Vivian Alphonsus Dunn

Vivian Dunn, an all-round forward, emerged as an international after playing with the first AIF XV during World War 1. He helped the AIF beat Australia in three games in 1919, 25-18, 20-13 and 22-6. He was the first representative player from Junee, Southern Districts of NSW, and played all three Tests against the visiting New Zealand side in Sydney in 1920. In 1921 he moved to Sydney and joined the Glebe- Balmain Club and played against the South African tourists in Sydney. Although Australia lost the three matches against the South Africans, the following month’s tour of New Zealand was a different proposition. Australia won nine of 10 games including a notable 17 to nil victory over New Zealand by scoring four tries to nil. Dunn showed his all-round skills in the lineouts, mauls and rucks in the Test win.

He played seven minor games during the tour and captained against Waikato and scored a try against Bay of Plenty. Viv Dunn was a Corporal in the 1919 AIF tour, and played in seven of the eight games the AIF played in Australia. These were against NSW (42-14), Australia (25-18), New England (36-11, a try), Queensland (38-7, try), Australia (20-13), North-West Union (52-6) and Australia (22-6). As stated, representing Junee he played for NSW against the NZ All Blacks (15-26), the return match (6-14), and the final match for NSW (13-24). In 1986 these matches for NSW were declared as Tests, for Queensland did not play rugby union from 1919 to 1929. Thus, Dunn’s first Test was on 24 July 1920 at the Sydney Sports Ground. The team was Jackie Beith, Arthur Mayne, Roy Chambers, ‘Pup’ Raymond, Larry Wogan, Tommy Lawton, Arthur Walker, Bob Marrott, Viv Dunn, Irv Ormiston, Ray Elliott, Charlie Fox, Tom Davis, John Bond and Willie Watson (capt.).

In 1921, as noted, he played against South Africa. He was in the first NSW match (10-25), the second (11-16), the third (9-28) and for Metropolitan (8-14), as he was playing for Glebe- Balmain. He toured New Zealand with the 1921 NSW team, captained by Arthur Walker. He was 25 years old at the time, and weighed 12st 8lbs. As with the AIF team he was robust, and played in eight of the ten tour games, always as a flanker. The matches he was in were North Auckland (17-8), Waikato (28-11, capt.), Bay of Plenty (29-3), Wairarapa (34-5), Marlborough (19-11) Buller (25-11), New Zealand at Christchurch (17-0) and Wellington (8-16). Chester and McMillan wrote in ‘The Visitors’:” Fox, Loudon, Elliott, Smith, Davis, Bond, Dunn and Thorn worked overtime in the forwards, displaying their all-round skills and maintaining a creditable standard of fitness.” That tour ended his representative career. In all he played in seven Tests for Australia and was in seven non-Test matches. He captained Australia once, but not in a Test.