Joe McDonnell (rugby player)
Encyclopedia
Joseph Michael McDonnell born 1 March 1973 in Hastings, New Zealand
is a rugby union
player who played eight tests for New Zealand
. As of 2008 he plays for Newcastle Falcons
in the Guinness Premiership
and in 2009 he has joined the CR El Salvador
.
McDonnell grew up in Te Aroha
in the Waikato before moving to Central Otago, where he initially played rugby league. He represented Otago in league before switching to union. He played every game for Otago in the 1999 NPC and was included in the Highlanders squad for 2000. He saw less game time with the Highlanders, since his fellow props were all All Blacks: Carl Hoeft
, Kees Meeuws
and Carl Hayman
.
In 2000 he was also selected for the New Zealand Maori team and played in their 18-15 defeat of Scotland at New Plymouth.
McDonnell was something of a surprise selection for the 2002 All Blacks, but scored (his only) test try on debut against Italy. He appeared in eight tests in 2002, starting in the games against Italy, Fiji, England and France and coming on as a substitute in both tests against Ireland and two of New Zealand's tri-nations games against Australia and South Africa.
He took part in the 2003 tour of the United States and Canada by the New Zealand Maori team. and the team which won the Churchill Cup
in 2006.
In 2004 he moved to Wellington, playing for the Hurricanes and Wellington Lions. He was in the squad for the 2006 Super 12 final, which the Hurricanes lost.
In his first two seasons at Newcastle he has made 30 appearances and score two tries.
While playing at Newcastle Falcons Joe McDonnell was part of the coaching staff at one of his local clubs BLYTH RUGBY CLUB who he helped get promoted into their current league Durham/Northumberland Division Two.
At the end of the 2008-2009 season he has joined the CR El Salvador
, a team based in Valladolid
(Spain
), of the new iberian franchises' league Superibérica de Rugby
, bringing to this new team his experienceand, also, he would like to help with forwards' training. He has been nominated as the Man of the Match in his first appearance: Vacceos Cavaliers vs. La Vila Mariners
Hastings, New Zealand
The city of Hastings is a major urban settlement in the Hawke's Bay region of the North Island of New Zealand, and it is the largest settlement by population in Hawke's Bay. Hastings city is the administrative centre of the Hastings District...
is a 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...
player who played eight tests for New Zealand
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....
. As of 2008 he plays for Newcastle Falcons
Newcastle Falcons
The Newcastle Falcons is an English rugby union team currently playing in the Aviva Premiership. The club was established in 1877 and played under the name of Gosforth Football Club until 1990. The name was then changed to Newcastle Gosforth and the club began to play at Kingston Park stadium in...
in the Guinness 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...
and in 2009 he has joined the CR El Salvador
CR El Salvador
Club de Rugby El Salvador is a Spanish rugby union club. The club was established in 1960 and currently competes in the División de Honor de Rugby competition, the highest level of Spanish club rugby. The club are based in Valladolid in central Spain, playing their matches at the Estadio Pepe Rojo....
.
McDonnell grew up in Te Aroha
Te Aroha
Te Aroha is a rural town in the Waikato region of New Zealand with a population of 3,768 . It is 53 km northeast of Hamilton and 50 km south of Thames. It sits at the foot of 952-metre Mount Te Aroha, the highest point in the Kaimai Range....
in the Waikato before moving to Central Otago, where he initially played rugby league. He represented Otago in league before switching to union. He played every game for Otago in the 1999 NPC and was included in the Highlanders squad for 2000. He saw less game time with the Highlanders, since his fellow props were all All Blacks: Carl Hoeft
Carl Hoeft
Carl Hoeft is a New Zealand rugby union footballer. He currently plays for French club Stade Toulousain after signing from Castres Olympique in the Summer of 2011. His usual position is at prop. He was a part of the All Blacks squad at the 2003 Rugby World Cup.-External links:* *...
, Kees Meeuws
Kees Meeuws
Kees Junior Meeuws is a former New Zealand rugby union prop and current assistant coach of the Highlanders in the Super Rugby tournament. Meeuws played 42 tests for the All Blacks between 1998 and 2004, scoring 10 test tries...
and Carl Hayman
Carl Hayman
Carl Hayman is an international rugby union footballer who has played at tighthead prop for Otago at provincial level, the Highlanders in the Super 14 and the All Blacks at international level...
.
In 2000 he was also selected for the New Zealand Maori team and played in their 18-15 defeat of Scotland at New Plymouth.
McDonnell was something of a surprise selection for the 2002 All Blacks, but scored (his only) test try on debut against Italy. He appeared in eight tests in 2002, starting in the games against Italy, Fiji, England and France and coming on as a substitute in both tests against Ireland and two of New Zealand's tri-nations games against Australia and South Africa.
He took part in the 2003 tour of the United States and Canada by the New Zealand Maori team. and the team which won the Churchill Cup
Churchill Cup
The Churchill Cup was an annual rugby union tournament, held in June, contested by representative men's teams from Canada, England, the United States, and other invited teams from a wide array of countries....
in 2006.
In 2004 he moved to Wellington, playing for the Hurricanes and Wellington Lions. He was in the squad for the 2006 Super 12 final, which the Hurricanes lost.
In his first two seasons at Newcastle he has made 30 appearances and score two tries.
While playing at Newcastle Falcons Joe McDonnell was part of the coaching staff at one of his local clubs BLYTH RUGBY CLUB who he helped get promoted into their current league Durham/Northumberland Division Two.
At the end of the 2008-2009 season he has joined the CR El Salvador
CR El Salvador
Club de Rugby El Salvador is a Spanish rugby union club. The club was established in 1960 and currently competes in the División de Honor de Rugby competition, the highest level of Spanish club rugby. The club are based in Valladolid in central Spain, playing their matches at the Estadio Pepe Rojo....
, a team based in Valladolid
Valladolid
Valladolid is a historic city and municipality in north-central Spain, situated at the confluence of the Pisuerga and Esgueva rivers, and located within three wine-making regions: Ribera del Duero, Rueda and Cigales...
(Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
), of the new iberian franchises' league Superibérica de Rugby
Superibérica de Rugby
The Superibérica de Rugby is the highest tier of national rugby union competition in Spain. The first Superliga season was in 2009 with six Spanish teams, with the hope of expanding to include Portuguese teams and a team from Gibraltar in the future....
, bringing to this new team his experienceand, also, he would like to help with forwards' training. He has been nominated as the Man of the Match in his first appearance: Vacceos Cavaliers vs. La Vila Mariners