Owen Wright (rugby league)

Last updated

Owen Wright
Personal information
Full nameOwen Grant Wright
BornNew Zealand
Playing information
Position Second-row
Club
YearsTeamPldTGFGP
Otahuhu
Manukau
Total00000
Representative
YearsTeamPldTGFGP
1978–86 Auckland 42
1982–86 New Zealand 161004
1983–86 New Zealand Māori
Coaching information
Representative
YearsTeamGmsWDLW%
199193 Auckland
Source: [1] [2]

Owen Grant Wright [3] is a New Zealand former professional rugby league footballer who represented New Zealand in sixteen Tests, including in matches that counted towards the 1988 World Cup. [1]

Contents

His brother Nick also represented New Zealand while his father Owen and his uncles Jack and Joe all represented the New Zealand Māori side.

He is the father of Jordan "THE J-MAN" Wright

Playing career

Wright was an Otahuhu Leopards player in the Auckland Rugby League competition. [4] [5] He won several trophies while at Otahuhu, including both the Lipscombe Cup for sportsman of the year and Rothville Trophy for player of the year in 1984.

In 1974 Wright was an Under-17 and Under-19 Auckland representative. He played for the Under-21s in 1975 before making his senior debut for Auckland in 1978. [4]

Wright represented the New Zealand Māori team, including touring Great Britain and at the 1986 Pacific Cup. [6] [7]

Wright remained in Auckland despite having offers from professional clubs in England and Australia. [6] In 1986 he played for the Manukau Magpies club. [8]

Coaching career

Between 1991 and 1993 Wright coached Auckland in the national provincial competition. [6]

Later years

Wright now works in radio. He has commentated on New Zealand Warriors matches for Radio Sport since 1995. [6]

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References

  1. 1 2 "Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org". rugbyleagueproject.org. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  2. "Coach Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org". rugbyleagueproject.org. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  3. WRIGHT, OWEN GRANT 1982 - 86 - KIWI #567 nzleague.co'nz
  4. 1 2 Otahuhu Rovers Rugby League Football and Sports Club Inc Archived 2010-06-05 at the Wayback Machine Auckland Rugby League
  5. Lowe, Graham (11 May 2008). "Graham Lowe: Simplicity key to supercoach". The New Zealand Herald . Retrieved 1 November 2011.
  6. 1 2 3 4 John Coffey, Bernie Wood (2008). 100 years: Māori rugby league, 1908-2008. Huia Publishers. pp. 130–133. ISBN   9781869693312.
  7. A Passport to the World The Whitehaven News, 21 April 2010
  8. 1986 Lion Red Rugby League Annual, New Zealand Rugby Football League, 1986. p.101