Roy Christian
| Personal information | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Fletcher Roy Christian | |||||
| Playing information | ||||||
| Position | Wing, Centre | |||||
| Club | ||||||
| Years | Team | Pld | T | G | FG | P |
| 19?? | Otahuhu | |||||
| Representative | ||||||
| Years | Team | Pld | T | G | FG | P |
| 19?? | Auckland | |||||
| 1964 | New Zealand Māori | |||||
| 1965–1972 | New Zealand | 32 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 15 |
| Source: RLP | ||||||
Fletcher Roy Christian MBE[1] is a New Zealand retired international rugby league footballer of the 1960s and 1970s. A centre three-quarter back, he captained his country in the sport. Christian also captained the New Zealand Māori rugby league team.[2]
Born in Auckland to Norfolk Island parents, Roy Christian is a direct descendant of Fletcher Christian, a figure in the 1789 Mutiny on the Bounty.[3] Christian played his first Test match in 1965 against Australia. While playing for Otahuhu in 1966, Christian was awarded the Lipscombe Cup for Premier One sportsman of the year. However, injury caused him to miss the 1968 World Cup.[4] Christian was part of the Auckland side that defeated Australia in 1969.[5] He was appointed captain of the New Zealand national side in 1970 and played in that year's World Cup.[4] In 1971 Christian captained New Zealand to a famous victory against Australia at Carlaw Park.[6] Also in 1971, his Kiwis side became the first New Zealand touring team to win a test series in Britain.[7] Christian was awarded a MBE in the 1972 Birthday Honours "for services to rugby league football".[4] The 1972 World Cup was the last time Christian represented New Zealand.[8] He retired with little fanfare as no test matches were scheduled for 1973.[4] He had played in 74 matches for the Kiwis, including 32 tests. After retirement Christian served as the Otahuhu Leopards chairman before becoming a Minister in the Presbyterian Church.[4] In 2007 he was inducted as one of the New Zealand Rugby League's "Legends of League".[9]
References
- ↑ Otahuhu Rovers Rugby League Football and Sports Club Inc at the Auckland Rugby League website
- ↑ John Coffey, Bernie Wood (2008). 100 years: Māori rugby league, 1908-2008. Huia Publishers. p. 139. ISBN 9781869693312.
- ↑ John Coffey, Bernie Wood (2008). 100 years: Māori rugby league, 1908-2008. Huia Publishers. p. 138. ISBN 9781869693312.
- 1 2 3 4 5 Three Kiwi greats inducted into New Zealand Legends of League rleague.com, 17 April 2007
- ↑ 1969: Referee, and Kangaroos, crash Auckland Rugby League
- ↑ Jessup, Peter (23 April 2004). "Rugby League: Classic battles part of folklore". New Zealand Herald. Australia: APN Holdings NZ Limited. Retrieved 29 October 2010.
- ↑ "Rugby League World Cup - Venues Guide". BBC Sport Online. UK: BBC. Retrieved 29 October 2010.
- ↑ "CHRISTIAN, FLETCHER ROY 1965 - 72 - KIWI #435". nzleague.co.nz. Retrieved 29 October 2010.
- ↑ "New Zealand Rugby League Annual Report 2008" (pdf). NZRL. 2008. Retrieved 2009-07-21.
External links
- Past Kiwis Caps - C at NZRL.co.nz