 Davis c. 1963 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Birth name | William Leslie Davis | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Date of birth | 15 December 1942 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Hastings, New Zealand | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 74 kg (163 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| School | Hastings Boys' High School | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Occupation(s) | Sports shop owner [1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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William Leslie Davis, born on 15, December, 1942 is a former rugby union and softball player in New Zealand.
A wing and centre, Davis represented Hawke's Bay at a provincial level, and was a member of the New Zealand national side, the All Blacks, from 1963 to 1970. He played 53 matches for the All Blacks including 11 internationals. [2]
Davis played as an outfielder for the New Zealand men's national softball team, known as the Black Socks, at the 1972 and 1976 softball world championships. [1] [3] In 2001 he became patron of the Rotorua Softball Association. [4]
In 2006 Davis was inducted into the Hawke's Bay sports hall of fame. [1]
The National Provincial Championship (NPC) is an annual round-robin rugby union competition in men's domestic New Zealand rugby. First played in 1976, it is the second highest level of competition in New Zealand alongside the Ranfurly Shield. It is organised by New Zealand Rugby (NZR) and since 2021, it has been known as the Bunnings NPC after Bunnings, its naming rights sponsor. A concurrent women's tournament is also held, the Farah Palmer Cup.
The Hawke's Bay Rugby Union (HBRU) is the governing body of rugby union in the Hawke's Bay region of New Zealand. The union is based in Napier.
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Kelvin Robin Tremain was a New Zealand rugby union player and administrator. A flanker, he won 38 full caps for the New Zealand national team, the All Blacks, between 1959 and 1968, scoring nine tries. During the 1960s he had a status in New Zealand rugby comparable to that of his teammate, Colin Meads.
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Chase Tiatia is a rugby union player, who most recently played as a utility back for Hawke's Bay in New Zealand's domestic National Provincial Championship competition and the Western Force in Super Rugby. He was born and raised in New Zealand, but is eligible to represent Manu Samoa internationally due to his Samoan heritage.
Namatahi Waa is a New Zealand rugby union player, who currently plays as a prop for Hawke's Bay in New Zealand's National Provincial Championship competition and Austin Gilgronis in the Major League Rugby (MLR).
Jonah Lowe is a New Zealand rugby union player, who currently plays as a wing or centre for Hawke's Bay in New Zealand's domestic National Provincial Championship competition and for the Highlanders in Super Rugby.
Pouri Rakete-Stones is a New Zealand rugby player who plays as a prop for the Hurricanes in Super Rugby and Hawke's Bay in New Zealand's domestic National Provincial Championship competition.
Neria Fomai is a rugby union player, who currently plays as a centre or wing for Hawke's Bay in New Zealand's domestic National Provincial Championship competition and for Moana Pasifika in Super Rugby. He was born and raised in New Zealand, but has represented Manu Samoa – for which he is eligible due to his Samoan heritage – both in the fifteen-a-side form of the game and rugby sevens.
Tyrone Thompson is a New Zealand rugby union and rugby league player, who plays for the Newcastle Knights in the National Rugby League, having made a code switch from rugby union to league ahead of the 2025 NRL season.
Ollie Sapsford is a professional rugby union player, who currently plays as a midfield back or wing for the Brumbies in Super Rugby. In New Zealand, he most recently played for Hawke's Bay in the National Provincial Championship. Born in New Zealand, he represents Australia at international level, being eligible for that country on ancestry grounds.
Tanya Jane Dearns is a New Zealand netball coach and former netball player. She played 31 international matches for the New Zealand team between 1990 and 1998, including at the 1991 World Netball Championships.
'Api Kakalaia Solomone Funaki is a Tongan rugby union player, who currently plays as a loose forward for Dragons RFC in the United Rugby Championship and European Rugby Challenge Cup. He previously played for Moana Pasifika in Super Rugby and Hawke's Bay in New Zealand's domestic National Provincial Championship competition. He represents Tonga internationally.
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