Zinzan Brooke
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| Zinzan Brooke | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Personal information | |||
| Full name | Zinzan Valentine Brooke (originally Murray Zinzan Brooke) |
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| Date of birth | February 14 1965 | ||
| Place of birth | Waiuku, New Zealand | ||
| School | Mahurangi College | ||
| Notable relative(s) | Robin Brooke | ||
| Rugby union career | |||
| Playing career | |||
| Position | No. 8 or flanker | ||
| Clubs | Caps | (points) | |
| 1997-2001 | Harlequins | ||
| Provincial/State sides | Caps | (points) | |
| 1986-1997 | Auckland | ||
| Super Rugby | |||
| 1996-1997 | Auckland Blues | ||
| National team(s) | |||
| 1987-1997 | All Blacks | 58 | (89) |
Zinzan Valentine Brooke (born Murray Zinzan Brooke on February 14, 1965; changed name by deed poll) is a former New Zealand rugby union footballer who played at number eight.
He played 58 tests for New Zealand, and 42 non-international matches for the All Blacks, captained Auckland Blues to Super 12 championships in 1996 and 1997 and an influential figure in Auckland's dominance in the National Provincial Championship during the late '80's and 90's. He scored 17 tries in Test matches, then a world record for a forward. He also played for New Zealand Māori.
Brooke is arguably the best number eight to have ever played for the All Blacks. He had the running and kicking skills of a backline player which made him extremely mobile and agile as a forward. He once kicked a 47-metre drop goal during a 1995 Rugby World Cup match, one of three he scored in Test matches. His brother Robin Brooke played lock for Auckland & New Zealand. He is also a relative of New Zealand cricket players Zin Harris and Chris Harris,
In 1997 he retired from international rugby union and moved to England to play for Harlequins and later coach them, but he was not very successful. During the 2002/03 season he played for Coventry in National Division One. He now plays amateur rugby union for Windsor Rugby Club in Berkshire, England, and is often seen out on the town with youth team coach Jamie Pyatt.
It was widely reported that he signed a contract to play rugby league for Graham Lowe's Manly club in the early 1990s, but subsequently changed his mind and stayed with rugby union. In 1995 his biography 'Zinny: The Zinzan Brooke story', written with Alex Veysey, was published.
It was reported by Television New Zealand that Brooke suffered head trauma in May 2007 while falling out of a taxi in the Spanish town of Elche, but the circumstances are unclear. [1] Since he is having trouble speaking it is likely he has suffered damage to the Broca's area of his brain.
[edit] Trivia
Zinzan Brooke also played Gaelic football - both before and after his rugby career. Initially he was introduced to the game by fellow All Black Bernie McCahill at Auckland Gaels Gaelic Football Club. While living in London after his career he also turned out for St. Brendan's of London.
[edit] References
- ^ "Legend Brooke has brain operation", BBC SPORT, 2007-07-13.
[edit] External links
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