Don Clarke

As of December 14, 2009 National August 29, 1964

Donald Barry Clarke ( born November 10, 1933 Pihama, New Zealand, † December 29, 2002 in Johannesburg, South Africa) was from 1956 to 1964, a 31- times New Zealand rugby union national team on the position of the final man. In New Zealand provincial rugby he played for the Waikato RU. Best known he was for his phenomenal kicking game, which earned him the nickname The Boot. He was also an active cricketer.

Clarke had four brothers named Ian, Douglas, Brian and Graeme, who have also all played for Waikato rugby. In a single game in 1961 all the brothers stood together for Waikato in the square. Ian and Douglas played further still active cricket.

Clarke emigrated in the 1970s to South Africa, where he was coach at King David Victory Park High School in Johannesburg. Later he founded a logging business.

In March 2001, Black was diagnosed with skin cancer, where he died just a year later.

Rugby career

Clarke was appointed in 1951 at the age of 17 years in the cadre of provincial team Waikatos. In 1956, he helped the team from Waikato to a completely surprising 14:10 victory over the South African national team, a tour organized this year to New Zealand. Due to its good performance in this game, he was admitted for the last two matches against South Africa in the squad of New Zealand ( All Blacks ). He made his debut in the third game against South Africa on 18 August, the New Zealanders won with 17:10. As the All Blacks were able to win the fourth and final Test, the New Zealanders won the Test series 3-1. Thus Clarke was one of the first New Zealand rugby national team, which defeated South Africa in a Test series.

Throughout his career, he went on national 89 times, scoring 781 points, a New Zealand record that could be broken only in 1988 by Grant Fox. From its entire national team appearances were 31 full international matches in which he scored 207 points.

After end of his career he coached in the 1960s, the school team of Waikato.

Cricket career

Clarke played 27 first class cricket matches as a fast - medium bowler, most of them for Auckland and Northern Districts. Overall, he reached in his first-class career four times 5 or more wickets in an innings. He had his most successful game in January 1963 for Northern Districts against Central Districts, when he reached the 2nd innings 8-37, ie 8 wickets for just 37 runs opponent. This was a new record for the Northern District, which, however, only two months later by Gren Alabaster ( 8-30 ) has been improved.