Mark Donaldson (rugby player)
Encyclopedia
Mark William Donaldson, born on 6 November 1955 in Palmerston North
, is a former New Zealand
half-back rugby union
player. Donaldson played 35 matches, including 13 test matches, for the All Blacks
from 1977
to 1981
.
First XV for two years, Donaldson joined Hawke's Bay
in 1975
and the Manawatu province team in 1976
.
Donaldson, nicknamed "Bullet", first played at the senior national level with the New Zealand Barbarians
, in 1977 in Australia
. He was then selected for the All Blacks team during their tour of France
in 1977, playing five matches (including two test matches).
He continued his success with the All Blacks in 1978
with wins against the teams from Australia
, England
, and Scotland
, but missed the matches against Wales
due to injury.
In March 1979
, Donaldson played in South Africa
with a World Invitation XV and then in the All Black series against France
, Australia and Scotland. He subsequently lost his regular place in the All Black team to Dave Loveridge
who was regarded as a more consistent performer.
He rejoined the All Blacks for the 1980
season against Australia, but was side-lined with a broken jaw after two matches. Recovering, he played during the All Black tours of Fiji
and Wales. He was an All Black half-back reserve for the 1981 series against Scotland and the South African Springboks. Significantly, his only field time was during the historic 25-22 victory over the Springboks in Auckland
when, late in the game, he replaced Loveridge, who was injured. Donaldson was instrumental in setting up the penalty play which resulted in the All Blacks winning the game.
As Captain, he continued to play for Manawatu in 1982
, taking a mid-season break in 1983
. He switched to the Te Kawau Club in 1984
, but missed most of the year due to injury, returning to competition in 1985
, until a new injury caused him to permanently retire from competition.
Between 1990 and 1992, Donaldson coached the Manuwatu side.
Palmerston North
Palmerston North is the main city of the Manawatu-Wanganui region of the North Island of New Zealand. It is an inland city with a population of and is the country's seventh largest city and eighth largest urban area. Palmerston North is located in the eastern Manawatu Plains near the north bank...
, is a former 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...
half-back 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. Donaldson played 35 matches, including 13 test matches, 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....
from 1977
1977 in sports
1977 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup** Men's overall season champion: Ingemar Stenmark, Sweden** Women's overall season champion: Lise-Marie Morerod, Switzerland-American football:...
to 1981
1981 in sports
1981 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup –** Men's overall season champion: Phil Mahre, USA** Women's overall season champion: Marie-Theres Nadig, Switzerland-American football:...
.
Biography
After playing in the New Plymouth Boys High School'sNew Plymouth Boys' High School
New Plymouth Boys' High School is a single-sex boys' state secondary school in New Plymouth, Taranaki, New Zealand. It was founded in 1882 and celebrated its 125th Jubilee in 2007....
First XV for two years, Donaldson joined 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:...
in 1975
1975 in sports
1975 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup** Men's overall season champion: Gustav Thöni, Italy** Women's overall season champion: Annemarie Pröll, Austria-American football:...
and the Manawatu province team in 1976
1976 in sports
1976 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup** Men's overall season champion: Ingemar Stenmark, Sweden** Women's overall season champion: Rosi Mittermaier, West Germany-American football:...
.
Donaldson, nicknamed "Bullet", first played at the senior national level with the New Zealand Barbarians
New Zealand Barbarians
The New Zealand Barbarians, nicknamed the "Baa-Baas", are an invitational rugby union team which have been a major part of New Zealand rugby since they were founded in 1937. They are based on the concept of Barbarian F.C...
, in 1977 in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. He was then selected for the All Blacks team during their tour of France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
in 1977, playing five matches (including two test matches).
He continued his success with the All Blacks in 1978
1978 in sports
1978 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup** Men's overall season champion: Ingemar Stenmark, Sweden** Women's overall season champion: Hanni Wenzel, Liechtenstein-American football:...
with wins against the teams from Australia
Australia national rugby union team
The Australian national rugby union team is the representative side of Australia in rugby union. The national team is nicknamed the Wallabies and competes annually with New Zealand and South Africa in the Tri-Nations Series, in which they also contest the Bledisloe Cup with New Zealand and the...
, England
England national rugby union team
The England national rugby union team represents England in rugby union. They compete in the annual Six Nations Championship with France, Ireland, Scotland, Italy, and Wales. They have won this championship on 26 occasions, 12 times winning the Grand Slam, making them the most successful team in...
, and 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...
, but missed the matches 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...
due to injury.
In March 1979
1979 in sports
1979 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup** Men's overall season champion: Peter Lüscher, Switzerland** Women's overall season champion: Annemarie Moser-Pröll, Austria-American football:...
, Donaldson played 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...
with a World Invitation XV and then in the All Black series against 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...
, Australia and Scotland. He subsequently lost his regular place in the All Black team to Dave Loveridge
Dave Loveridge
David Steven “Trapper” Loveridge was an All Black great of the late 1970s and early 1980s, known in his time as the greatest halfback in the world .-Life & Career:...
who was regarded as a more consistent performer.
He rejoined the All Blacks for the 1980
1980 in sports
1980 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup:** Men's overall season champion: Andreas Wenzel, Liechtenstein** Women's overall season champion: Hanni Wenzel, Liechtenstein...
season against Australia, but was side-lined with a broken jaw after two matches. Recovering, he played during the All Black tours of Fiji
Fiji national rugby union team
The Fiji national rugby union team is a member of the Pacific Islands Rugby Alliance formerly along with Samoa and Tonga. In 2009, Samoa announced their departure from the Pacific Islands Rugby Alliance, leaving just Fiji and Tonga. Fiji are ranked sixteenth in the world by the IRB as of 26...
and Wales. He was an All Black half-back reserve for the 1981 series against Scotland and the South African Springboks. Significantly, his only field time was during the historic 25-22 victory over the Springboks 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...
when, late in the game, he replaced Loveridge, who was injured. Donaldson was instrumental in setting up the penalty play which resulted in the All Blacks winning the game.
As Captain, he continued to play for Manawatu in 1982
1982 in sports
1982 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup:** Men's overall season champion: Phil Mahre, United States** Women's overall season champion: Erika Hess, Switzerland-American football:...
, taking a mid-season break in 1983
1983 in sports
1983 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup:** Men's overall season champion: Phil Mahre, United States** Women's overall season champion: Tamara McKinney, United States-American football:...
. He switched to the Te Kawau Club in 1984
1984 in sports
1984 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine Skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup:** Men's overall season champion: Pirmin Zurbriggen, Switzerland** Women's overall season champion: Erika Hess, Switzerland...
, but missed most of the year due to injury, returning to competition in 1985
1985 in sports
1985 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup:** Men's overall season champion: Marc Girardelli, Luxembourg** Women's overall season champion: Michela Figini, Switzerland-American football:...
, until a new injury caused him to permanently retire from competition.
Between 1990 and 1992, Donaldson coached the Manuwatu side.
Statistics
- Number of tests with the All Blacks: 13
- Other games with the All Blacks: 22
- Total number of games with the All Blacks: 35
- First game: 26 October 1977
- Last game: 12 September 1981
- Games with the All Blacks by year: 1977 - 5, 1978 - 12, 1979 - 11, 1980 - 6, and 1981 - 1
External links
- Statistics on stats.allblacks.com