Pat Lyster
{{Short description|South African rugby union player}}
{{Infobox rugby biography
| name = Pat Lyster
| image =
| caption =
| full_name = Patrick Joseph Lyster
| birth_date = {{birth date|1913|05|31|df=yes}}
| birth_place = Durban, South Africa
| death_date = {{death date and age|2002|07|25|1913|05|31|df=yes}}
| death_place = Somerset West, South Africa
| height = 1.80 m
| weight = 79.4 kg
| occupation =
| school = St Patrick's CBC Kimberley
| university =
| relatives =
| position = Wing three–quarter
| provinceyears1 =
| province1 = {{rut|Natal}}
| provinceapps1 =
| provincepoints1 =
| repyears1 = 1933–37
| repteam1 = {{nrut|South Africa}}
| repcaps1 = 3
| reppoints1 = 0
}}
Patrick Joseph Lyster (31 May 1913 – 25 July 2002) was a South African international rugby union player.
Biography
Born in Durban, Lyster attended school at Kimberley's Christian Brothers' College and as a 15 year old won the national junior 100 yards championship. He was still a teenager when he first played rugby for Natal.{{cite web |title=Pat Lyster |url=https://bokhist.com/PlayerData.aspx?PlayerID=423 |website=bokhist.com}}
Lyster, a three–quarter, was known for his swift movement and competed occasionally for the Springboks in the 1930s, gaining three caps. He debuted during their five match home series against the 1933 Wallabies, playing the Test matches in Durban and Bloemfontein, both on a wing. He toured with the 1937 Springboks to New Zealand and made his only international appearance in the opening Test at Athletic Park in Wellington.
Outside of rugby, Lyster was a barrister by profession. He served as a 2nd Lieutenant with the Natal Mounted Rifles in World War II, receiving the Military Cross for his role in the Western Desert campaign, during which was shot in the chest while fighting at El Alamein, but spared critical injuries when the bullet struck a book in his breast pocket.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article42489020 |title=South Africa's Post-War Rugby Season. |newspaper=The Cairns Post |date=1 April 1946 |page=2 |via=National Library of Australia}}{{cite news |title=A tank regiment rolls out its history |work=The Star |date=20 February 2025}}
Lyster's nephews, Dugald and Donald, were international rugby players for the Springboks and Scotland respectively.{{cite news |title=Former Springbok 'Pat' Lyster dies |url=https://iol.co.za/capeargus/sport/2002-08-02-former-springbok-pat-lyster-dies/ |work=Independent Online |date=2 August 2002 |language=en}}
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
{{1937 Springboks}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lyster, Pat}}
Category:South African rugby union players
Category:South Africa international rugby union players
Category:Rugby union players from Durban
Category:Sharks (Currie Cup) players
Category:South African Army officers
Category:South African military personnel of World War II
Category:Recipients of the Military Cross
Category:Alumni of St. Patrick's Christian Brothers' College, Kimberley