Sam Strahan
| Birth name | Samuel Cuningham Strahan | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Date of birth | 25 December 1944 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Palmerston North, New Zealand | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of death | 21 December 2019 (aged 74) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of death | Kiwitea, New Zealand | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.94 m (6 ft 4 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 101 kg (223 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| School | Apiti School, Huntley School Wanganui Collegiate School | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Samuel Cuningham Strahan (25 December 1944 – 21 December 2019) was a New Zealand rugby union player. He represented Manawatu at a provincial level and the New Zealand national team, the All Blacks. He was a lock and was said to be the best lineout jumper in the country.[1]
Rugby career
[edit]Strahan represented Manawatu at a provincial level for 12 seasons, and the All Blacks between 1967 and 1973. He played 45 matches for the All Blacks including 17 internationals.[2][3]
He was selected by Fred Allen as a 22 year old to play for the All Blacks in the 1967 "NZRFU 75th Jubilee Test" against Australia at Athletic Park. Although he was Manawatu's 14th All Black he was only the second to be born locally, the first being Arthur Law. In that game his locking partner was Colin Meads who he would play many tests and other All Black matches with. Strahan played tests in the following tours:
- 1967 New Zealand rugby union tour of Britain, France and Canada (all 4 tests, locking with Meads)
- 1968 New Zealand rugby union tour of Australia and Fiji (both tests with Meads)
- 1968 France rugby union tour of New Zealand and Australia (all 3 tests with Meads)
- 1970 New Zealand rugby union tour of South Africa (the first 3 tests, locking with Alan Smith, Alan Sutherland and then Meads)
- 1972 Australian tour of New Zealand (all 3 tests, locking with Peter Whiting)
- 1973 England rugby union tour of Fiji and New Zealand (the sole test, locking with Hamish Macdonald)[4]
Later life
[edit]Strahan was made a life member of the Oroua rugby club in 2002.
He served as president of the Manawatu Rugby Union from 2003 to 2006. In 2009 he and fellow Manawatu All Blacks John Callesen, Mark Donaldson, Gary Knight and Frank Oliver advocated for the retention of the Turbos in the National Provincial Championship.[5]
Strahan died at his home in Kiwitea, northeast of Feilding, on 21 December 2019.[6]
References
[edit]- ^ "Sam Strahan". NZ Rugby Stats.
- ^ Akers, Clive. "Sam Strahan". New Zealand Rugby Union. Retrieved 16 June 2015.
- ^ www.vcsnet.co.nz, VCS Websites (NZ)-Lower Hutt and Wellington. "Samuel Cuningham Strahan | New Zealand Rugby History". www.rugbyhistory.co.nz.
- ^ "Rugby Database: Sam Strahan Player Profile & Stats". www.rugbydatabase.co.nz.
- ^ "Ex-ABs on board Turbos campaign". Manawatu Standard. 5 December 2009. Retrieved 16 June 2015.
- ^ "Manawatū and All Blacks lock great Sam Strahan dies suddenly, aged 74". 1News. 22 December 2019. Retrieved 22 December 2019.
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- 1944 births
- 2019 deaths
- Rugby union players from Palmerston North
- People educated at Whanganui Collegiate School
- New Zealand rugby union players
- New Zealand international rugby union players
- Manawatu rugby union players
- Rugby union locks
- New Zealand sports executives and administrators
- 20th-century New Zealand sportsmen
- New Zealand rugby union biography, 1940s birth stubs