Tony Gordon (rugby)

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Tony Gordon
Personal information
Full name Anthony Ralph Gordon
Nickname Tank
Born 1948/1949
Died 25 March 2012 (aged 63)
Playing information
Rugby union
Position Fullback, Wing
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
King Country
Rugby league
Position Fullback, Wing
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
Maritime
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
Bay of Plenty
1975 New Zealand 3 0 0 0 0
Coaching information
Club
Years Team Gms W D L W%
Central (BOPRL)
1993–1994 London Crusaders
1994–1995 Hull
Total 0 0 0 0
Representative
Years Team Gms W D L W%
19??–1986 Bay of Plenty
Northern Districts
1987–1989 New Zealand 13 7 0 6 54
1991–1992 Bay of Plenty
Source: RLP

Anthony Ralph "Tank" Gordon[1] (c. 1948/49 – 25 March 2012) was a New Zealand rugby league and rugby union player and coach who represented the New Zealand Kiwis in the 1975 World Cup and coached them to the 1988 World Cup Final.

Early years

A New Zealand Army PT Instructor, Gordon was the player/coach of the Wairau army side and played rugby union for King Country.[2]

Playing career

Gordon then switched to rugby league in 1975 and joined the Maritime club in the Auckland Rugby League.[3] He made the New Zealand Kiwis after only 14 rugby league matches.[2] He played in thirteen test matches for the Kiwis, including at the 1975 World Cup.

Coaching career

After retirement Gordon turned his attention to coaching. He had a brief spell with Mangere East before he was convinced to become Central's head coach in the Bay of Plenty Rugby League competition.[3] He met with immediate success, taking control of the Bay of Plenty and Northern Districts sides. In 1987 he became coach of the New Zealand Kiwis. The Kiwis toured Australia and Papua New Guinea in 1987 and Gordon was involved in an upset win of Australia.[4] The team couldn't repeat the feat in 1988 as they lost the final of the World Cup in front of 47,000 fans at Eden Park.[5] The Kiwis toured Britain and France in 1989 before Gordon was replaced as Kiwis coach.

Gordon became coach of the London Crusaders in 1993 before joining Hull for the 1994–1995 season.[6][7][8]

Halfway through the 1995 Lion Red Cup Neil Joyce resigned as the coach of the Bay of Plenty Stags. Gordon became a co-coach alongside Lawrence Brydon for the remainder of the season. In 1996 he remained with the Stags as the business Manager while Brydon became the head coach. During the season he was suspended and investigated by the New Zealand Rugby League over accusations of fraud.[9] He was later cleared of all charges.[10]

Between 1996 and 2001 he coached the Coastline Mariners.[11]

Later years

In 2006 Gordon was the coach of Kahukura in the Baywide rugby union competition.[2]

He died in March 2012 after a long illness.[12][13][14]

References

  1. ↑ GORDON, Anthony Ralph 1975 – Kiwi #526 nzleague.co.nz
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 'Tank' happy to coach Rotorua club side The Daily Post, 31 March 2006
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 1986 Lion Red Rugby League Annual, New Zealand Rugby Football League, 1986. p.66
  4. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  5. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  6. ↑ Freeman pays a high price The Independent, 5 August 1993
  7. ↑ Club History Harlequins RLFC
  8. ↑ Club-by-club guide to the new season The Independent, 19 August 1994
  9. ↑ Gordon confident inquiry into Stags' finances will clear him Sunday Star-Times, 8 September 1996
  10. ↑ Gordon cleared after fraud investigation Sunday Star-Times, 1 December 1996
  11. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  12. ↑ Former Kiwis' coach 'Tank' Gordon dies The Press, 25 March 2012
  13. ↑ Rotorua's Tank Gordon dies The Daily Post, 25 March 2012
  14. ↑ ‘Tank’ Anthony Ralph Gordon dies 3 News, 25 March 2012
Preceded by Coach
New Zealand Kiwis
1987–1989		 Succeeded by
Bob Bailey
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