Graham Dowd
Encyclopedia
Graham William Dowd is a former rugby union
player for the national team of New Zealand, the All Blacks
. He was born in Takapuna
.
It was Dowd's lot to spend most of his All Black career as one of the understudies to Sean Fitzpatrick while he was at the peak of what seemed to be an indestructible hold on the hooking position. This was for some obviously a frustrating experience. But if ever the cheerful Dowd was upset he kept it very much to himself and perhaps he regarded the mere fact he was part of so many All Black squads as a bonus. For there must have been a time in Dowd's career where he never seriously contemplated gaining an All Black jersey.
Dowd actually started in representative rugby, firstly for Auckland Colts and then for North Harbour when that union started in 1985, as a prop.
A reserve in his first representative season, Dowd gradually became a regular propping choice for Harbour until the 1988 season when then Harbour coach Peter Thorburn looking for more bulk in his scrum to cope with the NPC first division switched him to hooker.
He made such a success of his new position, including throwing the ball to line-outs, that by 1991 he was strongly challenging Warren Gatland, who went on four All Black tours between 1988 and 1991, to be Fitzpatrick's understudy.
Dowd was in the New Zealand XV which in 1991 played Romania and New Zealand Universities and in the New Zealand B team which played Australia B. He also had the first of three All Black trials and eventually displaced Gatland from the World Cup squad.
But in the tournament in Britain Dowd was confined to the bench and did not have even a minute of playing time, which raised some question over the selection policy for it can only be a source of wonder what might have happened if in the latter stages of the tournament Fitzpatrick had been suddenly injured or had become ill.
Dowd's second involvement with the All Blacks was in the 1992 New Zealand union centenary matches against the World XV. But with Fitzpatrick having been promoted to the captaincy Dowd again received no game time.
His one cap and much delayed All Black debut came in the first test against Ireland at Carisbrook as a replacement late in the match for prop Richard Loe. He then went on the tour of Australia and South Africa playing five midweek matches in Australia and two in South Africa.
Dowd stayed in the All Black squad as the hooker reserve for the test series against the British Lions in 1993. But a back injury forced him out of the Bledisloe Cup test in Dunedin and from then on Norman Hewitt, without quite the same stoical acceptance of Dowd, took over as Fitzpatrick's backup.
Dowd played the last of his 107 matches for North Harbour in 1994, finishing ironically as he started in first class rugby, as a prop. His last major game was in the controversial NPC first division final against Auckland, the so called Battle of the Onewa Domain.
His brother Mike played prop in two first class games for Auckland B in 1986 and twice for Auckland A in 1989. But Craig Dowd
, who was also an All Black in the 1990s, was not related.
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...
player for the national team of New Zealand, 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....
. He was born in Takapuna
Takapuna
Takapuna is a central, coastal suburb of North Shore City, located in the northern North Island of New Zealand, at the beginning of a south-east-facing peninsula forming the northern side of the Waitemata Harbour...
.
It was Dowd's lot to spend most of his All Black career as one of the understudies to Sean Fitzpatrick while he was at the peak of what seemed to be an indestructible hold on the hooking position. This was for some obviously a frustrating experience. But if ever the cheerful Dowd was upset he kept it very much to himself and perhaps he regarded the mere fact he was part of so many All Black squads as a bonus. For there must have been a time in Dowd's career where he never seriously contemplated gaining an All Black jersey.
Dowd actually started in representative rugby, firstly for Auckland Colts and then for North Harbour when that union started in 1985, as a prop.
A reserve in his first representative season, Dowd gradually became a regular propping choice for Harbour until the 1988 season when then Harbour coach Peter Thorburn looking for more bulk in his scrum to cope with the NPC first division switched him to hooker.
He made such a success of his new position, including throwing the ball to line-outs, that by 1991 he was strongly challenging Warren Gatland, who went on four All Black tours between 1988 and 1991, to be Fitzpatrick's understudy.
Dowd was in the New Zealand XV which in 1991 played Romania and New Zealand Universities and in the New Zealand B team which played Australia B. He also had the first of three All Black trials and eventually displaced Gatland from the World Cup squad.
But in the tournament in Britain Dowd was confined to the bench and did not have even a minute of playing time, which raised some question over the selection policy for it can only be a source of wonder what might have happened if in the latter stages of the tournament Fitzpatrick had been suddenly injured or had become ill.
Dowd's second involvement with the All Blacks was in the 1992 New Zealand union centenary matches against the World XV. But with Fitzpatrick having been promoted to the captaincy Dowd again received no game time.
His one cap and much delayed All Black debut came in the first test against Ireland at Carisbrook as a replacement late in the match for prop Richard Loe. He then went on the tour of Australia and South Africa playing five midweek matches in Australia and two in South Africa.
Dowd stayed in the All Black squad as the hooker reserve for the test series against the British Lions in 1993. But a back injury forced him out of the Bledisloe Cup test in Dunedin and from then on Norman Hewitt, without quite the same stoical acceptance of Dowd, took over as Fitzpatrick's backup.
Dowd played the last of his 107 matches for North Harbour in 1994, finishing ironically as he started in first class rugby, as a prop. His last major game was in the controversial NPC first division final against Auckland, the so called Battle of the Onewa Domain.
His brother Mike played prop in two first class games for Auckland B in 1986 and twice for Auckland A in 1989. But Craig Dowd
Craig Dowd
Craig Dowd born 26 October 1969 in Auckland, New Zealand is a former rugby union player and current coach. He played 60 test matches for New Zealand between 1993 and 2000, spending his entire provincial career with Auckland. He spent his entire Super 12 career, 64 matches, with the Auckland Blues,...
, who was also an All Black in the 1990s, was not related.