Birth name | Gary William Whetton | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Date of birth | 15 December 1959 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Place of birth | Auckland, New Zealand | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Height | 1.98 m (6 ft 6 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Weight | 105 kg (16 st 7 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
School | Auckland Grammar | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Notable relative(s) | Alan Whetton | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Gary William Whetton (born 15 December 1959) is a former New Zealand rugby union player. He played 180 matches for Auckland, and 58 tests (15 as captain) at lock for the All Blacks from 1981 to 1991. He serves on the Auckland Blues board and was elected Chairman in April 2012. [1] He is the twin brother of fellow All Black Alan Whetton.
New Zealand hosted and won the inaugural World Cup in 1987 beating France 29–9 in the final. New Zealand conceded only 52 points and scored 43 tries in six games en route to the title, beating Italy, Fiji, Argentina, Scotland, Wales and France. [2]
The 1993 French Rugby Union Championship was won by Castres who beat Grenoble 14–11 in controversial final. Indeed a try of Olivier Brouzet is denied to Grenoble [3] and the decisive try by Gary Whetton was awarded by the referee, Daniel Salles, when in fact the defender Franck Hueber from Grenoble touched down the ball first in his try zone. This error gave the title to Castres. [4] Salles admitted the error 13 years later [5] . [6] Jacques Fouroux conflict with the Federation and who was already suspicious before the match of the referee [7] cry out conspiracy. [8]
The Top 14 is a professional rugby union club competition that is played in France. Created in 1892, the Top 14 is at the top of the national league system operated by the France National Rugby League, also known by its French initialism of LNR. There is promotion and relegation between the Top 14 and the next level down, the Rugby Pro D2. The fourteen best rugby teams in France participate in the competition, hence the name Top 14. The competition was previously known as the Top 16.
Castres Olympique is a French rugby union club located in the Occitanian city of Castres and is currently competing in the top level of the French league system.
The Football Club de Grenoble Rugby (FCG) is a French rugby union club based in Grenoble and founded in 1892.
Jacques Fouroux was a French rugby union player and coach. He captained France when they won the Grand Slam in 1977, and was the manager when the side repeated the feat in 1981 and 1987. Due to his small stature and strong personality, he was nicknamed "Le petit caporal", a reference to Napoléon Bonaparte's nickname.
Isaia "Ice" Toeava is a professional rugby union player from New Zealand.
Adrian Lungu is a Romanian former rugby union player. He played 76 times as a center or wing for the Romanian national team. He is the father of Remus Lungu, who is himself a rugby union international.
Olivier Brouzet is a French rugby union footballer. His usual position was at lock. He has played over 70 internationals for France, including being a part of numerous Rugby World Cup squads for France. He has also played for a variety of French and English clubs.
Saimone Taumoepeau is a professional rugby union player in France. He is the younger brother of Tevita Taumoepeau.
Alan Whetton also known as AJ is a former rugby union footballer who played for New Zealand's national team, the All Blacks. Whetton first played representative rugby for Auckland in 1981. He played alongside his twin brother Gary for both Auckland, and later the All Blacks. He played a variety of positions early in his career, playing at number eight and lock before playing most often as a flanker. He first played for the All Blacks in 1984 on their tour of Australia, and played his first Test match on 21 July against Australia.
Olivier Merle is a former French rugby union player. He played as a lock. He was known by several nicknames, including "La Merluche" and "Le Massif Central". He was known for his violent play and after headbutting Ricky Evans the Welsh prop in Paris causing a ruck to collapse on him breaking his ankle, resulted in his being sued successfully in the courts for damages. This was the first case of its kind and BBC video evidence was used in court. After that he never played for France again.
Willy Taofifénua is a former French rugby player. He played as a flanker for FC Grenoble.
Grzegorz Kacała is a Polish former professional rugby union and rugby league footballer who played in the 1990s, and has coached rugby union in the 2000s and 2010s. He was born on 15 March 1966. In rugby union, his position was in the back row, usually Number 8.
Bernard Lapasset was a French rugby administrator who was Chairman of the World Rugby from 2008 to 2016. He previously served as President of the French Federation of Rugby Union from 1991 to May 2008, when Pierre Camou, then vice-president took over. He was also vice-chairman of the National Olympic Committee (CNOSF).
Alain Carminati is a French former international rugby union and rugby league footballer. He played as a Flanker and Number 8.
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.
The 2012–13 Top 14 competition was a French domestic rugby union club competition operated by the Ligue Nationale de Rugby (LNR). Two new teams from the 2011–12 Pro D2 season were promoted to Top 14 this year, Grenoble and Stade Montois in place of the two relegated teams, CA Brive and Lyon OU. Home-and-away play began on 17 August 2012 and continued through to 5 May 2013. The regular season was followed by a three-round playoff involving the top six sides. The final was contested at the Stade de France between Toulon and Castres; the match was won 19–14 by Castres to earn them their first title since the controversial final in 1993.
The 1992–93 French Rugby Union Championship was won by Castres who beat Grenoble 14–11 in the final, in a match decided by an irregular try accorded by the referee.
Jack Whetton is a New Zealand Rugby Union player who currently plays as a lock for the NSW Waratahs in Super Rugby AU.
Laurent Labit is a retired French rugby union footballer, and current head coach of Top 14 side Stade Français.
Gilbert Brunat was a French rugby union player who played wing and hooker.