Carlos Spencer
Encyclopedia
Carlos James Spencer is a New Zealand
rugby union
footballer who currently plays at fly-half (first five-eighth) for the Lions in the Super 14
and formerly for the New Zealand
All Blacks
. He is well known for his flamboyant, attacking play and ball handling skills. He has signed to play for the Lions for 2010 and 2011. He has most shifted from playing to coaching for the Lions.
Spencer first rose to prominence when he starred alongside Christian Cullen
in a Ranfurly Shield
challenge in 1991, playing for the Horowhenua
team against Auckland. Auckland coach Graham Henry
spotted Spencer's talent and recruited him to play for the Auckland team.
He played for the Blues Super 12
team from the inception of the competition in 1996 until 2005, and has played extensively for the Auckland
National Provincial Championship
(NPC) side.
In 1996, Spencer played for the Blues in the first ever Super 12-match, kicking off the professional era of rugby union. He went on to score 608 points for the Blues in the Super Rugby competition.
In 2005 he signed to the English club, Northampton Saints
. Early in 2007, he was linked with a move away from Northampton at the end of the 2006-07 season, but soon committed his loyalty to the club. He then enjoyed a marvellous season marshalling a weakened Saints outfit back into the Premiership. He spent time at fullback early in the season, as the new Saints' coaches attempted to build up the experience in the squad. However his spark was missing closer in, and he was restored to the "10" shirt for the last half of the season. The Saints also won the EDF cup at Twickenham. A selfless inspiration all season, Spencer was rewarded with a two-year extension to his contract which he accepted despite overtures for his signature in Wellington, South Africa and France. He was strongly favoured to win the Saints "Player of the year" award for the second time.
On 30 January 2009, Carlos Spencer left Northampton Saints by mutual consult by buying out the existing term of his two-year contract, and on 3 February 2009 he signed for Gloucester on what was thought to be a 17-month contract.
It was announced on 6 January 2010 that Spencer had also signed for the Johannesburg-based Golden Lions, to represent the franchise in the 2010 Super 14 competition. The contract offered to him was said at the time to be the highest ever in South Africa.
at Athletic Park
in Wellington
on 28 June that year. He scored 33 points in that match alone.
His All Black appearances were somewhat irregular thereafter, as Andrew Mehrtens
was generally preferred as the first-choice flyhalf for the side during the period from 1995-2002. He was selected for the 1999 All Blacks World Cup squad but became injured in training at London, so did not play a match in that tournament. However, following an exceptional season for the Blues in Super 12, Spencer became first-choice first five-eighth for the All Blacks in 2003, and was a part of the squad for the Rugby World Cup
that year
.
In 2004, Carlos Spencer struggled to find the same form he had displayed the previous year, and Mehrtens replaced him for the final game of that year's Tri Nations
. He was then ruled out of the final All Black tour of the year through injury. In 2005 Spencer lost form early in the Super 12 competition and then suffered a fractured cheekbone in training. He agreed to play for the New Zealand Māori
(in his 10th match for that team) against the touring Lions
, but made himself unavailable for the All Blacks
so that he would not miss training for his new English club, Northampton Saints
.
As a player, Spencer is valued for his imaginative kicking and passing game, and his ability to unlock defences. He is also a handy, if not entirely reliable, goal kicker. Only three players have scored more test points than Spencer for New Zealand — Grant Fox
, Andrew Mehrtens
and most recently, Daniel Carter
. His best performances came against South African sides against whom he enjoyed great success. Indeed his record against the Boks is amongst the best of all All Black players and contrasts with his predecessor and successor who have both struggled.
Awards Dream Team and collected the Player of the Year award for the 2005-06 season at the Northampton Saints annual awards, as voted for by the clubs fans. He played in four matches for Bob Dwyer
's World XV
team in 2006, including a match for the Barbarians
against England
at Twickenham
on 28 May and a 30-27 loss to the Springboks
at Ellis Park
on 3 June.
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 who currently plays at fly-half (first five-eighth) for the Lions in the Super 14
Super 14
Super Rugby is the largest and pre-eminent professional Rugby union competition in the Southern Hemisphere...
and formerly for the 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...
All Blacks
All Blacks
The New Zealand men's national rugby union team, known as the All Blacks, represent New Zealand in what is regarded as its national sport....
. He is well known for his flamboyant, attacking play and ball handling skills. He has signed to play for the Lions for 2010 and 2011. He has most shifted from playing to coaching for the Lions.
Club career
He has generally specialised in the position of fly-half, also known as "first five-eighth" or "number 10", although he has also played fullback (number 15) at national and international levels.Spencer first rose to prominence when he starred alongside Christian Cullen
Christian Cullen
Christian Mathias Cullen is a former New Zealand rugby union footballer. He played most of his rugby at fullback for New Zealand , for the Hurricanes in the Super 12, and for Manawatu, Wellington and later Munster at first-class level. He was nicknamed the Paekakariki Express...
in a 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...
challenge in 1991, playing for the Horowhenua
Horowhenua-Kapiti Rugby Football Union
-Representative Rugby:The Horowhenua-Kapiti team play from Levin Domain, Levin and in the 2006 season are in Pool B of the Heartland Championship. They are seeded 6th qualifiers for the Championship as they were runner-ups in the 3rd division in 2005....
team against Auckland. Auckland coach Graham Henry
Graham Henry
Graham Henry is a New Zealand Rugby Union coach, and former head coach of the country's national team, the All Blacks. He played rugby union for Canterbury and cricket for Otago in the Plunket Shield. Henry was heavily criticized following the All Blacks quarterfinal exit at the 2007 Rugby World...
spotted Spencer's talent and recruited him to play for the Auckland team.
He played for the Blues Super 12
Super 14
Super Rugby is the largest and pre-eminent professional Rugby union competition in the Southern Hemisphere...
team from the inception of the competition in 1996 until 2005, and has played extensively for the Auckland
Auckland Rugby Football Union
The Auckland Rugby Football Union is the governing body of rugby union in the Auckland Region, in the North Island of New Zealand. Its colours are navy blue and white in a hoop design. Auckland's top representative team have won New Zealand's top provincial rugby competition 16 times, more than...
National Provincial Championship
Air New Zealand Cup
The ITM Cup is New Zealand's annual professional domestic Rugby union competition, taking place from late July through October . It was founded in 2006 with 14 teams, after the National Provincial Championship was split into two separate competitions. The other 12 provincial teams from the NPC...
(NPC) side.
In 1996, Spencer played for the Blues in the first ever Super 12-match, kicking off the professional era of rugby union. He went on to score 608 points for the Blues in the Super Rugby competition.
In 2005 he signed to the English club, Northampton Saints
Northampton Saints
Northampton Saints are a professional rugby union club from Northampton, England. The Northampton Saints were formed in 1880. They play in green, black and gold colours. They play their home games at Franklin's Gardens, which has a capacity of 13,591....
. Early in 2007, he was linked with a move away from Northampton at the end of the 2006-07 season, but soon committed his loyalty to the club. He then enjoyed a marvellous season marshalling a weakened Saints outfit back into the Premiership. He spent time at fullback early in the season, as the new Saints' coaches attempted to build up the experience in the squad. However his spark was missing closer in, and he was restored to the "10" shirt for the last half of the season. The Saints also won the EDF cup at Twickenham. A selfless inspiration all season, Spencer was rewarded with a two-year extension to his contract which he accepted despite overtures for his signature in Wellington, South Africa and France. He was strongly favoured to win the Saints "Player of the year" award for the second time.
On 30 January 2009, Carlos Spencer left Northampton Saints by mutual consult by buying out the existing term of his two-year contract, and on 3 February 2009 he signed for Gloucester on what was thought to be a 17-month contract.
It was announced on 6 January 2010 that Spencer had also signed for the Johannesburg-based Golden Lions, to represent the franchise in the 2010 Super 14 competition. The contract offered to him was said at the time to be the highest ever in South Africa.
International career
Spencer first played for the All Blacks in a non-test tour match on 4 November 1995, but did not play his first test match until 1997. His test debut was against ArgentinaArgentina national rugby union team
The Argentina national rugby team, nicknamed Los Pumas, represents Argentina in international rugby union matches. The team, which plays in sky blue and white jerseys, is organised by the Argentine Rugby Union .Argentina played its first international rugby match in 1910 against a touring British...
at Athletic Park
Athletic Park (Wellington)
Athletic Park was a well-known ground used mostly for rugby matches in Wellington, New Zealand. The ground was also the inaugural home of New Zealand's principal knockout football tournament, the Chatham Cup ....
in Wellington
Wellington
Wellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
on 28 June that year. He scored 33 points in that match alone.
His All Black appearances were somewhat irregular thereafter, as Andrew Mehrtens
Andrew Mehrtens
Andrew Philip Mehrtens MNZM is a New Zealand rugby union footballer, currently playing in France for Béziers, a club in the third-level Fédérale 1 league...
was generally preferred as the first-choice flyhalf for the side during the period from 1995-2002. He was selected for the 1999 All Blacks World Cup squad but became injured in training at London, so did not play a match in that tournament. However, following an exceptional season for the Blues in Super 12, Spencer became first-choice first five-eighth for the All Blacks in 2003, and was a part of the squad for the Rugby World Cup
Rugby World Cup
The Rugby World Cup is an international rugby union competition organised by the International Rugby Board and held every four years since 1987....
that year
2003 Rugby World Cup
The 2003 Rugby World Cup was the fifth Rugby World Cup and was won by England. Originally planned to be co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand, all games were shifted to Australia following a contractual dispute over ground signage rights between the New Zealand Rugby Football Union and Rugby World...
.
In 2004, Carlos Spencer struggled to find the same form he had displayed the previous year, and Mehrtens replaced him for the final game of that year's Tri Nations
Rugby Union Tri Nations
The Rugby Championship is an international rugby union competition contested annually by Argentina, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. The competition is organized by SANZAR, a consortium formed by the governing bodies of the Australian Rugby Union, the New Zealand Rugby Union and the South...
. He was then ruled out of the final All Black tour of the year through injury. In 2005 Spencer lost form early in the Super 12 competition and then suffered a fractured cheekbone in training. He agreed to play for the 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...
(in his 10th match for that team) against the touring Lions
2005 British and Irish Lions tour to New Zealand
In 2005 the British and Irish Lions rugby union team toured New Zealand for the first time since 1993, playing 7 tour matches against first and second division clubs from the National Provincial Championship series, 1 tour match against the national New Zealand all Māori club, and 3 official test...
, but made himself unavailable for the All Blacks
All Blacks
The New Zealand men's national rugby union team, known as the All Blacks, represent New Zealand in what is regarded as its national sport....
so that he would not miss training for his new English club, Northampton Saints
Northampton Saints
Northampton Saints are a professional rugby union club from Northampton, England. The Northampton Saints were formed in 1880. They play in green, black and gold colours. They play their home games at Franklin's Gardens, which has a capacity of 13,591....
.
As a player, Spencer is valued for his imaginative kicking and passing game, and his ability to unlock defences. He is also a handy, if not entirely reliable, goal kicker. Only three players have scored more test points than Spencer for New Zealand — Grant Fox
Grant Fox
Grant James Fox is a former rugby union player from New Zealand. He was born in New Plymouth. He attended Auckland Grammar school....
, Andrew Mehrtens
Andrew Mehrtens
Andrew Philip Mehrtens MNZM is a New Zealand rugby union footballer, currently playing in France for Béziers, a club in the third-level Fédérale 1 league...
and most recently, Daniel Carter
Daniel Carter (rugby player)
Daniel William "Dan" Carter is a New Zealand rugby union player.He is currently the highest points scorer in test match rugby and is regarded as one of rugby's greatest ever fly-halves.-Early life:...
. His best performances came against South African sides against whom he enjoyed great success. Indeed his record against the Boks is amongst the best of all All Black players and contrasts with his predecessor and successor who have both struggled.
Awards and honours
In 2006, Spencer was named in the Guinness PremiershipGuinness 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...
Awards Dream Team and collected the Player of the Year award for the 2005-06 season at the Northampton Saints annual awards, as voted for by the clubs fans. He played in four matches for Bob Dwyer
Bob Dwyer
Bob Dwyer is an Australian rugby union coach.Educated at Sydney Boys High School, he coached Sydney club Randwick to four Sydney championship wins before becoming Australia's national team coach. He coached Australia from 1982-83, and again from 1988...
's World XV
World XV
A World XV is a rugby union team, typically composed of invited players from various countries. Various World XVs have been arranged from time to time, often to take part in celebration and testimonial games, usually against national teams; recent World XV games have generally not been considered...
team in 2006, including a match for the Barbarians
Barbarian F.C.
The Barbarian Football Club, usually referred to as the Barbarians and nicknamed the "Baa-Baas", is an invitational rugby union team based in Britain...
against England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
at Twickenham
Twickenham Stadium
Twickenham Stadium is a stadium located in Twickenham, in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. It is the largest rugby union stadium in the United Kingdom and has recently been enlarged to seat 82,000...
on 28 May and a 30-27 loss to the Springboks
South Africa national rugby union team
The South African national rugby union team are 2009 British and Irish Lions Series winners. They are currently ranked as the fourth best team in the IRB World Rankings and were named 2008 World Team of the Year at the prestigious Laureus World Sports Awards.Although South Africa was instrumental...
at Ellis Park
Ellis Park Stadium
Ellis Park Stadium, also known because of its sponsorship by The Coca-Cola Company as Coca-Cola Park, is a rugby union and association football stadium in the city of Johannesburg, Gauteng Province, South Africa. It hosted the final of the 1995 Rugby World Cup, which was won by the country's...
on 3 June.