Bronson Murray
Encyclopedia
Bronson Murray is a rugby union
prop who currently plays provincial rugby for Bay of Plenty
in the ITM Cup and the Highlanders in the Super Rugby competition.
international, Murray broke into the Northland
provincial side in 2002 and has remained a fixture there for nearly a decade. Originally a loosehead prop, he converted to tighthead in 2007 and can play on either side of the scrum.
Murray signed with Canterbury as part of his Super 14
move to the Crusaders in 2009, but the transaction was essentially on paper only as he was immediately loaned back to Northland.
At the conclusion of the 2010 ITM Cup
, Murray sat only 4 caps away from 100 for Northland, but the province's financial problems saw him leave to sign with Bay of Plenty
for the 2011 ITM Cup
.
, but found opportunities difficult to come by behind All Black props Tony Woodcock
and John Afoa
, appearing in only 1 contest for a total of 4 minutes.
For the 2009 Super 14 season
, Murray signed with the Crusaders. After starting the season as a bench player, he received a run of 5 starts in the squad after Ben Franks
was ruled out through injury.
Murray was on the move again in 2010
after being claimed in the draft by the Highlanders. He saw little game action in the first half of the season, but injuries to starting props Jamie Mackintosh
and Clint Newland
saw him see a more prominent role as the season went along, and he started the final 2 games of the year. He scored his first Super Rugby try in the dying seconds of a 33–31 loss to the Hurricanes on April 24.
team in the 2008 Pacific Nations Cup and again for the 2010 Centenary Series, where he featured in historic wins over Ireland and England.
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
prop who currently plays provincial rugby for Bay of Plenty
Bay of Plenty Rugby Union
The Bay of Plenty Rugby Union is the official governing body for rugby union in the Bay of Plenty, in the North-East of the North Island...
in the ITM Cup and the Highlanders in the Super Rugby competition.
Provincial Rugby
A former New Zealand Under 21New Zealand national under-21 rugby union team
The New Zealand Under 21's rugby union team is for players aged under 21 as a platform for the All Blacks. The New Zealand Under 21's have joined forces with the New Zealand Under 19's to make the new team New Zealand Under 20's for the all new IRB Junior World Championship...
international, Murray broke into the Northland
Northland Rugby Union
The Northland Rugby Football Union is the governing body of rugby union in the Northland region of New Zealand.-History:Rugby was first played in Northland in the 1870s, and the first union was set up in the province in 1895, known as the Marsden Football Union. The Northland union was founded in...
provincial side in 2002 and has remained a fixture there for nearly a decade. Originally a loosehead prop, he converted to tighthead in 2007 and can play on either side of the scrum.
Murray signed with Canterbury as part of his Super 14
Super 14
Super Rugby is the largest and pre-eminent professional Rugby union competition in the Southern Hemisphere...
move to the Crusaders in 2009, but the transaction was essentially on paper only as he was immediately loaned back to Northland.
At the conclusion of the 2010 ITM Cup
2010 ITM Cup
The 2010 ITM Cup was the 34th provincial rugby union competition, the fifth since the competition reconstruction in 2006 and the first under the new sponsor of ITM , involving the top 14 provincial unions of New Zealand...
, Murray sat only 4 caps away from 100 for Northland, but the province's financial problems saw him leave to sign with Bay of Plenty
Bay of Plenty Rugby Union
The Bay of Plenty Rugby Union is the official governing body for rugby union in the Bay of Plenty, in the North-East of the North Island...
for the 2011 ITM Cup
2011 ITM Cup
The 2011 ITM Cup is the 35th provincial rugby union competition in New Zealand, the sixth since the competition reconstruction in 2006 and the second under the new sponsor of ITM ....
.
Super Rugby
Murray was included in the Blues squad for the 2008 Super 14 season2008 Super 14 season
The 2008 Super 14 season started in February 2008 with pre-season matches held from mid-January. It finished on 31 May, when the Crusaders won their seventh Super Rugby title with a 20–12 victory over the Waratahs in front of the Crusaders' home fans. The 2008 season was the third of the expansion,...
, but found opportunities difficult to come by behind All Black props Tony Woodcock
Tony Woodcock
Anthony Stewart "Tony" Woodcock is a retired English international footballer who played professionally in both England and Germany as a striker. He won the European Cup in 1979 with Nottingham Forest.-Early career:...
and John Afoa
John Afoa
Ioane Fitu "John" Afoa is a New Zealand professional Rugby union player and plays prop and hooker. Afoa currently plays for Ulster after signing a two-and-a-half year deal after the 2011 Rugby World Cup.-Representative Rugby:...
, appearing in only 1 contest for a total of 4 minutes.
For the 2009 Super 14 season
2009 Super 14 season
The 2009 Super 14 season kicked off in February 2009 with pre-season matches held from mid-January. It finished on 30 May, when the Bulls won their second Super Rugby title with a decisive 61–17 victory over the Waikato Chiefs at Loftus Versfeld stadium in Pretoria, South Africa. The 2009 season...
, Murray signed with the Crusaders. After starting the season as a bench player, he received a run of 5 starts in the squad after Ben Franks
Ben Franks
Ben Franks is a rugby union player for the Crusaders in the Super Rugby competition and All Blacks. He plays as a prop.-Provincial:Franks made his provincial debut for Canterbury against Otago in 2005...
was ruled out through injury.
Murray was on the move again in 2010
2010 Super 14 season
The 2010 Super 14 season kicked off in February 2010 with pre-season matches held from mid-January. It finished on 29 May. The 2010 season was the fifth and last season of the expanded Super 14 format. The schedule, which covers 3½ months, featured a total of 94 matches, with each team playing one...
after being claimed in the draft by the Highlanders. He saw little game action in the first half of the season, but injuries to starting props Jamie Mackintosh
Jamie Mackintosh
Jamie Mackintosh is a professional rugby union player who plays provincially for Southland and for the Highlanders in the Super Rugby competition, serving as team captain of both sides...
and Clint Newland
Clint Newland
Clint Newland is a New Zealand Rugby Union player, currently playing with the . He was born in Dannevirke and attended New Plymouth Boys' High School as a boarder. Newland has been playing for Hawkes Bay since 1999, where he debuted against Poverty Bay. He played in every match until 2007 when he...
saw him see a more prominent role as the season went along, and he started the final 2 games of the year. He scored his first Super Rugby try in the dying seconds of a 33–31 loss to the Hurricanes on April 24.
International Rugby
Murray was selected to represent the New Zealand MāoriNew Zealand Maori rugby union team
New Zealand Māori is a rugby union team that traditionally plays teams touring New Zealand. A prerequisite for playing in this team is that the player is to have Māori whakapapa or genealogy. In the past this rule was not strictly applied. In the past non-Māori players who looked Māori were often...
team in the 2008 Pacific Nations Cup and again for the 2010 Centenary Series, where he featured in historic wins over Ireland and England.