O'Reilly, Tony (Anthony Joseph Francis)

Irish rugby union player and business executive. A tall, strong-running winger, he scored four tries in 29 matches for Ireland 1955–70, and a then record six in ten Tests for the British Lions 1955–59. In business he became a key executive in the US food firm Heinz while still in his thirties, rising to the position of president and chief executive in 1979 and chair in 1987. Among his many other business interests, he became executive chair of Independent Newspapers and chair of Waterford Wedgewood.

Career highlights


International appearances (1955–70)
39 (including 10 for the British Lions)

Tries
10 (including 6 for the British Lions)

Total points
30 (including 18 for the British Lions)

On tour for the Lions in South Africa in 1955, and in Australasia and Canada in 1959, he set records for try-scoring with 16 in South Africa and 17 in New Zealand.