John Greengrass


John Greengrass is a New Zealand former rugby league footballer who represented New Zealand in the 1970 and 1975 World Cups.

Playing career

A Linwood Keas player, a Canterbury representative Greengrass made his debut for the New Zealand national rugby league team in 1970 at the World Cup. Greengrass also represented Southern Zone in matches against Northern Zone. He played in 35 games for New Zealand, scoring six tries. This included 18 test matches for New Zealand. He was also part of New Zealand's squad at the 1970 and 1975 World Cups and toured Great Britain and France in 1971 and Australia in 1972. He was unavailable for both the 1972 World Cup and the 1975 Australia tour.
His international career was ended in a World Cup match against Wales. Greengrass has just scored a try when Jim Mills stomped on his head. Greengrass went to hospital and received 15 stitches. Mills was suspended for six months by the Rugby Football League and banned for life from playing in New Zealand by the New Zealand Rugby League.
In 1976 Greengrass moved from Linwood and joined the Kaiapoi club.