Shane Howarth

Shane Paul Howarth (born 8 July 1968) is a former international rugby union player who gained four caps and scored 54 points for the All Blacks before later switching allegiance to Wales, attaining 19 Welsh caps.

Shane Howarth
Birth nameShane Paul Howarth
Date of birth (1968-07-08) 8 July 1968
Place of birthAuckland, New Zealand
Height1.72 m (5 ft 7 1⁄2 in)
Weight82 kg (12 st 13 lb)
Notable relative(s)Calvin Howarth, brother
Children2
Rugby league career
Position(s) Fullback
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
1996 North Queensland Cowboys 12 (49)
National team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
New Zealand ()
Rugby union career
Position(s) Fullback
All Black No. 939
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
1999–2003 Newport 108 (1035)
Provincial / State sides
Years Team Apps (Points)
1990–1995 Auckland 62 ()
Correct as of 2008-05-26
National team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
1994 New Zealand 4 (54)
1998–2000 Wales 19 (23)
Correct as of 2008-05-26
Teams coached
Years Team
2006 Pacific Islanders (assistant)
2004–2010 Auckland (assistant)
2013 Worcester Warriors (backs coach)
Correct as of 2008-05-26

An outside-half or full-back, he was a prolific goal-kicker and a fast elusive runner. He scored 23 points for Wales including a try in the 32–31 victory over England in 1999 played at Wembley as the Millennium Stadium was under construction in Cardiff.

Background

Howarth was born in Auckland, New Zealand. He was educated at St Peter's College, Auckland.

Rugby career

He played for the Auckland Marist club and Auckland. He made his All Black debut against South Africa in 1994 and played in three tests in the series.

In 1996 he switched to rugby league, signing with the North Queensland Cowboys in the Australian Rugby League competition. He played twelve games for the club and scored forty nine points, including three field goals. [1] However he was not re-signed by the club and instead returned to rugby union, playing three games for the Auckland Blues during the 1997 Super 12 season.

He moved to England to play for Sale at outside-half. There was then a tug-of-war between various nations for him to play for them, but he chose Wales, after being offered the chance to play for Newport. Howarth moved to Newport RFC in 1999 and played for the club until 2003, scoring 1,035 points and helping the Black & Ambers win the WRU Principality Cup.

Coaching

Howarth commenced a coaching in Auckland. He was assistant coach of the Pacific Islanders, New Zealand in 2004 and 2005. Howarth was assistant coach for the Auckland NPC team from 2006 until 2010 under Pat Lam. Auckland claimed four championships in 10 years. Howarth's tenure was ended after Auckland slumped to seventh in 2010.[2]

In June 2012 he was appointed as backs coach to London Wasps. From September 2013 until late 2014, Howarth was backs coach for the Worcester Warriors.[2]

Grannygate

In 2000 it was discovered that his grandfather was not born in Wales but New Zealand, and he was ineligible to play for Wales. The scandal that followed was termed "grannygate" and Howarth was banned from representing Wales. He retired at the end of 2003. Howarth could have qualified for Wales through residency before he retired but by then the IRB had changed the rules so that players could only represent one country.

References
  1. Howarth likely to stay with Cowboys Sunday Star-Times, 13 October 1996
  2. All Blacks News (27 January 2015). "Former All Black Howarth leaves Worcester". Retrieved 23 February 2015.

Shane Howarth at AllBlacks.com

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