Steve Skinnon
Encyclopedia
Steve Skinnon is a New Zealand
rugby football
er who played rugby union
for Wellington and Hawkes Bay in the National Provincial Championship
and rugby league
for the Sydney Roosters
and South Sydney Rabbitohs
in the National Rugby League
. He represented his country in both codes at a junior level.
and represented the New Zealand under 19 side
in 1994, playing at five eighth. He switched codes to rugby league
in 1995 and was picked to play for the Junior Kiwis
, completing a cross code double. Skinnon played at prop or second row in his early years.
for Wellington. He scored twice on his debut in 1996 against Taranaki
, at the time being the only player to have achieved this feat for Wellington. In 1997 he was the victim of an eye-gouge by Troy Flavell
that saw Flavell suspended from the game for a year.
By 1999 Skinnon was playing in the Second Division for the Hawkes Bay.
in the NSWRL Premier League
at prop. Later in the season he was given his first grade debut in the National Rugby League
, on the wing.
In 2004 he moved to the South Sydney Rabbitohs
and played in five NRL matches, coming off the bench as a forward in all of them.
He represented the New Zealand Māori
in 2006, playing in the Pacific Cup
.
for the NPC and ended up playing for Takapuna
. In 2007 he moved to join the Ponsonby club where he has played for the last four seasons.
He has since represented Auckland Maori and New Zealand at the World Rugby Classic, a tournament for veteran players.
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...
rugby football
Rugby football
Rugby football is a style of football named after Rugby School in the United Kingdom. It is seen most prominently in two current sports, rugby league and rugby union.-History:...
er who played 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...
for Wellington and Hawkes Bay 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...
and 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...
for the Sydney Roosters
Sydney Roosters
The Sydney Roosters are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney. The club competes in the National Rugby League and is one of the oldest and most successful clubs in Australian rugby league history, having won twelve New South Wales Rugby League...
and South Sydney Rabbitohs
South Sydney Rabbitohs
The South Sydney Rabbitohs are an Australian professional rugby league football team based in Redfern, a suburb of South-central Sydney, New South Wales. They participate in the National Rugby League premiership and are one of nine existing teams from the state capital...
in the National Rugby League
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...
. He represented his country in both codes at a junior level.
Early years
Skinnon started his 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...
and represented the New Zealand under 19 side
New Zealand national under-19 rugby union team
The New Zealand Under 19's rugby team was a team for players aged under 19 as a platform to the All Blacks. The New Zealand Under 19's have joined forces with the New Zealand Under 21's to make the new team New Zealand Under 20's for the all new IRB Junior World Championship, which commenced in...
in 1994, playing at five eighth. He switched codes to 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 1995 and was picked to play for the Junior Kiwis
Junior Kiwis
The Junior Kiwis side represents New Zealand in the sport of rugby league. They are commonly known as the Junior Kiwis, after the native bird of that name. They are not necessarily an age grade side, but the second national team behind the New Zealand national rugby league team. They are...
, completing a cross code double. Skinnon played at prop or second row in his early years.
Rugby union career
Skinnon then returned to rugby union, playing in the National Provincial ChampionshipNational 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...
for Wellington. He scored twice on his debut in 1996 against 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...
, at the time being the only player to have achieved this feat for Wellington. In 1997 he was the victim of an eye-gouge by Troy Flavell
Troy Flavell
Troy Vandem Flavell is a New Zealand rugby union player who currently plays for Bayonne in the French Top 14. Flavell has won 22 caps for New Zealand, and mainly plays lock. He is known for his power in the scrum and his repeated foul play...
that saw Flavell suspended from the game for a year.
By 1999 Skinnon was playing in the Second Division for the Hawkes Bay.
Rugby league career
Skinnon then moved to Sydney and played rugby league for the Sydney RoostersSydney Roosters
The Sydney Roosters are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney. The club competes in the National Rugby League and is one of the oldest and most successful clubs in Australian rugby league history, having won twelve New South Wales Rugby League...
in the NSWRL Premier League
NSWRL Premier League
The New South Wales Cup is a rugby league competition for clubs in New South Wales previously known as the NSWRL Premier League. It has a history dating back to the NSWRFL's origins in 1908, starting off as a reserve grade competition. It is now the premier open age competition in the state...
at prop. Later in the season he was given his first grade debut in the National Rugby League
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...
, on the wing.
In 2004 he moved to the South Sydney Rabbitohs
South Sydney Rabbitohs
The South Sydney Rabbitohs are an Australian professional rugby league football team based in Redfern, a suburb of South-central Sydney, New South Wales. They participate in the National Rugby League premiership and are one of nine existing teams from the state capital...
and played in five NRL matches, coming off the bench as a forward in all of them.
He represented the New Zealand Māori
New Zealand Maori rugby league team
-See also:* New Zealand national rugby league team* New Zealand Māori rugby union team* New Zealand Māori cricket team-External links:* Google Books...
in 2006, playing in the Pacific Cup
2006 Pacific Cup
The 2006 Pacific Cup was the 10th Pacific Cup, a rugby league tournament held between Pacific teams. The tournament was hosted in Auckland and eventually won by Tonga, who defeated Fiji in the final...
.
Return to union
Skinnon returned to New Zealand in mid 2006, in time for the club rugby season. He trialled with North HarbourNorth Harbour Rugby Union
The North Harbour Rugby Union , commonly referred to colloquially as North Harbour or simply Harbour, is a provincial rugby team which competes in the ITM Cup , the successor to the country's former domestic competition, the National Provincial Championship .-Area:Harbour Rugby encompasses a...
for the NPC and ended up playing for Takapuna
Takapuna Rugby Football Club
Takapuna Rugby Football Club Inc. of New Zealand was formed in 1934 at its original headquarters in Taharoto Rd. 25 years ago the committee built new clubrooms at Onewa Domain which offered greatly improved playing conditions with 3 quality fields and the opportunity to vastly improve dressing...
. In 2007 he moved to join the Ponsonby club where he has played for the last four seasons.
He has since represented Auckland Maori and New Zealand at the World Rugby Classic, a tournament for veteran players.