Ivan Vodanovich

Ivan Matthew Henry Vodanovich MBE (8 April 1930 – 2 September 1995) was a New Zealand rugby union player, coach and administrator. He played three tests for the All Blacks in 1955. Vodanovich was All Blacks coach from 1969 to 1971.^[2]

Ivan Vodanovich

MBE

Birth name	Ivan Matthew Henry Vodanovich[1]
Date of birth	(1930-04-08)8 April 1930
Place of birth	Whanganui, New Zealand
Date of death	2 September 1995(1995-09-02) (aged 65)
Place of death	Wellington, New Zealand
Height	1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Weight	96 kg (212 lb)
School	Kaitangaweka Primary School
Occupation(s)	Menswear retailer
Rugby union career
Position(s) Prop International career Years Team Apps (Points) 1955 New Zealand 3 (3) Coaching career Years Team 1969–71 New Zealand

As then coach and chief selector of the New Zealand team, he gained some notoriety for warning that the first test of the British Lions 1971 tour of New Zealand could be "another Passchendaele" for the Lions if they continued to play negative rugby as they had in a preliminary match against Canterbury. The Lions went on to record a rare series win 2–1.^[3]

In the 1992 Queen's Birthday Honours, Vodanovich was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire, for services to rugby.^[4]

References

1. "New Zealand—Players & Officials—Ivan Vodanovich". ESPNscrum. ESPN. Retrieved 28 February 2012.
2. "Ivan Vodanovich". New Zealand Rugby Union. Retrieved 13 July 2014.
3. Brookes, John (8 May 2005). "Battling the Lions: The battle of Lancaster Park". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 28 February 2012.
4. "No. 52953". The London Gazette (2nd supplement). 13 June 1992. p. 30.

Sporting positions
Preceded by Fred Allen	All Blacks coach 1969—1971	Succeeded by Bob Duff