Birth name | Dominic Joseph Bird | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Date of birth | 9 April 1991 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Place of birth | Waipukurau, New Zealand | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Height | 206 cm (6 ft 9 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Weight | 124 kg (19 st 7 lb; 273 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
School | Central Hawke's Bay College | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
University | Lincoln University | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Dominic Bird (born 9 April 1991) is a New Zealand rugby union player who plays as a lock and has represented the All Blacks. He has also played for Canterbury and Wellington in the Mitre 10 Cup, the Crusaders and Chiefs in Super Rugby. [1] He has also played for Racing 92 in the French Top 14.
Bird was educated at Central Hawkes Bay College. He debuted for the 1st XV in 2007 and went on to captain the side in 2008 in a historic victory over Hastings Boys High school alongside other key players the likes of Bredon Edmonds (NZ Maori), Mua Sala (Spain), Karawa Russell (Waipawa Country United Mens), Jack Richardson (Ruatoria CITY), Andrew Burnt (Wakeley Sheild). Born in Hawke's Bay, Bird moved to Christchurch where he attended Lincoln University on a Rugby Scholarship. [2]
Bird was a member of the New Zealand Under 20 team which won the 2011 IRB Junior World Championship in Italy. [3]
Bird was a member of the Crusaders Wider Training Group in 2012 and was selected as a senior squad member for the 2013 Super Rugby season. [4] [5] Bird was selected for the 2013 All Blacks wider training squad of 38 to train for the June test series against France and went on to make his international debut against Japan in November, starting for them in the 54–6 win before being replaced by Sam Whitelock. [6] Bird broke the record for tallest All Black in history on his debut, standing 1 cm taller than previous record holder, the now-retired Mark Cooksley. Bird made another appearance for the All Blacks one year later, starting against Scotland in a 24–16 win on the 2014 end-of-year tour after being called in as cover for Luke Romano.
Bird switched Super Rugby teams to the Chiefs for the 2016 Super Rugby season, forming a formidable locking partnership with All Blacks team-mate Brodie Retallick. Bird became a regular starter for the Chiefs, including against the touring British and Irish Lions team in 2017, with the Chiefs losing to the Lions 34–6. Bird also went on to start in the knockout rounds but the Chiefs were eliminated from the competition in the semi-final against Bird's former team the Crusaders who went on to win the competition. After a solid Mitre 10 Cup campaign, Bird was re-selected for the All Blacks for the 2017 end-of-year tour after three years' absence from international rugby. This came after Bird started against the All Blacks for the Barbarians in a 22–31 loss to the All Blacks. Bird started for the All Blacks against a French XV on 14 November and was not subbed off, with the All Blacks winning 28–23.
On 1 June 2018, Bird travelled to France to sign for Top 14 side Racing 92 ahead of the 2018–19 season. [7]
Isaac Beattie Ross is a New Zealand rugby union player. He plays in the lock position for the San Diego Legion of Major League Rugby (MLR) competition in the U.S.
Samuel Lawrence Whitelock is a New Zealand rugby union player who plays as a lock for Pau in the Top 14 competition.
Sio Julian Savea is a New Zealand professional rugby union player. He currently plays wing for Moana Pasifika in Super Rugby. Savea formerly played for Toulon in the Top 14 and Hurricanes in the Super Rugby, and is a former captain of the Wellington Lions in the Mitre 10 Cup. Between 2012 and 2017, he won 54 caps for New Zealand.
Matthew Brendon Todd is a New Zealand rugby union coach and former player. He is currently an assistant coach for the Crusaders.
Sona Taumalolo is a former professional rugby union player. He played at prop for Hawke's Bay in New Zealand's domestic Mitre 10 Cup competition; the Chiefs in Super Rugby; several French clubs; and the Tonga national team. He retired at the end of the 2020 Mitre 10 Cup season.
Ryan Stevenson Crotty is a New Zealand-born rugby union Rugby player. He currently plays as a midfield back for the Kubota Spears in the Japanese Top League.
Luke Charles Whitelock is a New Zealand rugby union player who currently plays as a loose forward for Section Paloise (Pau) in France's Top 14 rugby competition.
Lolagi Visinia is a rugby union player, who currently plays as a wing or fullback for Moana Pasifika in Super Rugby and Hawke's Bay in New Zealand's domestic National Provincial Championship competition. He was born and raised in New Zealand, but has represented both New Zealand and Manu Samoa internationally.
Ben Volavola is a Fijian Australian international rugby union player who plays for Agen in the French Pro D2 competition. He has previously played for Super Rugby clubs such as the Waratahs, Crusaders, and most recently the Rebels. Volavola typically plays as either a fly-half or full back.
Patrick Tito Tuipulotu is a New Zealand rugby union player who is currently a lock for the Blues in Super Rugby and Auckland in the Mitre 10 Cup. Tuipulotu is the Blues' current captain and has previously captained Auckland in 2017 and 2018.
Brad McCormick Weber is a New Zealand rugby union player, who currently plays as a halfback for Stade Français in the French Top 14. He previously played for Hawke's Bay in the National Provincial Championship and the Chiefs in Super Rugby. He has represented New Zealand internationally.
Daniel Lienert-Brown is a New Zealand rugby union player who currently plays as a loosehead prop for Canterbury in New Zealand's domestic Mitre 10 Cup and the Highlanders in the international Super Rugby competition.
Scott Kevin Barrett is a New Zealand professional rugby union player who currently plays as a lock for the Crusaders in Super Rugby and Taranaki in the Mitre 10 Cup. Barrett was chosen as the Crusaders' Captain for the 2020 Super Rugby season.
Geoffrey Cridge is a New Zealand rugby union player, who currently plays as a lock or loose forward for Hawke's Bay in New Zealand's domestic National Provincial Championship. He previously played for the Hurricanes and the Waratahs in Super Rugby as well as for Bayonne in the French Top 14.
Richie Mo'unga is a New Zealand professional rugby union player who plays as a first five-eighth for Japan Rugby League One club Toshiba Brave Lupus and the New Zealand national team.
Tom Bayley Sanders is a New Zealand rugby union player who currently plays as a loose forward for Canterbury in New Zealand's domestic Mitre 10 Cup and the Crusaders in the international Super Rugby competition. He also plays as a Number 8 position.
Elias Jack Goodhue is a New Zealand rugby union player who currently plays as a Centre for Castres Olympique in the French Top 14.
George Crispin Bridge is a New Zealand rugby union player who currently plays as an outside back for Montpellier Hérault Rugby in France's domestic TOP 14. Bridge made his international debut for New Zealand in 2018, aged 23.
Leicester Ofa Ki Wales Twickenham Fainga’anuku is a New Zealand rugby union player, who currently plays as a wing for Toulon in the French Top 14. He previously played for Tasman in the National Provincial Championship and the Crusaders in Super Rugby. He has represented New Zealand internationally.
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.