Bruce Reihana
Encyclopedia
Bruce Trevor Reihana (born 6 April 1976 in Thames, New Zealand
) is a New Zealand
rugby union
footballer. He is an utility back
and currently plays professional
rugby for Union Bordeaux Bègles.
Reihana started playing at provincial
level with Waikato
in 1996 and led them to two Ranfurly Shield
victories out of three challenges. He played for the Chiefs in the former Super 12 from 1997 to 2002 with 58 games and 123 points to his name.
Internationally, Reihana represented New Zealand
for sevens
in the 1998
and 2002 Commonwealth Games
, winning gold medals on each occasion. He made 11 appearances for New Zealand Māori
. Only managed to play 2 games for New Zealand in 2000 throughout his career.
After not renewing his contract with the NZRFU in 2002, Reihana managed to get an overseas contact with Premiership
side Northampton
. He was used at fullback and became an influential figure for the Saints and even won the 2003–2004 PRA Players' Player of the Year Award.
Reihana was scheduled to return to New Zealand rugby after his stint in Europe, but it did not materialise as he decided to stay in England citing personal reasons. Resuming his career with the Saints, Reihana was promoted to captain after Steve Thompson
decided to step down as co-captain.
During a Premiership
match against Gloucester on 23 September 2006, Reihana suffered a knee
ligament
injury that would sideline him until 2007.
Reihana relinquished the Saints captaincy at the end of the 2008/2009 season, when Dylan Hartley
was appointed in his place. He continues to play regularly for the club, and is without doubt one of the most popular players with the Saints fans.
On 2 October 2010 Reihana scored 17 points against Exeter Chiefs to take him through the milestone of 1,000 points for the Saints
Bruce leaves Northampton Saints at the end of the 2010-2011 season to join the French team, Bordeaux. This was announced over BBC Radio Northampton during the final Aviva Premiership game of the season, against Leeds, as Bruce Reihana joined the field.
Thames, New Zealand
Thames is a town at the southwestern end of the Coromandel Peninsula in New Zealand's North Island. It is located on the Firth of Thames close to the mouth of the Waihou River. The town is the seat of the Thames-Coromandel District Council....
) is a New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
footballer. He is an utility back
Rugby union positions
In the game rugby union, there are fifteen players on each team, comprising eight forwards and seven backs . Depending upon the competition, there may be up to eight replacement players. Early games consisted primarily of forwards that attacked plus a handful of "tends" that played back in defence...
and currently plays professional
Professional sports
Professional sports, as opposed to amateur sports, are sports in which athletes receive payment for their performance. Professional athleticism has come to the fore through a combination of developments. Mass media and increased leisure have brought larger audiences, so that sports organizations...
rugby for Union Bordeaux Bègles.
Reihana started playing at provincial
National Provincial Championship
The National Provincial Championship, or NPC, is the major domestic rugby competition in New Zealand. The NPC has seen many alterations to its format and brand. Since 2006 the National Championship has been split into 2 competitions, the ITM Cup and the Heartland Championship...
level with Waikato
Waikato Rugby Union
The Waikato Rugby Union is the official governing body of rugby union in the Waikato area in the North Island of New Zealand. Its senior representative team competes in the ITM Cup , and won the inaugural Air New Zealand Cup in 2006.Waikato Rugby Union was founded in 1921...
in 1996 and led them to two Ranfurly Shield
Ranfurly Shield
The Ranfurly Shield, colloquially known as the Log o' Wood, is a trophy in New Zealand's domestic rugby union competition. First played for in 1904, the Ranfurly Shield is based on a challenge system, rather than a league or knockout competition as with most football trophies...
victories out of three challenges. He played for the Chiefs in the former Super 12 from 1997 to 2002 with 58 games and 123 points to his name.
Internationally, Reihana represented New Zealand
New Zealand national rugby union team (sevens)
The New Zealand national rugby union sevens team is the New Zealand representative team in rugby union sevens and competes in the IRB Sevens World Series, Rugby World Cup Sevens and the Commonwealth Games.-IRB Sevens:...
for sevens
Rugby sevens
Rugby sevens, also known as seven-a-side or VIIs, is a variant of rugby union in which teams are made up of seven players, instead of the usual 15, with shorter matches. Rugby sevens is administered by the International Rugby Board , the body responsible for rugby union worldwide...
in the 1998
1998 Commonwealth Games
The 1998 XVI Commonwealth Games were held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia from 11 September to 21 September 1998 making it the first Asian country to act as host and the last Commonwealth Games for the 20th century. A record 70 nations supplied 3638 athletes...
and 2002 Commonwealth Games
2002 Commonwealth Games
The 2002 Commonwealth Games were held in Manchester, England from 25 July to 4 August 2002. The XVII Commonwealth Games was the largest multi-sport event ever to be held in the UK, eclipsing London's 1948 Summer Olympics in numbers of teams and athletes participating.After the 1996 Manchester...
, winning gold medals on each occasion. He made 11 appearances for New Zealand Māori
New Zealand Maori rugby union team
New Zealand Māori is a rugby union team that traditionally plays teams touring New Zealand. A prerequisite for playing in this team is that the player is to have Māori whakapapa or genealogy. In the past this rule was not strictly applied. In the past non-Māori players who looked Māori were often...
. Only managed to play 2 games for New Zealand in 2000 throughout his career.
After not renewing his contract with the NZRFU in 2002, Reihana managed to get an overseas contact with Premiership
Guinness Premiership
The English Premiership, also currently known as the Aviva Premiership because of the league's sponsorship by Aviva, is a professional league competition for rugby union football clubs in the top division of the English rugby system. There are twelve clubs in the Premiership...
side Northampton
Northampton
Northampton is a large market town and local government district in the East Midlands region of England. Situated about north-west of London and around south-east of Birmingham, Northampton lies on the River Nene and is the county town of Northamptonshire. The demonym of Northampton is...
. He was used at fullback and became an influential figure for the Saints and even won the 2003–2004 PRA Players' Player of the Year Award.
Reihana was scheduled to return to New Zealand rugby after his stint in Europe, but it did not materialise as he decided to stay in England citing personal reasons. Resuming his career with the Saints, Reihana was promoted to captain after Steve Thompson
Steve Thompson (rugby player)
Steve Thompson MBE is a rugby union player who plays at hooker for London Wasps and England.He is England's most capped hooker, and has played for the British and Irish Lions.-Northampton Saints:...
decided to step down as co-captain.
During a Premiership
2006-07 Guinness Premiership
The 2006–07 Guinness Premiership was the 20th season of the top flight of the English domestic rugby union competitions, played between September 2006 and May 2007. It was announced during the 2005-06 season that the 2006-07 competition would end two weeks early due to the 2007 Rugby World Cup in...
match against Gloucester on 23 September 2006, Reihana suffered a knee
Knee
The knee joint joins the thigh with the leg and consists of two articulations: one between the fibula and tibia, and one between the femur and patella. It is the largest joint in the human body and is very complicated. The knee is a mobile trocho-ginglymus , which permits flexion and extension as...
ligament
Ligament
In anatomy, the term ligament is used to denote any of three types of structures. Most commonly, it refers to fibrous tissue that connects bones to other bones and is also known as articular ligament, articular larua, fibrous ligament, or true ligament.Ligament can also refer to:* Peritoneal...
injury that would sideline him until 2007.
Reihana relinquished the Saints captaincy at the end of the 2008/2009 season, when Dylan Hartley
Dylan Hartley
Dylan Hartley is an English, New Zealand born rugby union footballer who plays at hooker for Northampton Saints, and England.-Early career:Hartley was born in New Zealand, but qualifies to play for England through his English mother...
was appointed in his place. He continues to play regularly for the club, and is without doubt one of the most popular players with the Saints fans.
On 2 October 2010 Reihana scored 17 points against Exeter Chiefs to take him through the milestone of 1,000 points for the Saints
Bruce leaves Northampton Saints at the end of the 2010-2011 season to join the French team, Bordeaux. This was announced over BBC Radio Northampton during the final Aviva Premiership game of the season, against Leeds, as Bruce Reihana joined the field.