Mark Robinson (rugby, born 1975)

Last updated

Mark Robinson
Birth nameMark Darren Robinson
Date of birth (1975-08-21) 21 August 1975 (age 49)
Place of birth Palmerston North, New Zealand
Height179 cm (5 ft 10 in)
Weight90 kg (198 lb; 14 st 2 lb)
School Whangārei Boys' High School
University Massey University
Rugby union career
Position(s) Half-back
Senior career
YearsTeamApps(Points)
2003–08 Northampton 152 (245)
2008–10 London Wasps 24 (5)
Provincial / State sides
YearsTeamApps(Points)
1996–02 North Harbour 74 (150)
Super Rugby
YearsTeamApps(Points)
1997–98 Waikato Chiefs 12 (10)
1999–02 Blues 39 (40)
International career
YearsTeamApps(Points)
1997–01 New Zealand A 8 (15)
1997–01 New Zealand 8 (5)
Correct as of 8 February 2007
Rugby league career
Playing information
Position Hooker
Club
YearsTeamPldTGFGP
2003 Warriors 10

Mark Darren "Sharky" Robinson (born 21 August 1975 in Palmerston North, New Zealand) is a New Zealand former rugby union and rugby league footballer who played in the 1990s and 2000s. He played international rugby union for the All Blacks between 1997 and 2001. He played provincial rugby in New Zealand for North Harbour and Super 12 rugby for the Waikato Chiefs and then the Auckland Blues. He briefly played rugby league for the New Zealand Warriors before moving overseas to play with Northampton and then London Wasps, both in England. He retired from professional rugby in 2010. [1]

Contents

Career in rugby union and rugby league

Born in Palmerston North, Robinson grew up in Whangārei. He emerged as a prospective rugby player when he moved to North Harbour during his teenage years, making the Harbour Colts and New Zealand Colts in 1995 playing in the inaugural World under 21 tournament in Argentina. He entered first-class rugby the following year with Harbour. He played for the Chiefs in the international Super 12 competition. In 1997 he toured with the All Blacks and played three games in Europe and was selected as reserve to Justin Marshall for the final test against England at Twickenham, but injury forced him to sit this out. The following year he played in his first Test against England in Dunedin, for England's Tour of Hell.

In 1999 he moved to the re-organised Auckland Blues, and appeared five times for New Zealand 'A' that season. In 2000 he also played for the New Zealand 'A' side that toured Europe. In 2001 he was recalled to the All Blacks for the end-of-year tour. He played in matches against Ireland and Scotland 'A', as well as the Test against Scotland. He also played in the Test against Argentina.

In 2003 he signed to play rugby league for the New Zealand Warriors for only one season prior to moving to the UK to join up with the Northampton Saints. He played one game at hooker. [2] For most of the year he played for the North Harbour Tigers in the 2005 Bartercard Cup. He also played for the Barbarians from 2002 to 2009 playing a total of 13 games for the famous rugby club and in 2003 Robinson was a member of the Barbarians team in the victories over England, Scotland and Wales.

In 2003 he signed for Northampton in the English Premiership, and on 22 May 2008 he transferred to London Wasps.

In May 2010 Robinson called time on his rugby career after a degenerative knee injury forced him to retire after two seasons at the Wasps. [1] He said "It has been a very difficult season for me and despite every effort to come back, my knee injury is just too severe and too painful to continue".

All Blacks statistics

Tests: 3 (0 as Captain)
Games: 5 (0 as Captain)
Total Matches: 8 (0 as Captain)
Test Points: 5pts (1t, 0c, 0p, 0dg, 0m)
Game Points: 10pts (2t, 0c, 0p, 0dg, 0m)
Total Points: 15pts (3t, 0c, 0p, 0dg, 0m)

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Phil Vickery (rugby union)</span> British Lions & England international rugby union footballer

Philip John Vickery MBE DL is a former English rugby union tighthead prop and member of the England squad. He was a member of England's World Cup winning squad in 2003, playing in all seven matches in the tournament, and is a former England captain. Vickery ended his club rugby career at London Wasps, joining the London side in 2006 after eleven years with Gloucester Rugby. Given the nickname "Raging Bull", he played in three Rugby World Cups, including as England captain in the 2007 tournament, and toured Australia and South Africa with the British & Irish Lions. Made his debut for Bolingey Barbarians Sunday 25th Sept 2022 vs Bude vets.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steve Thompson (rugby union)</span> British Lions & England international rugby union player

Steve Thompson MBE is a former rugby union player who played at hooker for Northampton Saints and England. He was once England's most capped hooker, and played for the British & Irish Lions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New Zealand Barbarians</span> Rugby team

The New Zealand Barbarian Rugby Club Inc., nicknamed the Barbarians, or Baa-Baas, is a rugby union club headquartered in Kingsland, Auckland. The idea came from the concept of the Barbarian F.C. The Barbarians played their home matches at Eden Park.

David Edward Kirk is a former New Zealand rugby union player. He is best known for having been the captain of the All Blacks when they won the inaugural Rugby World Cup in 1987.

Michael Clive Teague is a former England and British Lions rugby union footballer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Warren Gatland</span> Wales rugby union coach

Warren David Gatland is a New Zealand rugby union coach and former player who is the head coach of the Wales national team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eric Rush</span> Rugby player

Eric James Rush is a New Zealand former rugby union footballer and rugby sevens legend, and now a supermarket owner. His New Zealand Sevens career began in 1988 and ran until past his 39th birthday in 2004. Rush played in more than 60 tournaments, with the highlights being two Commonwealth Games gold medals and the World Cup Sevens victory in 2001. He was also voted Best and Fairest Player at the 1991 Hong Kong Sevens.

Hugo Finlay Grant Southwell is a retired Scottish rugby union footballer. He played as a fullback, centre and wing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pat Lam</span> NZ & Samoa international rugby union player

Patrick Richard Lam is a rugby union coach and former player. He is currently Director of Rugby at Bristol Bears in England's Premiership Rugby.

Daniel Ward-Smith is a former New Zealand-born English rugby union player who played at number eight for Bristol & London Wasps. He also covered flanker and second row, which made him a massive forward to have in the Wasps squad.

Norman Michael Clifford Maxwell is a former New Zealand rugby union player.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fred Allen (rugby union)</span> New Zealand rugby union footballer and coach

Sir Frederick Richard Allen was a captain and coach of the All Blacks, New Zealand's national rugby union team. The All Blacks won all 14 of the test matches they played under his coaching.

Graeme Thomas Miro Bachop is a former rugby union footballer from New Zealand.

Stephen John Bachop is a New Zealand former rugby union player and current coach. He is the older brother of fellow former All Black, Graeme Bachop.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andy Leslie</span> New Zealand rugby player

Andrew Roy Leslie is a former New Zealand rugby union player. A number eight, he represented Wellington domestically and captained the All Black at international level. He was captain during the controversial 1976 New Zealand rugby union tour of South Africa. On 26 April 2007 he was elected as the president of the New Zealand Rugby Football Union.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rene Ranger</span> New Zealand international rugby union player

Rene Mark Nelson Ranger is a New Zealand rugby union player. Ranger plays the positions of wing and centre.

The 1972–73 New Zealand rugby union tour of the Britain, Ireland, France and North America was a collection of rugby union test match games undertaken by the All Blacks against England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland and France. The tour also took in several matches against British, Irish, French and North American club, county and invitational teams. This was the seventh tour of the Northern Hemisphere. It was also the first time the All Blacks lost to the invitational Barbarians team.

The 1993 New Zealand rugby union tour of Britain was a series of thirteen matches played by the New Zealand national rugby union team in England, Scotland and Wales from October to December 1993. Twelve of the matches took place in England or Scotland with only the final match against the Barbarians being played in Wales. New Zealand won twelve of their thirteen games, losing only the international match against England – they won the other international against Scotland

Liam John Barry is a New Zealand rugby union coach and former rugby union player. He was most previously the assistant coach of the New Zealand men's sevens team. He has previously been the assistant coach the Blues and head coach of North Harbour's provincial rugby union side. He debuted for North Harbour in 1991 at the age of 20, and racked up 83 games over a decade-long provincial career. He had two spells in Japan, playing for NEC from 1997 to 2001 and Kubota from 2002 to 2004.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vaea Fifita</span> Tongan rugby player (born 1992)

Vaea Tangitau Lapota Fifita is a Tongan professional rugby union player who plays as a flanker for United Rugby Championship club Scarlets and the Tonga national team.

References

  1. 1 2 "Wasps scrum-half Mark Robinson retires from rugby". BBC. 1 May 2010. Retrieved 11 February 2017.
  2. [Marsh shakes off injury, tipped to play ] Waikato Times, 29 April 2003