His rugby form for Trinity College caught the attention of local selectors, as he qualified for Ireland due to having an Irish parent, but England secured his services by calling him up first.
[1] Hearn, a centre, was an Oxford blue in 1964 and was playing for Bedford when he made the England squad for the 1966 Five Nations, making his debut against France at Colombes.
[2] He was playing for Midlands & Home Counties against the touring All Blacks at Welford Road in Leicester on 28 October 1967 when he broke his neck while attempting to tackle Ian MacRae.
Approaching MacRae from the side, Hearn came in for a low tackle, but having slightly mistimed it had his head crash into the powerful New Zealander's hip, causing his neck to dislocate.
[3] A former teacher, Hearn coached rugby during his time at Haileybury and after retiring in 2000 has lived in Ireland, settling with wife Jean in the town of Skibbereen, County Cork.