Australian Rugby Union today farewelled one Test Wallaby winger, John Marshall, who passed away last Wednesday, 6 March, at the age of 86.
Known by his friends and team mates as ‘Jack’, he was born and bred in Newcastle and won his sole Wallabies Test Cap in Sydney against New Zealand’s Maori Test team in June 1949.
An exceptionally fast winger and a sound ball handler, Jack played his club Rugby for the Waratah Club in Newcastle, a club famous for developing Wallabies including; Ron Harvey, John Hipwell, Peter Horton, Jim Lenehan and Cyril Burke.
Jack’s first game against an international team was as a centre for a Combined Northern team against the All Blacks in Newcastle in 1947.
It was a 14-43 loss, but Jack’s blistering pace saw him collect one try.
In 1949 Jack found himself on the wing against the touring New Zealand Maori. While the score-line at the end of play read 14-19 in the Maori’s favour Jack again showed good skills and pace to cross the try line.
He also stepped out for Newcastle against the Maori during the same tour with his performances in both matches earning him his one and only Test cap as Wallaby number 363 in what proved to be 12-3 win to the Maori.
The team in his sole Test was; Brian Piper, Charlie Eastes, John Blomley, Trevor Allan (c), John Marshall, Eddie Broad, Roy Cawsey, Pat Harvey, Colin Windon, Eric Tweedale, Nick Shehadie, Keith Cross, Eric Davis, Nev Cottrell and Jack Baxter.
While Jack was replaced for the second Test, bringing an end to his Wallabies career, he did play for NSW against the Maori one last time during their tour.
Though he only played one Test for his country Jack ran out seven times for NSW between 1948 and 1949.
The life of John ‘Jack’ Marshall will be celebrated this afternoon at the Northern Suburbs Crematorium.