Greg Rawlinson
Encyclopedia
Greg Rawlinson is a New Zealand
international
rugby union
player. He currently plays for Worcester Warriors in the Guinness Premiership
.
Rawlinson, who has made four appearances for the All Blacks
, was born in South Africa
and moved to New Zealand
in 2002. The second row rejected overtures from the Springboks to remain in All Black contention and was rewarded with a call-up to face Ireland
in June 2006. He became only the second ever South African-born All Black, the other being Andrew Mehrtens
who was also born in Durban
.
Rawlinson played for the Blues in the Super 14
and North Harbour Rugby Union
in the Air New Zealand Cup
, and has previously played for Bay of Plenty
in the National Provincial Championship (NPC), the predecessor to the Air New Zealand Cup
.
In 2005 he was named the North Harbour Player of the Year after playing in all 12 of North Harbour’s matches that year. In the same year he was named the Air New Zealand Cup Most Valuable Player. He made his debut for the All Blacks in June 2006 against Ireland.
In 2007, New Zealand international Rawlinson moved to Worcester from Auckland Blues on a three-year deal during the summer, which will allow him to play in the Guinness Premiership
.
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
international
All Blacks
The New Zealand men's national rugby union team, known as the All Blacks, represent New Zealand in what is regarded as its national sport....
rugby union
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...
player. He currently plays for Worcester Warriors in the Guinness Premiership
Guinness Premiership
The English Premiership, also currently known as the Aviva Premiership because of the league's sponsorship by Aviva, is a professional league competition for rugby union football clubs in the top division of the English rugby system. There are twelve clubs in the Premiership...
.
Rawlinson, who has made four appearances for the All Blacks
All Blacks
The New Zealand men's national rugby union team, known as the All Blacks, represent New Zealand in what is regarded as its national sport....
, was born in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
and moved to New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
in 2002. The second row rejected overtures from the Springboks to remain in All Black contention and was rewarded with a call-up to face Ireland
Ireland national rugby union team
The Ireland national rugby union team represents the island of Ireland in rugby union. The team competes annually in the Six Nations Championship and every four years in the Rugby World Cup, where they reached the quarter-final stage in all but two competitions The Ireland national rugby union...
in June 2006. He became only the second ever South African-born All Black, the other being Andrew Mehrtens
Andrew Mehrtens
Andrew Philip Mehrtens MNZM is a New Zealand rugby union footballer, currently playing in France for Béziers, a club in the third-level Fédérale 1 league...
who was also born in Durban
Durban
Durban is the largest city in the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal and the third largest city in South Africa. It forms part of the eThekwini metropolitan municipality. Durban is famous for being the busiest port in South Africa. It is also seen as one of the major centres of tourism...
.
Rawlinson played for the Blues in the Super 14
Super 14
Super Rugby is the largest and pre-eminent professional Rugby union competition in the Southern Hemisphere...
and North Harbour Rugby Union
North Harbour Rugby Union
The North Harbour Rugby Union , commonly referred to colloquially as North Harbour or simply Harbour, is a provincial rugby team which competes in the ITM Cup , the successor to the country's former domestic competition, the National Provincial Championship .-Area:Harbour Rugby encompasses a...
in the Air New Zealand Cup
Air New Zealand Cup
The ITM Cup is New Zealand's annual professional domestic Rugby union competition, taking place from late July through October . It was founded in 2006 with 14 teams, after the National Provincial Championship was split into two separate competitions. The other 12 provincial teams from the NPC...
, and has previously played 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 National Provincial Championship (NPC), the predecessor to the Air New Zealand Cup
Air New Zealand Cup
The ITM Cup is New Zealand's annual professional domestic Rugby union competition, taking place from late July through October . It was founded in 2006 with 14 teams, after the National Provincial Championship was split into two separate competitions. The other 12 provincial teams from the NPC...
.
In 2005 he was named the North Harbour Player of the Year after playing in all 12 of North Harbour’s matches that year. In the same year he was named the Air New Zealand Cup Most Valuable Player. He made his debut for the All Blacks in June 2006 against Ireland.
In 2007, New Zealand international Rawlinson moved to Worcester from Auckland Blues on a three-year deal during the summer, which will allow him to play in the Guinness Premiership
Guinness Premiership
The English Premiership, also currently known as the Aviva Premiership because of the league's sponsorship by Aviva, is a professional league competition for rugby union football clubs in the top division of the English rugby system. There are twelve clubs in the Premiership...
.