Josh Kronfeld
Encyclopedia
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. During his international career, Kronfeld played in 56 games for the All Blacks, gaining 54 test caps, including appearances at both the 1995
and 1999 Rugby World Cup
s.
Kronfeld played as an openside flanker
, and his greatest attribute was considered to be the speed with which he was able to get to breakdowns in play, in order to gain or regain possession of the ball.
Kronfeld was born in Hastings
in Hawkes Bay, and attended Hastings Boys' High School
. He played his early rugby union at scrum-half and centre, switching to flanker at high school.
In 1990 Kronfeld moved to Dunedin
to study physical education at the University of Otago
. Here he became involved in the Otago University Rugby Club. After playing one game in 1992, Kronfeld gained a starting position in the Otago
team in the National Provincial Championship
(NPC) for 1993. Kronfeld would eventually play 69 matches for Otago. He completed his BPhEd degree in 1993.
He made his All Black test debut in 1995, playing against Canada
at Eden Park
in Auckland
. He played in the 1995 Rugby World Cup including the final in which the All Blacks
lost a thrilling game to South Africa
.
After the inception of the Super 12
competition in 1996, Kronfeld also played for the Highlanders Super 12 franchise. In total, Kronfeld made 42 appearances for the Highlanders.
He made five appearances in the All Blacks
’ 1999 World Cup campaign, which included the game against England and the amazing semi-final with France
that took place at Twickenham
.
Kronfeld remained a first choice player for Otago, the Highlanders and the All Blacks until 2000. In May 2001 he officially signed with English club Leicester Tigers
.
After an injury-hit start to the 2001-02 season Kronfeld recovered well, establishing himself as a regular first-team player. He was twice voted by fans Player of the Month, once Zurich Premiership
Player of the Month and then named by his Tigers colleagues as their Players' Player of the Season 2002-03.
In 2003, Kronfeld returned to New Zealand, and subsequently retired from first-class rugby. He has made numerous media appearances, e.g. Celebrity Treasure Island. He has also returned to the University of Otago to study physiotherapy.
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 represented New Zealand
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....
at international level and 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...
, the Highlanders and Leicester
Leicester Tigers
Leicester Tigers is an English rugby union club that plays in the Aviva Premiership.Leicester are the most successful English club since the introduction of league rugby in 1987, a record 9 times English champions - 3 more than either Bath or Wasps, the last of which was in 2010...
at first-class level. During his international career, Kronfeld played in 56 games for the All Blacks, gaining 54 test caps, including appearances at both the 1995
1995 Rugby World Cup
The 1995 Rugby World Cup was the third Rugby World Cup. It was hosted and won by South Africa, and was the first Rugby World Cup in which every match was held in one country....
and 1999 Rugby World Cup
1999 Rugby World Cup
The 1999 Rugby World Cup was the fourth Rugby World Cup, and the first to be held in rugby union's professional era. The principal host nation was Wales, although the majority of matches were played outside the country, shared between England, France, Scotland and Ireland...
s.
Kronfeld played as an openside flanker
Flanker (rugby union)
A flanker is a position in the sport of rugby union. Flankers play in the forwards, and are generally classified as either blindside, or openside flankers; numbers six and seven respectively. The name comes from their position in a scrum in which they flank each set of forwards...
, and his greatest attribute was considered to be the speed with which he was able to get to breakdowns in play, in order to gain or regain possession of the ball.
Kronfeld was born in Hastings
Hastings, New Zealand
The city of Hastings is a major urban settlement in the Hawke's Bay region of the North Island of New Zealand, and it is the largest settlement by population in Hawke's Bay. Hastings city is the administrative centre of the Hastings District...
in Hawkes Bay, and attended Hastings Boys' High School
Hastings Boys' High School
Hastings Boys' High School is a boys' secondary school in Hastings, New Zealand. The school is part of the Super 8. The school was founded in 1909 as Hastings High School. Fifty years later, it split into Hastings Girls' School and Hastings Boys' School....
. He played his early rugby union at scrum-half and centre, switching to flanker at high school.
In 1990 Kronfeld moved to Dunedin
Dunedin
Dunedin is the second-largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the principal city of the Otago Region. It is considered to be one of the four main urban centres of New Zealand for historic, cultural, and geographic reasons. Dunedin was the largest city by territorial land area until...
to study physical education 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...
. Here he became involved in the Otago University Rugby Club. After playing one game in 1992, Kronfeld gained a starting position in the 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...
team in 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...
(NPC) for 1993. Kronfeld would eventually play 69 matches for Otago. He completed his BPhEd degree in 1993.
He made his All Black test debut in 1995, playing against Canada
Canada national rugby union team
The Canada national rugby union team represents Canada in international rugby union. They are governed by Rugby Canada, and play in red and black. Canada is classified by the International Rugby Board as a tier two rugby nation. There are ten tier one nations, and seven tier two nations, the...
at Eden Park
Eden Park
Eden Park is the biggest stadium in Auckland, New Zealand. It is used primarily for rugby union in winter and cricket in summer . The ground also occasionally hostts rugby league matches. To accommodate all three sports, the cricket pitch is removable...
in Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
. He played in the 1995 Rugby World Cup including the final in which 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....
lost a thrilling game to 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...
.
After the inception of the Super 12
Super 14
Super Rugby is the largest and pre-eminent professional Rugby union competition in the Southern Hemisphere...
competition in 1996, Kronfeld also played for the Highlanders Super 12 franchise. In total, Kronfeld made 42 appearances for the Highlanders.
He made five appearances in 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....
’ 1999 World Cup campaign, which included the game against England and the amazing semi-final with France
France national rugby union team
The France national rugby union team represents France in rugby union. They compete annually against England, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales in the Six Nations Championship. They have won the championship outright sixteen times, shared it a further eight times, and have completed nine grand slams...
that took place at Twickenham
Twickenham Stadium
Twickenham Stadium is a stadium located in Twickenham, in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. It is the largest rugby union stadium in the United Kingdom and has recently been enlarged to seat 82,000...
.
Kronfeld remained a first choice player for Otago, the Highlanders and the All Blacks until 2000. In May 2001 he officially signed with English club Leicester Tigers
Leicester Tigers
Leicester Tigers is an English rugby union club that plays in the Aviva Premiership.Leicester are the most successful English club since the introduction of league rugby in 1987, a record 9 times English champions - 3 more than either Bath or Wasps, the last of which was in 2010...
.
After an injury-hit start to the 2001-02 season Kronfeld recovered well, establishing himself as a regular first-team player. He was twice voted by fans Player of the Month, once Zurich 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...
Player of the Month and then named by his Tigers colleagues as their Players' Player of the Season 2002-03.
In 2003, Kronfeld returned to New Zealand, and subsequently retired from first-class rugby. He has made numerous media appearances, e.g. Celebrity Treasure Island. He has also returned to the University of Otago to study physiotherapy.
- Kronfeld was a participant in the 2009 TVNZ entertainment series "Dancing with the Stars".
- Josh Kronfield is an alumnus of Aquinas College, DunedinAquinas College, DunedinAquinas College is a residential college of the University of Otago, named after St. Thomas Aquinas, located in the suburb of Dalmore. Formerly a Roman Catholic institution in the care of the Dominican order from the 1950s, the college was bought by the University in 1988 and was run for a time...
.