John Leslie (rugby player)
Encyclopedia
John Andrew Leslie is a former rugby union
footballer who played at centre for Scotland
. He is the elder son of Andy Leslie
the great All Blacks
captain and the brother of Martin Leslie
who also played for Scotland
. He was educated at St Patrick's College, Silverstream, and completed a BPhEd at the University of Otago
in 1994.
Leslie played more than 120 games for Otago
and 32 for the Highlanders in the Super 12
. He led Otago to the National Provincial Championship
title in 1998.
Leslie qualified for Scotland
through a paternal grandfather and initially joined Glasgow Caledonians, making his international debut along with his brother against South Africa
in November 1998. Shortly after his debut, he joined the Fukuoka Sanix Bombs club in Japan
.
The Leslie brothers joined a line of New Zealand
ers to play for Scotland
, dubbed the Kilted Kiwis, they include: Brendan Laney
, Glenn Metcalfe
, Gordon Simpson
and Sean Lineen
- the original Kilted Kiwi.
In the 1999 Five Nations championship, Leslie scored the fastest ever try against Wales
, touching down after ten seconds after the kick-off. He was voted Man of the Tournament.
In January 2000, the SRU
were keen for Leslie to be closer to Scotland
, he quit Sanix signing for Newcastle Falcons
in England
.
In September 2000, Leslie joined Northampton Saints
.
After the 2002 Six Nations championship Leslie retired from international rugby.
At the end of the 2003/04 season John was released by Northampton Saints
, when he returned to Otago and New Zealand
.
In October 2004 Leslie retired, playing his last match for Otago.
Since retiring, Leslie co-coaches a team at the University of Otago
RFC with Josh Kronfeld
.
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...
footballer who played at centre for Scotland
Scotland national rugby union team
The Scotland national rugby union team represent Scotland in international rugby union. Rugby union in Scotland is administered by the Scottish Rugby Union. The Scotland rugby union team is currently ranked eighth in the IRB World Rankings as of 19 September 2011...
. He is the elder son of Andy Leslie
Andy Leslie
Andrew Roy "Andy" Leslie MNZM is a former All Black captain and number eight. On 26 April 2007 he was elected as the president of the New Zealand Rugby Football Union....
the great 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....
captain and the brother of Martin Leslie
Martin Leslie (rugby player)
Martin Leslie is a New Zealand born former professional rugby union player who played provincial rugby for Wellington and the Hurricanes before moving to play international rugby for Scotland, for whom he qualified through grandparents. He played primarily in the back row, winning 37 caps between...
who also played for Scotland
Scotland national rugby union team
The Scotland national rugby union team represent Scotland in international rugby union. Rugby union in Scotland is administered by the Scottish Rugby Union. The Scotland rugby union team is currently ranked eighth in the IRB World Rankings as of 19 September 2011...
. He was educated at St Patrick's College, Silverstream, and completed a BPhEd at the University of Otago
University of Otago
The University of Otago in Dunedin is New Zealand's oldest university with over 22,000 students enrolled during 2010.The university has New Zealand's highest average research quality and in New Zealand is second only to the University of Auckland in the number of A rated academic researchers it...
in 1994.
Leslie played more than 120 games for Otago
Otago Rugby Football Union
The Otago Rugby Football Union is the official governing body of rugby union for the Otago Region of New Zealand. The union is based in the city of Dunedin, and its home ground is Forsyth Barr Stadium. The top representative team competes in the ITM Cup, New Zealand's top provincial...
and 32 for the Highlanders in the Super 12
Super 14
Super Rugby is the largest and pre-eminent professional Rugby union competition in the Southern Hemisphere...
. He led Otago to the National Provincial Championship
National Provincial Championship
The National Provincial Championship, or NPC, is the major domestic rugby competition in New Zealand. The NPC has seen many alterations to its format and brand. Since 2006 the National Championship has been split into 2 competitions, the ITM Cup and the Heartland Championship...
title in 1998.
Leslie qualified for Scotland
Scotland national rugby union team
The Scotland national rugby union team represent Scotland in international rugby union. Rugby union in Scotland is administered by the Scottish Rugby Union. The Scotland rugby union team is currently ranked eighth in the IRB World Rankings as of 19 September 2011...
through a paternal grandfather and initially joined Glasgow Caledonians, making his international debut along with his brother against South Africa
South Africa national rugby union team
The South African national rugby union team are 2009 British and Irish Lions Series winners. They are currently ranked as the fourth best team in the IRB World Rankings and were named 2008 World Team of the Year at the prestigious Laureus World Sports Awards.Although South Africa was instrumental...
in November 1998. Shortly after his debut, he joined the Fukuoka Sanix Bombs club in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
.
The Leslie brothers joined a line of 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...
ers to play for Scotland
Scotland national rugby union team
The Scotland national rugby union team represent Scotland in international rugby union. Rugby union in Scotland is administered by the Scottish Rugby Union. The Scotland rugby union team is currently ranked eighth in the IRB World Rankings as of 19 September 2011...
, dubbed the Kilted Kiwis, they include: Brendan Laney
Brendan Laney
Brendan James Laney, is a former professional rugby union player who represented Scotland. Nicknamed "Chainsaw" for the way he cut through defences, he was also a good goal kicker. From Southland in New Zealand, he began his professional rugby career at full back for the Highlanders in the Super 12...
, Glenn Metcalfe
Glenn Metcalfe
Glenn Hayden Metcalfe is a former rugby union footballer who played at fullback for Glasgow, Castres and Scotland.-Career:...
, Gordon Simpson
Gordon Simpson
Gordon Leslie Simpson is a former Australian politician.Simpson was the National Party member for Cooroora from 1974 to 1989 and served as Minister for Mines and Energy and Minister from the Arts from 25 November to 1 December 1987. His daughter, Fiona Simpson, was also a National Party...
and Sean Lineen
Sean Lineen
Sean Lineen is a Scottish rugby player, originally from New Zealand. He has been awarded the freedom of the city of Edinburgh.-Early life:Lineen was born on December 25, 1961, in Auckland. He is the son of rugby player Terry Lineen....
- the original Kilted Kiwi.
In the 1999 Five Nations championship, Leslie scored the fastest ever try against Wales
Wales national rugby union team
The Wales national rugby union team represent Wales in international rugby union tournaments. They compete annually in the Six Nations Championship with England, France, Ireland, Italy and Scotland. Wales have won the Six Nations and its predecessors 24 times outright, second only to England with...
, touching down after ten seconds after the kick-off. He was voted Man of the Tournament.
In January 2000, the SRU
Scotland national rugby union team
The Scotland national rugby union team represent Scotland in international rugby union. Rugby union in Scotland is administered by the Scottish Rugby Union. The Scotland rugby union team is currently ranked eighth in the IRB World Rankings as of 19 September 2011...
were keen for Leslie to be closer to Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, he quit Sanix signing for Newcastle Falcons
Newcastle Falcons
The Newcastle Falcons is an English rugby union team currently playing in the Aviva Premiership. The club was established in 1877 and played under the name of Gosforth Football Club until 1990. The name was then changed to Newcastle Gosforth and the club began to play at Kingston Park stadium in...
in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
In September 2000, Leslie joined Northampton Saints
Northampton Saints
Northampton Saints are a professional rugby union club from Northampton, England. The Northampton Saints were formed in 1880. They play in green, black and gold colours. They play their home games at Franklin's Gardens, which has a capacity of 13,591....
.
After the 2002 Six Nations championship Leslie retired from international rugby.
At the end of the 2003/04 season John was released by Northampton Saints
Northampton Saints
Northampton Saints are a professional rugby union club from Northampton, England. The Northampton Saints were formed in 1880. They play in green, black and gold colours. They play their home games at Franklin's Gardens, which has a capacity of 13,591....
, when he returned to Otago and 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 October 2004 Leslie retired, playing his last match for Otago.
Since retiring, Leslie co-coaches a team at the University of Otago
University of Otago
The University of Otago in Dunedin is New Zealand's oldest university with over 22,000 students enrolled during 2010.The university has New Zealand's highest average research quality and in New Zealand is second only to the University of Auckland in the number of A rated academic researchers it...
RFC with Josh Kronfeld
Josh Kronfeld
Joshua Adrian Kronfeld is a former rugby union footballer who represented New Zealand at international level and Otago, the Highlanders and Leicester at first-class level...
.