Terrence William Reid

Terry Reid was a ball scavenging flanker who made up for his lack of height and perceived light weight with lightning speed, a smart rugby brain, wholehearted effort, excellent mobility and constant defensive pressure on the opposing inside backs from set play.

 

Born in Sydney, Reid was a pupil of Clovelly Primary School and shared a class with future national  captain John Thornett. He played rugby league at Clovelly Primary and then at Paddington Junior Technical School, and also for Eastern Suburbs in the Lennox Cup competition.

 

Reid completed his education at Randwick Boys’ High School and played in the 1st XV from where he was selected for Combined High Schools. He also played water polo for both the school and CHS. While still at school, Reid played for the Randwick Rugby Club in its First Grade Junior Competitions in 1951 and again in 1952.

 

He went from Randwick juniors into the grade ranks at the age of 17 but did not make his debut for New South Wales, against Queensland, until 1959.

 

After one of the interstate clashes in 1961, The Rugby News described him as “a speedy and devastating tackling breakaway whose brilliant display for N.S.W. stamped him as the best flank forward in Australia.” Within a few weeks Reid was named to make his Test debut against Fiji in Brisbane.

 

Later that year he toured with the Wallabies to South Africa.

 

Terry Reid played five Tests for Australia in a two-year international career. 

 

Highlights

 

1961

 

Reid won his first Test cap on the flank alongside Ted Heinrich and John O’Gorman in the 1st Test, 24-6 victory over Fiji in Brisbane. Reid and Heinrich retained their spots while Dick Thornett came in for O’Gorman at No.8 for the final two Tests of the series. He scored his first Test try in the 2nd Test, 20-14 win in Sydney. Reid won a fourth cap when he combined with O’Gorman and Rob Heming in the back row for the 1st Test, 3-28 defeat to South Africa at Ellis Park. 

 

1962

 

Reid started on the side of the scrum with Heinrich and Dick Thornett in the 1st Test, 6-20 loss to New Zealand at the Exhibition Ground.