Scots College – Learning. For Life.

James McCormick was born in Waipukurau and educated at Scots College. His first representative rugby was played during World War II, for Combined Services (Manawatu) in 1943, then Wairarapa from the Featherston Army club in 1944 and Wellington (Army) the following year. He also appeared for Central Districts and North Island Services in 1945, as a prop for the North Island combination. The rest of his representative rugby was played for Hawkes Bay whom he represented from 1946-49.

In 1946 Jim McCormick played a full season for Hawkes Bay and had a strong game, scoring a try, for Hawkes Bay-Poverty Bay against Australia. A replacement in both the North Island and final trials in 1947 he was chosen for that year's All Black tour to Australia ahead of Southlander J A McRae who had made his test debut the previous season.

In Australia McCormick had to take second place to test incumbent Has Catley and played in three midweek matches. Both he and Catley were injured for the last match of the tour, against Auckland, allowing Arthur Hughes to make his All Black debut before he had even played for Auckland.

Jim McCormick represented Hawkes Bay for the next two seasons and also appeared in two All Black trials in 1948. A farmer near Waipukurau he subsequently served on the Junior Advisory Board of the Central Hawkes Bay sub-union. Stood six foot (1.83m) and weighed 14 stone (89kg).

Profile by Bob Luxford
for the New Zealand Rugby Museum.