John Ferriter Pym

John Pym, a loyal servant of Sydney’s Manly club in the early 1920s, was a versatile back, comfortable at half, centre or on the wing where he excelled as something of a try sneak.

An alumnus of Manly High School, Pym was described as an “attacking force to be reckoned with”, “fast, nippy, and above all a sure defender”, “a player of class”, “clever in attack and gritty in defence”. He first showed in ‘senior’ rugby during the war-impacted 1918 season when selected from Manly - who played and lost to St. Joseph’s College, Hunters Hill that year - for a “Combined team” to meet the might of Glebe-Balmain at the Sports Ground.

In 1920, prior to the incoming tour by New Zealand and “to aid the selectors in their work”, Pym was chosen in a three-quarter line alongside Jackie Shute, Jack Dawson and Roy Chambers for the Possibles vs. Probables trial. Although Pym did not make the Test team he was chosen to play in the curtain-raiser, for Metropolitan against Combined Country, and starred with three tries in the 31-8 victory. That performance earned Pym a shot, for New South Wales 2nd XV, when they played the tourists at the Sports Ground. Although something of a “scratch” side, the seconds acquitted themselves well in an 18-31 defeat.

A year later Pym was overlooked for the incoming tour by the Springboks, however he appeared to be something of a bolter when chosen for the one-off ‘Test’, 13 match State visit to the Dominion just two months on. With just Billy Sheehan unavailable from the three-quarter line which had faced the Africans, Pym’s selection looked to be right out of the box. Nonetheless, he stood tall with six appearances, as well as being an ultimately unused replacement for the Christchurch international. Pym scored seven tries, including two on his debut in the 29-3 win over Bay of Plenty, to finish a single three pointer behind the great ‘Slip’ Carr’s total of eight. In his column for Referee, The Cynic wrote: “Jacky Pym was the most improved player on the tour.”

Sadly, the 1922 season was cut short after Pym broke a bone in his ankle in the club fixture against Glebe-Balmain. The following year Pym hit the ground running. Writing about the early trial games in The Sun, ‘Hamilton’ stated that “judging by his form on Saturday, [Pym] deserves all the great things of his play during the New Zealand tour of 1921.” Within a few weeks he was selected at centre for the Metropolitan XV to play New Zealand Universities and then for New South Wales for their clash with Combined Australian Universities. An ‘impressive’ performance for Manly against the Kiwi students proved enough to earn a spot on the wing for the first match against the touring Maori

Although he did not know it at the time that match was Pym’s official Test debut after an ARU decision in 1994 elevated the remaining 34 New South Wales matches played against international opposition in the 1920-28 period to Test status (the five 1927/28 Waratahs’ internationals were given Test status in 1986).

Unfortunately, Pym “retired with a knee injury” just prior to half-time. Worse still, his replacement Owen ‘Stumpy’ Crossman lit up the second period, “gave a brilliant display”, scored a try on his debut and set up the match sealing score for Ray Elliott. Although Pym recovered to take his place as a reserve for the second and third fixtures of the series, Crossman started both and scored a try in each to boot. Both wingmen were then unavailable for the subsequent tour of New Zealand, due to business reasons, however beginning in 1924 Crossman went on to start 12 of the next 13 home ‘Tests’ through to the Waratah tour of 1927/28 and in doing so ended Pym’s representative career.

John Pym played one Test for Australia and will forever be Wallaby #191

Highlights

1923 Pym won his first cap on the wing in the 1st Test, 27-23 win over the New Zealand Maori at the Sydney Showground.