Owen Stephens

Last updated

Owen Stephens
Personal information
Full nameOwen George Stephens
Born (1947-01-09) 9 January 1947 (age 77)
Paeroa, New Zealand
Playing information
Height5 ft 9 in (175 cm)
Weight12 st 6 lb (174 lb; 79 kg)
Rugby union
Position Wing
Club
YearsTeamPldTGFGP
≤1967–67Club
≤1968–≥68Athletic Rugby Club
≤1973–≥74 St. George
Total00000
Representative
YearsTeamPldTGFGP
1966–67 Bay of Plenty
1967–70 Wellington
≥1970–≤75 New South Wales
1968 New Zealand 10000
1973–74 Australia 52008
Rugby league
Position Wing
Club
YearsTeamPldTGFGP
1970–≤73Club
1975 Parramatta Eels 1560018
1975 Wakefield Trinity 8721
1977 Parramatta Eels 11003
Total24140042
Source: [1] [2]

Owen George Stephens (born 9 January 1947), also known by the nickname of "Noddy", is a New Zealand former rugby union and professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1960s and 1970s. [1] [2] He has the distinction of being one of only three players to have played international rugby union for both New Zealand and Australia.

Contents

Early life and family

Stephens was born in Paeroa in 1947 and educated at Tauranga Boys' College. He is the son of Mortimer Stephens, a rugby league footballer who played in the 1930s for Auckland, St. Helens (Heritage No. 429), Rochdale Hornets and Bradford Northern (Heritage No.). [2] [3] [4]

Rugby union

A wing, Stephens played for Bay of Plenty and Wellington at a provincial level in New Zealand, and for the Athletic Rugby Club in Wellington. He won a single test cap for New Zealand, playing in the All Blacks' 19–12 victory over France at Eden Park, Auckland on 10 August 1968.

He left New Zealand in 1970 and switched codes to rugby league, but was not successful. He was reinstated back into rugby union while in Australia and played at club level for St. George, and represented New South Wales. He won five caps for Australia, playing against Tonga and Wales in 1973 and against New Zealand in 1974. Replacing Jeff McLean on the left wing, he was brought in for the second test against the All Blacks, on 1 June 1974 at Ballymore Oval, Brisbane. The match was drawn 16-all. He also played in the third on 8 June at the Sydney Cricket Ground which New Zealand won by 16 points to 6. He was only the second New Zealand international to subsequently represent another country against New Zealand.

Rugby league

Owen Stephens then changed codes again to play club level rugby league.

In his career he played for St. George Dragons (trial), Parramatta Eels (Heritage No. 339) (two spells), and Wakefield Trinity (Heritage No. 815), as a wing, i.e. number 2 or 5. [2]

Other dual internationals

Only three players have played rugby union at test match level for both New Zealand and Australia, the others being:

Bill Hardcastle also played for New Zealand (1897) and Australia in both rugby union (1899–1903) and rugby league (1910–14) but did not play a test match for New Zealand. [5]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jonah Lomu</span> New Zealand rugby union player (1975–2015)

Jonah Tali Lomu was a New Zealand professional rugby union player. Lomu is considered to have been the first true global superstar of rugby, and consequently had a huge impact on the game. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential players in the history of the sport, and as one of the most talented sportsmen ever.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eden Park</span> Sports stadium in Auckland, New Zealand

Eden Park is a sports venue in Auckland, New Zealand. It is located three kilometres southwest of the Auckland CBD, on the boundary between the suburbs of Mount Eden and Kingsland. The main stadium has a nominal capacity of 50,000, and is sometimes referred to as New Zealand's national stadium. The stadium is used primarily for rugby union in winter and cricket in summer, and has also hosted rugby league and association football matches, as well as concerts and cultural events. It is owned and operated by the Eden Park Trust Board, whose headquarters are located in the stadium.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Henry Fa'afili</span> NZ & Samoa dual-code international rugby footballer

Henry Fa'afili is a Samoan-born New Zealand former professional rugby league and rugby union footballer who played in the 1990s, 2000s and 2010s. He played representative rugby league (RL) for New Zealand Secondary Schools, the New Zealand Junior Kiwis, New Zealand and Samoa, and at club level for Auckland Warriors and the Warrington Wolves, as a wing, centre, stand-off, or second-row, he switched codes in 2007, and played representative rugby union (RU) for Samoa, and at club level for Biarritz Olympique, Leeds Carnegie and Connacht Rugby, as a wing, or centre.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tasesa Lavea</span> NZ & Samoa dual-code rugby international player

Tasesa James Lavea is a New Zealand rugby union coach and former professional rugby league and rugby union footballer. He is of Samoan and Māori descent and heritage, and he coaches the 1st XV for Saint Kentigern College.

Tamati Edward Ellison is a New Zealand rugby union footballer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Simon Mannering</span> New Zealand rugby league footballer

Simon Alexander Mannering is a New Zealand former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 2000s and 2010s. He played for the New Zealand Warriors in the NRL. A New Zealand international second row forward, who could also play as a centre. He was appointed the New Zealand national team's captain in 2013 and was replaced by Jesse Bromwich in 2016 and was part of the 2008 World Cup-winning Kiwis team. Mannering was a one-club player who played his whole NRL career with the Warriors. With 301 appearances for the Warriors, Mannering is the club's most capped player.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jason Nightingale</span> NZ international rugby league footballer

Jason Nightingale is a former New Zealand international rugby league footballer who played as a winger and fullback for the St. George Illawarra Dragons in the NRL.

William "Bill" Thomas Tyler was a New Zealand rugby footballer who was part of the professional 1907-1908 New Zealand rugby tour of Great Britain. His older brother George Tyler also played rugby for City and Auckland, and represented the All Blacks 36 times from 1903 to 1906.

Kevin Ronald Tamati is a New Zealand former rugby league representative player and coach. He played at representative level for New Zealand, New Zealand Māori, Auckland, Central Districts and Wellington, and professionally at club level for Widnes, Warrington and Salford, Chorley Borough in the forwards. He has coached the New Zealand Māori, and professionally for Salford, Chorley Borough/Lancashire Lynx, British Army Rugby League and Whitehaven. He is the cousin of fellow international Howie Tamati.

George Spencer (1878–1950) was a New Zealand rugby football player who represented New Zealand in both rugby union and rugby league. His brother, John, also was a dual-international.

John Clarence Spencer (1880–1936) was a New Zealand rugby football player who represented New Zealand in both rugby union and rugby league. His brother, George, also was a dual-international.

The 1913 New Zealand rugby league season was the sixth season of rugby league that had been played in New Zealand.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Albert Asher</span> NZ dual-code rugby international footballer (1879–1965)

Arapeta Paurini Wharepapa, or Albert Asher as he was more commonly known, was a New Zealand dual-code international rugby union and professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1890s, 1900s, 1910s and 1920s. At representative level Asher played rugby union for New Zealand, North Island and Auckland playing on the Wing and played rugby league at representative level for Australasia, New Zealand, Auckland and the New Zealand Māori rugby league team. One of his brothers, Ernie, was also a rugby league international while another, John, became a Ngati Pukenga and Ngati Pikiao leader, and another brother, Thomas also played representative rugby for Tauranga. Katherine Te Rongokahira Parata was a sister.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Herb Lilburne</span> NZ dual-code international rugby footballer

Herbert Theodore Lilburne was a New Zealand dual-code international rugby union and professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1920s and 1930s, and coached rugby union in the 1940s.

Albert Phillip House was a New Zealand rugby union and professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1900s and 1910s, and rugby league referee of the 1910s and 1920s. He played representative level rugby union for Wellington, and representative level rugby league for New Zealand, and Wellington, and at club level for Petone, as a fullback, or stand-off, i.e. number 1, or 6.

Kenneth Brooking "Paddy" George was a New Zealand rugby union and professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1900s and 1910s. He played club level rugby union (RU) for City, and representative rugby league (RL) for New Zealand, and Wellington, and at club level for Newtown, as a stand-off.

George Bradley was a New Zealand rugby league footballer who played in the 1910s. He played at representative level for New Zealand (captain), and Wellington, and at club level for Athletic RLFC, as a wing, centre, or stand-off.

In June 2013, France played a three-test series against New Zealand as part of the 2013 mid-year rugby test series. This was the sides' first encounter since they met in the 2011 Rugby World Cup final, which New Zealand won 8–7. It was France's first test series against the All Blacks since their 2009 two-test tour of New Zealand, which ended in a 1–1 draw.

Evan "Ted" Morgan Jessep was a rugby union player who has the distinction of being the first person to play in test matches for both New Zealand and Australia. Born in Sydney, Jessep moved to New Zealand with his family when he was three years old.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Albert Downing</span> New Zealand rugby union footballer

Albert "Doolan" Joseph Downing was a New Zealand international rugby union player, capped 26 times at lock between 1913 and 1914. He was born in Napier, and began his playing career for Napier Marist in 1909, from which he was selected for Hawke's Bay and for the North Island. He moved at the end of 1912 to Auckland and there joined Auckland Marist, where he was the club's first All Black, playing his debut match against a touring Australian team in 1913. He was selected for the highly successful tour of North America in 1913, playing in 14 of the 16 matches and scoring 6 tries.

References

  1. 1 2 "Statistics at en.espn.co.uk (RU)". en.espn.co.uk. 31 December 2018. Retrieved 1 January 2019.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org". Rugby League Project. 31 December 2018. Retrieved 1 January 2019.
  3. "Monty Stephens Profile at saints.org.uk". saints.org.uk. 31 December 2018. Retrieved 1 January 2019.
  4. Knight, Lindsay. "Owen Stephens". New Zealand Rugby Museum. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
  5. "Kiwis who have done the 'unthinkable'". The New Zealand Herald . Archived from the original on 18 December 2022.