Stephen Bachop

Stephen Bachop
Full name Stephen John Bachop
Date of birth April 2, 1966 (1966-04-02) (age 45)
Place of birth Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand
Height 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Weight 79 kg (12 st 6 lb)
School Hagley High School
Notable relative(s) Graeme Bachop (brother)
Nathan Mauger (nephew)
Aaron Mauger (nephew)
Occupation(s) Rugby Coach
Rugby union career
Current status
Position(s) Coach
Playing career
Position Fly-half
New Zealand No. 925
Professional / senior clubs
Years Club / team Caps (points)
1986-1991
1992-1996
1996
1997-1998
1997-1998
1998-2000
2001-2002
Canterbury
Otago
Highlanders
Hurricanes
Central Vikings
London Irish
Leeds Tykes
80
79
21


32
12
(-)
(-)
(15)


(23)
(5)
National team(s)
Years Club / team Caps (points)
1991
1994
1998-1999
Samoa
New Zealand
Samoa
6
5
12
(10)
(0)
(54)
correct as of 13 February 2007.
Coaching career
Years Club / team
2001-2002
2002
2003
2004-2005
2005-present
Leeds Tykes (asst.)
Wellington Lions
Wellington U19
Wellington B (asst.)
International Rugby Academy New Zealand

Stephen Bachop (born 2 April 1966 in Christchurch) is a former rugby player from New Zealand. He is the older brother of fellow All Black Graeme Bachop.

Contents

Rugby career

Provincial

Bachop had two spells in the National Provincial Championship with each Canterbury and Otago, and also played for the Highlanders in the first Super 12 season in 1996. He then moved north in 1997 and for the next two seasons played with the Central Vikings in the NPC second division and for the Hurricanes in the Super 12.

Bachop had a key role in Otago's back to back wins over the British and Irish Lions in 1993 and the Springboks in 1994.

International

Although his brother Graeme had the more significant All Black career, Bachop played extensively in two stints with Manu Samoa which covered the 1991 and 1999 Rugby World Cups.

He was a member of the All Blacks' tour of Australia and South Africa in 1992 but could not displace Grant Fox from the tests. He was also selected for the tour of Scotland and England in 1993 but even though Fox had retired by then Bachop could not make the test lineup. Instead the young utility back Marc Ellis was preferred. While Bachop was seen as a talented and skilful player some coaches led by Laurie Mains had reservations about his defensive frailties.

Unable to gain an All Black place, he took advantage of his Samoan heritage to play for their national team at the 1991 Rugby World Cup. But the loose international eligibility regulations of the time saw him switching allegiance back to New Zealand in 1992.

Bachop at last gained an All Black test position when he played on five occasions against France, South Africa and Australia in the 1994 season. Graeme, who had been overlooked for the All Blacks inexplicably for three years, was recalled to partner Stephen in four of these tests.

In the late 1990s, with the international regulations still somewhat loose, Bachop resumed his association with Manu Samoa and had a starring role at the 1999 Rugby World Cup. In 1991 Samoa, with Bachop at first five, had enjoyed a famous win over Wales at Cardiff Arms Park and eight years later that was repeated and again Bachop was a dominant figure. Despite now being well into his 30s he scored two tries.

By then his brother had been in Japan for many years and twice in 1999 the two brothers appeared against each other in internationals: in a World Cup pool match in Wales and earlier in the year in a Pacific Rim tournament match. Stephen spent the latter part of his career with Leeds Tykes and London Irish playing in British and European competitions and in 2002 he returned to New Zealand helping the Wellington coaching staff in the NPC.

Bachop was omitted in 1995 for the World Cup even though he played in all of the trials. The young Andrew Mehrtens had then emerged and Bachop did not play again for the All Blacks.

Family

The remarkable family record of the Bachop brothers was extended in the early 2000s when their nephews, Aaron Mauger and Nathan Mauger, followed them into Canterbury sides and became All Blacks together on the 2002 tour of Scotland, Ireland and Argentina.

Bachop's wife Sue (née Garden) appeared for the New Zealand Women's Rugby team in 1989-1991 and briefly coached a men's senior team in Wellington.

In 2011 Bachop was charged with domestic violence-related charges relating to his partner after the All Black's Rugby World Cup win. He was charged with assaulting a female, common assault, resisting police, possession of cannabis and possession of drug utensils.[1] Bachop plead not guilty.

All Blacks statistics

Tests: 5 (0 as Captain)
Games: 13 (0 as Captain)
Total Matches: 18 (0 as Captain)
Test Points: 0pts
Game Points: 33pts (6t, 0c, 0p, 1dg, 0m)
Total Points: 33pts (6t, 0c, 0p, 1dg, 0m)

References

External links