Vic Cavanagh (born 1909)
Encyclopedia
Victor George Cavanagh known as "Young Vic" Cavanagh, was a New Zealand
rugby union
administrator. He was born in Caversham
, Dunedin
. He was the son of "Old Vic" Cavanagh
. Between them, they greatly affected the development of the sport of rugby within New Zealand.
Young Vic's playing career saw him play as hooker for the Southern club in Dunedin, and also a cricketer for Otago Boys' High School
. Beyond the sports field he was a prominent newspaperman, having started as a compositor for the Otago Daily Times
and risen to be General Manager of its major rival, the Evening Star
from 1950. He oversaw the merger of the two papers and the formation of the new Allied Press company in 1974, becoming the first head of the new company until his retirement in 1976.
In sport, Cavanagh represented Otago as a middle-order batsman at cricket, scoring nearly 1,300 runs at an average of 24, and was named as a member of the national squad, though he never made an international appearance. In rugby, he played only seven games as wing forward for Otago in 1931 before injury ended his career. In 1934 he followed in his father's footsteps by becoming coach of Southern’s senior team.
In 1929 Old Vic developed the ‘loose scrum’ technique to help lighter student forwards win ball in broken play. The new-look 3-4-1 scrum shape revolutionised forward play, and - with the refinements to what became kn own as "the Southern style’ by Young Vic, led to the dominance of Otago in provincial rugby in the years prior to World War II. The two Cavanaghs were appointed co-coaches of Otago in 1936, and Otago held the country's major provincial trophy, the Ranfurly Shield
for much of the following 14 years. In 1949, Otago provided eleven members of the national side to tour South Africa
.
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 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...
administrator. He was born in Caversham
Caversham, New Zealand
Caversham is one of the older suburbs of the South Island New Zealand city of Dunedin. It is sited at the western edge of the city's central plain at the mouth of the steep Caversham Valley, which rises to the saddle of Lookout Point...
, Dunedin
Dunedin
Dunedin is the second-largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the principal city of the Otago Region. It is considered to be one of the four main urban centres of New Zealand for historic, cultural, and geographic reasons. Dunedin was the largest city by territorial land area until...
. He was the son of "Old Vic" Cavanagh
Vic Cavanagh (born 1874)
Victor George Cavanagh , known as "Old Vic" Cavanagh, was a New Zealand rugby union administrator. He was born in Caversham, Dunedin. He was the father of "Young Vic" Cavanagh...
. Between them, they greatly affected the development of the sport of rugby within New Zealand.
Young Vic's playing career saw him play as hooker for the Southern club in Dunedin, and also a cricketer for Otago Boys' High School
Otago Boys' High School
Otago Boys' High School is one of New Zealand's oldest boys' secondary schools, located in Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand. It was founded on 3 August 1863 and moved to its present site in 1885. The main building was designed by Robert Lawson and is regarded as one of the finest Gothic revival...
. Beyond the sports field he was a prominent newspaperman, having started as a compositor for the Otago Daily Times
Otago Daily Times
The Otago Daily Times is a newspaper published by Allied Press Ltd in Dunedin, New Zealand.-History:Originally styled The Otago Daily Times, the ODT was first published on November 15, 1861. It is New Zealand's oldest surviving daily newspaper - Christchurch's The Press, six months older, was a...
and risen to be General Manager of its major rival, the Evening Star
Evening Star (Dunedin)
The Evening Star was a daily evening newspaper published in Dunedin, New Zealand from June 1863. Second-longest lasting of Dunedin's newspapers, it was the only rival to the Otago Daily Times to survive beyond the first few years of the twentieth century.The Star - as the paper was originally...
from 1950. He oversaw the merger of the two papers and the formation of the new Allied Press company in 1974, becoming the first head of the new company until his retirement in 1976.
In sport, Cavanagh represented Otago as a middle-order batsman at cricket, scoring nearly 1,300 runs at an average of 24, and was named as a member of the national squad, though he never made an international appearance. In rugby, he played only seven games as wing forward for Otago in 1931 before injury ended his career. In 1934 he followed in his father's footsteps by becoming coach of Southern’s senior team.
In 1929 Old Vic developed the ‘loose scrum’ technique to help lighter student forwards win ball in broken play. The new-look 3-4-1 scrum shape revolutionised forward play, and - with the refinements to what became kn own as "the Southern style’ by Young Vic, led to the dominance of Otago in provincial rugby in the years prior to World War II. The two Cavanaghs were appointed co-coaches of Otago in 1936, and Otago held the country's major provincial trophy, the Ranfurly Shield
Ranfurly Shield
The Ranfurly Shield, colloquially known as the Log o' Wood, is a trophy in New Zealand's domestic rugby union competition. First played for in 1904, the Ranfurly Shield is based on a challenge system, rather than a league or knockout competition as with most football trophies...
for much of the following 14 years. In 1949, Otago provided eleven members of the national side to tour South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
.