rugby union team are 2009 British and Irish Lions Series winners. They are currently ranked as the fourth best team in the IRB World Rankings and were named 2008 World Team of the Year at the prestigious Laureus World Sports Awards.Although South Africa was instrumental...

 in the side's 26-3 defeat. In that game he lined up alongside fellow future dual-international Charles Fitzgerald

Charles Fitzgerald (rugby)

Charles James Fitzgerald was a New Zealand dual-code international rugby footballer who represented New Zealand in rugby union and rugby league...

.

In 1922 he moved north to Auckland

Auckland

The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...

, joining the Grafton club. He immediately was selected for the North Island side and subesquently the All Blacks tour of New Zealand and South Wales. He finished the tour having played in 3 games and scored one try. Returning to Auckland, O’Brien played his first game for the union late in the 1922 season. In 1923 he played five games for Auckland.

Rugby league career

O'Brien switched to rugby league

Rugby league

Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...

 in 1924, joining Marist

Marist Saints

The Marist Saints is a rugby league club based in Mount Albert, New Zealand. They regularly feature in the Fox Memorial, the premier division in Auckland Rugby League...

 in the Auckland Rugby League

Auckland Rugby League

The Auckland Rugby League is the governing body for the sport of rugby league in the Auckland Region of New Zealand. It is responsible for rugby league in the region and was the owner of Carlaw Park, once the "spiritual home of rugby league in New Zealand".-History:The Auckland Rugby League was...

 competition. He played for Auckland

Auckland rugby league team

The Auckland rugby league team is the team which traditionally represents all of the clubs which play in the Auckland Rugby League competition. The Auckland Rugby League team has traditionally been a powerhouse of New Zealand domestic rugby league...

 and made the New Zealand Kiwis for three tests against the touring Great Britain Lions side that year. He toured Australia in 1925 and gained another two Kiwi test caps playing against Great Britain when they toured again in 1928.

In 1929 he served as the secretary of the Marist club.