Ryan Shortland
Encyclopedia
Ryan Shortland is a rugby union
player who currently plays for the Newcastle Falcons
in the Aviva Premiership. Before switching to union, he previously played rugby league
in the NRL.
for the Coogee Wombats in Sydney
.
Shortland signed with the Melbourne Storm
and was sent by the Storm to play in the Queensland Cup
with the Norths Devils
.
He played one first grade
game for the club in Round Two of 2007. A knee ligament injury playing for Brisbane Norths in the Queensland Cup ended Shortland's year soon after.
Shortland signed a one year contract with the Warriors for the 2008 season. However he could not break into first grade, being stuck behind international centres Brent Tate
and Jerome Ropati
. As a result he was not re-signed for the 2009 season.
so he could stay in New Zealand
. In late 2008 he played for the New Zealand Barbarians against the All Blacks
in a warm up match before their Grand Slam tour. After talks with several rugby unions Shortland signed with the newly promoted Taieri in Otago
and then made the Otago team for the 2009 Air New Zealand Cup
.
Shortland got off to a promising start for Otago in the 2009 Air New Zealand Cup
, scoring 3 tries in 10 appearances, and was included in the Highlanders wider training group for the 2010 Super 14 season
. However, like the rest of his team, Shortland struggled in the 2010 ITM Cup
, failing to score a try in 9 matches.
After leaving Otago, Shortland moved to England, where he will play for the Newcastle Falcons
of the Aviva Premiership beginning in the 2011-12 season.
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 currently plays for the 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 the Aviva Premiership. Before switching to union, he previously played rugby league
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
in the NRL.
Rugby league
Of Māori heritage, Shortland was born in Masterton but grew up in Australia. Shortland started playing rugby leagueRugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
for the Coogee Wombats in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
.
Shortland signed with the Melbourne Storm
Melbourne Storm
The Melbourne Storm are an Australian professional rugby league club based in the city of Melbourne. They are the first fully professional rugby league team based in the Australian rules football-dominated state of Victoria....
and was sent by the Storm to play in the Queensland Cup
Queensland Cup
The Queensland Cup is the premier rugby league football competition in the State of Queensland, Australia.It is a statewide competition with the majority of teams based in South East Queensland but also including sides based in Cairns, Mackay and Rockhampton.The competition began in 1996 as a...
with the Norths Devils
Norths Devils
The Northern Suburbs Devils, Norths for short, are a rugby league club representing the northern suburbs of Brisbane, Australia. The team colours are sky blue, navy blue and gold. They play in the Queensland Wizard Cup, and, through their predecessors, are one of the oldest clubs in...
.
He played one first grade
National Rugby League
The National Rugby League is the top league of professional rugby league football clubs in Australasia. The NRL's main competition, called the Telstra Premiership , is contested by sixteen teams, fifteen of which are based in Australia with one based in New Zealand...
game for the club in Round Two of 2007. A knee ligament injury playing for Brisbane Norths in the Queensland Cup ended Shortland's year soon after.
Shortland signed a one year contract with the Warriors for the 2008 season. However he could not break into first grade, being stuck behind international centres Brent Tate
Brent Tate
Brent Tate is an Australian professional rugby league footballer who currently plays for the North Queensland Cowboys in the National Rugby League...
and Jerome Ropati
Jerome Ropati
Jerome Ropati is a professional rugby league footballer for the New Zealand Warriors of the National Rugby League. Ropati was a member of the World Cup-winning New Zealand team in 2008...
. As a result he was not re-signed for the 2009 season.
Rugby union
After being released by the Warriors Shortland set his sights on a career in rugby unionRugby 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...
so he could stay in 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 late 2008 he played for the New Zealand Barbarians against 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....
in a warm up match before their Grand Slam tour. After talks with several rugby unions Shortland signed with the newly promoted Taieri in Otago
Otago
Otago is a region of New Zealand in the south of the South Island. The region covers an area of approximately making it the country's second largest region. The population of Otago is...
and then made the Otago team for the 2009 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...
.
Shortland got off to a promising start for Otago in the 2009 Air New Zealand Cup
2009 Air New Zealand Cup
The 2009 Air New Zealand Cup was the 33rd provincial rugby union competition, the fourth since the competition reconstruction in 2006, involving the top 14 provincial unions in New Zealand. It ran for 15 weeks from 30 July to 7 November...
, scoring 3 tries in 10 appearances, and was included in the Highlanders wider training group for the 2010 Super 14 season
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...
. However, like the rest of his team, Shortland struggled 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...
, failing to score a try in 9 matches.
After leaving Otago, Shortland moved to England, where he will play for the 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...
of the Aviva Premiership beginning in the 2011-12 season.