Jason Shoemark
Encyclopedia
Jason Shoemark is a professional rugby union
player who serves as a centre for the Exeter Chiefs
in the Aviva Premiership.
while still a teenager and quickly made a name for himself, emerging as a key player for the Taniwha. By 2002
, he received a Super Rugby contract with the Blues, making 5 appearances and scoring a try. However, his opportunies were more limited with the Blues in 2003
, as he was limited to just a single substitute appearance.
Looking to jumpstart his career, Shoemark moved south in 2004 to join Otago and the Highlanders. However, he never really hit form with Otago in two seasons with the province, and while he was included in the Highlanders squad for the 2005 Super 12 season
, he made only 5 substitute appearances.
Shoemark moved back north in 2006, signing with Hawke's Bay
, but was ruled out of the 2006 Air New Zealand Cup
after suffering a serious neck injury. Back healthy the following year, Shoemark finally began to realize his potential, scoring 6 tries from 12 starts for the Magpies in the 2007 Air New Zealand Cup
. After another stellar season in 2008
during which he scoring another 6 tries, he was called back into the Highlanders squad.
Shoemark's second stint with the Highlanders proved much more fruitful than the first, as he earned a starting spot with the club and played some of the finest rugby of his career. He started all 13 matches, scored 3 tries, and earned a call-up to the All Blacks
later in the year.
In 2010
, Shoemark wasn't able to maintain the level of form from the previous season, although he remained a reliable regular starter. He also served as a fill-in captain and also vice-captain.
Now serving as team captain, Shoemark continued his strong play for Hawke's Bay in the 2010 ITM Cup
, and celebrated his 50th appearance for the club with a try in a win over Taranaki
on 25 September.
of the Aviva Premiership at the end of the ITM Cup campaign. Shoemark made 16 appearances for the Chiefs in his first season with the club, scoring one try.
European Tour, after Tamati Ellison
was ruled out with ligament damage. However, he remains a 'nearly' All Black as he never took the field in a game.
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 who serves as a centre for the Exeter Chiefs
Exeter Chiefs
Exeter Rugby Club are a rugby union club based in Exeter, Devon.The Exeter club was formed around 1871 and played its first match in 1873. The first team has been rebranded as the Exeter Chiefs and play in a strip of Black , White ....
in the Aviva Premiership.
New Zealand
Shoemark made his provincial debut for NorthlandNorthland 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...
while still a teenager and quickly made a name for himself, emerging as a key player for the Taniwha. By 2002
2002 Super 12 season
The 2002 Super 12 season was the seventh season of the Super 12, contested by teams from Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. The season ran from February to May 2002, with each team playing all the others once...
, he received a Super Rugby contract with the Blues, making 5 appearances and scoring a try. However, his opportunies were more limited with the Blues in 2003
2003 Super 12 season
The 2003 Super 12 season was the eighth season of the Super 12, contested by teams from Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. The season ran from February to May 2003, with each team playing all the others once. At the end of the regular season, the top four teams entered the playoff semi...
, as he was limited to just a single substitute appearance.
Looking to jumpstart his career, Shoemark moved south in 2004 to join Otago and the Highlanders. However, he never really hit form with Otago in two seasons with the province, and while he was included in the Highlanders squad for the 2005 Super 12 season
2005 Super 12 season
The 2005 Super 12 season was the tenth season of the Super 12, contested by teams from Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. The season ran from February to May 2005, with each team playing all the others once. At the end of the regular season, the top four teams entered the playoff semi finals,...
, he made only 5 substitute appearances.
Shoemark moved back north in 2006, signing with Hawke's Bay
Hawke's Bay Rugby Union
The Hawke's Bay Rugby Union is the governing body of rugby union in the Hawke's Bay region of New Zealand. The union is based in Napier.-Representative rugby:...
, but was ruled out of the 2006 Air New Zealand Cup
2006 Air New Zealand Cup
The 2006 Air New Zealand Cup is a provincial rugby union competition involving 14 teams from New Zealand. Matches started on Friday 28 July 2006, and the Grand Final was won by Waikato on 21 October 2006....
after suffering a serious neck injury. Back healthy the following year, Shoemark finally began to realize his potential, scoring 6 tries from 12 starts for the Magpies in the 2007 Air New Zealand Cup
2007 Air New Zealand Cup
The 2007 Air New Zealand Cup was a provincial rugby union competition involving 14 teams from New Zealand. Matches started on Thursday 26 July 2007, and the Final, in which Auckland defeated Wellington, was held on Saturday 20 October....
. After another stellar season in 2008
2008 Air New Zealand Cup
The 2008 Air New Zealand Cup was a provincial rugby union competition involving 14 teams from New Zealand. Matches started on Thursday 31 July 2008, and continued until the final on 25 October 2008....
during which he scoring another 6 tries, he was called back into the Highlanders squad.
Shoemark's second stint with the Highlanders proved much more fruitful than the first, as he earned a starting spot with the club and played some of the finest rugby of his career. He started all 13 matches, scored 3 tries, and earned a call-up to 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....
later in the year.
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...
, Shoemark wasn't able to maintain the level of form from the previous season, although he remained a reliable regular starter. He also served as a fill-in captain and also vice-captain.
Now serving as team captain, Shoemark continued his strong play for Hawke's Bay in 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...
, and celebrated his 50th appearance for the club with a try in a win over Taranaki
Taranaki Rugby Union
Taranaki Rugby Football Union is the governing body of Rugby in the New Zealand province of Taranaki. The main stadium is Yarrow Stadium which is in the main centre of New Plymouth. Taranaki plays in the annual ITM Cup in which it also competes for the Ranfurly shield...
on 25 September.
Europe
On 15 July 2010 it was announced that he would be joining newly promoted Exeter ChiefsExeter Chiefs
Exeter Rugby Club are a rugby union club based in Exeter, Devon.The Exeter club was formed around 1871 and played its first match in 1873. The first team has been rebranded as the Exeter Chiefs and play in a strip of Black , White ....
of the Aviva Premiership at the end of the ITM Cup campaign. Shoemark made 16 appearances for the Chiefs in his first season with the club, scoring one try.
International Play
In 2009 Shoemark was a late inclusion on the All BlacksAll 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....
European Tour, after Tamati Ellison
Tamati Ellison
Tamati Ellison is a New Zealand rugby union footballer who plays for the Ricoh Black Rams in the Japanese Top League competition. His position is utility back. He previously played for Wellington in the Air New Zealand Cup and Super Rugby for the Hurricanes...
was ruled out with ligament damage. However, he remains a 'nearly' All Black as he never took the field in a game.