Lane Penn
Encyclopedia
Jeff Lane Penn was a representative rugby football
player for Taranaki
(1957–1963) and Wairarapa
-Bush (1965–1966), and coach of a highly competitive Wairarapa Bush side 1983-1987. He has been employed as All Black selector 1988-1991, and as president of the New Zealand Rugby Football Union 2001-2003.
Lane Penn was born in Stratford, New Zealand
, and received his secondary education at New Plymouth Boys' High School
. He was selected for Taranaki while still at school, and played more than 50 games from 1957-1963. He moved to the Wairarapa, and played 12 games for the provincial side there 1965-1966.
After coaching the Wairarapa-Bush club side Gladstone to a club championship, he took over the job of coaching of the Wairarapa-Bush from Sir Brian Lochore
in 1983. He was successful at maintaining a highly competitive provincial team against all the odds, and the team regularly hit the headlines with outstanding performance against the larger unions of the country. All Blacks Brett Harvey and Brent Anderson were among the team's stand-out players.
In 1988 Penn’s efforts were recognized and he was appointed All Black selector. Over the next few years Penn coached the New Zealand Development team, New Zealand Marist and divisional sides on overseas tours, and no national team that he coached ever tasted defeat. Penn was employed as assistant coach to Alex Wylie, and served on various NZRFU committees and judiciary panels. He was a member of the selection panel which chose John Hart as All Black coach.
In 2001 Penn was elected President of the New Zealand Rugby Football Union for a two-year term, and was a strong advocate for the resourcing and encouragement of grassroots and provincial rugby in New Zealand.
Lane Penn is married to Jill, and farms in Opaki near Masterton
.
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:...
player for Taranaki
Taranaki Province
The Taranaki Province was a province of New Zealand from 1853 until the abolition of provincial government in 1876...
(1957–1963) and Wairarapa
Wairarapa
Wairarapa is a geographical region of New Zealand. It occupies the south-eastern corner of the North Island, east of metropolitan Wellington and south-west of the Hawke's Bay region. It is lightly populated, having several rural service towns, with Masterton being the largest...
-Bush (1965–1966), and coach of a highly competitive Wairarapa Bush side 1983-1987. He has been employed as All Black selector 1988-1991, and as president of the New Zealand Rugby Football Union 2001-2003.
Lane Penn was born in Stratford, New Zealand
Stratford, New Zealand
Stratford is the only town in the central Taranaki district of Stratford District, New Zealand. It lies beneath the eastern slopes of Mount Taranaki/Egmont, approximately half-way between New Plymouth and Hawera, near the geographic centre of the Taranaki region. The town has a population of...
, and received his secondary education at New Plymouth Boys' High School
New Plymouth Boys' High School
New Plymouth Boys' High School is a single-sex boys' state secondary school in New Plymouth, Taranaki, New Zealand. It was founded in 1882 and celebrated its 125th Jubilee in 2007....
. He was selected for Taranaki while still at school, and played more than 50 games from 1957-1963. He moved to the Wairarapa, and played 12 games for the provincial side there 1965-1966.
After coaching the Wairarapa-Bush club side Gladstone to a club championship, he took over the job of coaching of the Wairarapa-Bush from Sir Brian Lochore
Brian Lochore
Sir Brian James Lochore, ONZ, KNZM, OBE is a former rugby union footballer and coach who represented and captained the New Zealand national team, the All Blacks. He played at number 8 and lock, as well as captaining the side 46 times...
in 1983. He was successful at maintaining a highly competitive provincial team against all the odds, and the team regularly hit the headlines with outstanding performance against the larger unions of the country. All Blacks Brett Harvey and Brent Anderson were among the team's stand-out players.
In 1988 Penn’s efforts were recognized and he was appointed All Black selector. Over the next few years Penn coached the New Zealand Development team, New Zealand Marist and divisional sides on overseas tours, and no national team that he coached ever tasted defeat. Penn was employed as assistant coach to Alex Wylie, and served on various NZRFU committees and judiciary panels. He was a member of the selection panel which chose John Hart as All Black coach.
In 2001 Penn was elected President of the New Zealand Rugby Football Union for a two-year term, and was a strong advocate for the resourcing and encouragement of grassroots and provincial rugby in New Zealand.
Lane Penn is married to Jill, and farms in Opaki near Masterton
Masterton
Masterton is a large town and local government district in the Wellington Region of New Zealand. It is the largest town in the Wairarapa, a region separated from Wellington by the Rimutaka ranges...
.