Portrait of Tom Donnelly (rugby union)

Birthday profile

Tom Donnelly (rugby union)

Tom Donnelly, New Zealand rugby player

Born
October 1, 1981
Age in 2026
45
Zodiac sign
Libra
Birth year
1981

About Tom Donnelly (rugby union)

Thomas Mathew Donnelly (born 1 October 1981) is a former rugby union player who played for Montpellier in the Top 14. He also made 15 appearances for the All Blacks since 2009 and played for Otago Rugby Football Union. He moved into a coaching career at Otago from 2017. == Playing career == === Provincial rugby === Born in Rotorua, Donnelly moved south in 2000 to attend the University of Otago, and made his debut for Otago in 2002. He quickly established himself as a fixture at lock for the province, and by 2005 was one of the standout players in the provincial championship, forming a dynamic partnership with James Ryan. Although injuries and international duty have limited his availability for Otago, he remained a fixture in the squad, captaining the team for a stretch in 2007 in place of an injured Craig Newby. In 2008, he played his 50th match for the province. Due to a shoulder injury and his time with the All Blacks, Donnelly made only a single appearance for Otago in the 2010 ITM Cup. However, in the 2011 ITM Cup he appeared in every game, serving as team captain for the majority of the season following an injury to Eben Joubert. === Super Rugby === Donnelly earned a place on the Highlanders for the first time for the 2004 Super 12 season, but was limited to only two appearances.

Biography source: Wikipedia. The profile adds birthday-specific historical context from the Celebs Birthday Today editorial database.

Career and life highlights

Tom Donnelly (rugby union) timeline

  1. Donnelly earned a place on the Highlanders for the first time for the 2004 Super 12 season, but was limited to only two appearances.
  2. Donnelly was on the fringes of the All Blacks for several years, first being selected to the Junior All Blacks in 2006.
  3. He also made 15 appearances for the All Blacks since 2009 and played for Otago Rugby Football Union.
  4. Donnelly started the first 5 games of the 2010 Super 14 season before being ruled out for the rest of the campaign with a serious ankle injury.

The world when Tom Donnelly (rugby union) was born

Tom Donnelly (rugby union) was born in 1981. The year snapshot below places that birthday in its cultural and historical setting: the music and films people were following, the headlines shaping public life, and the everyday prices families encountered.

Culture in 1981

  • #1 song"Bette Davis Eyes" – Kim Carnes
  • Top movieChariots of Fire
  • Top TV showDallas
  • Best-selling bookThe Hotel New Hampshire – John Irving

Headlines and milestones

  • Major sports momentSugar Ray Leonard defeats Thomas Hearns
  • Top headlineMTV launches
  • Technology milestoneIBM launches the PC
  • Defining fadPac-Man fever
  • Notable inventionIBM PC (personal computer)
  • World population4.53 billion

United States snapshot

  • U.S. leaderRonald Reagan
  • Sports championLos Angeles Dodgers (World Series)
  • Also wonBoston Celtics (NBA)
  • U.S. population229.5M

1981 versus 2026

These figures put everyday life in Tom Donnelly (rugby union)'s birth year beside the site's latest United States snapshot.

Measure19812026
Gas$1.31$3.45/gal
Average home$68,900$435,000
Average income$22,388$67,500
Minimum wage$3.35$7.25/hr (federal)
Movie ticket$2.78$11.95
Postage stamp$0.18$0.73
Population229.5M341 million

Sources and editorial standards

This profile combines a biographical source with structured birthday and historical context. Sources recorded for this profile: Wikipedia, It's Rugby, Rugby Database. See our editorial policy for sourcing, corrections, and review standards.

Read the source biography on Wikipedia. Wikipedia text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.