LOGAN EDWARDS – KIWI #645

One of the mainstays of Canterbury’s early-1990s golden era, brilliant back-rower Logan Edwards played five Tests for New Zealand and was a foundation Auckland Warrior.

Edwards, an unlucky Junior Kiwis omission the previous year, was just 19 when he scored two tries in Marist-Western Suburbs’ Grand Final loss to Halswell and debuted for Canterbury in 1988. Another Grand Final defeat – this time to Addington – and seven provincial appearances following in 1989 as Edwards’ reputation continued to climb.

Also agile and skilful enough for the centres, Edwards represented Kiwi Colts against the 1990 Great Britain tourists, while he scored eight tries in eight matches for Canterbury and starred in memorable victories over the Lions and Auckland for Frank Endacott’s red-and-blacks.

Spending off-season stints in England with Rochdale Hornets and Oldham, his progress was reflected by a belated Kiwi trial and the Canterbury captaincy in 1991 but injury wrecked his 1992 campaign.

Edwards returned in 1993, however, and was chosen in the Kiwis’ squad to tour Britain and France on the back of his outstanding display in Canterbury’s iconic 36-12 thrashing of Auckland at Addington Show Grounds – a performance that also helped secure a Warriors contract.

The rangy 24-year-old earned his Kiwi spurs off the bench in the tour’s opening match, a Test win over Wales, and starting the following fixture – a loss to Bradford Northern – at loose forward. He also came off the pine in the one-Test win over France among 10 appearances.

Edwards featured in another Canterbury win over Auckland in 1994 and turned out for Canterbury Country Cardinals in the inaugural Lion Red Cup. He toured Australia with the New Zealand Residents team but missed selection in the Kiwis’ squad for the subsequent Papua New Guinea trip in favour of the likes of uncapped tyros Tony Tatupu and Tyran Smith.

Though he was overlooked for the Warriors’ maiden premiership match (he initially played in Endacott’s reserve grade line-up), Edwards ultimately played in 15 of the club’s last 18 first-grade fixtures in 1995 and was an interchange in New Zealand’s two home Tests against France and the series opener against Australia in Brisbane before. Injury ruled him out of contention for the second Test and the end-of-year World Cup.

Edwards was set to join fledgling Hunters Mariners in 1996 but the court injunction preventing Super League going ahead that year left him without a club.

The evergreen forward later helped Riccarton Knights to a historic CRL premiership in 2002, featuring in their record-shattering 54-14 Grand Final victory over Linwood Keas.

LOGAN EDWARDS
NEW ZEALAND (1993-95)
5 Tests – 0 points
8 tour matches – 3 tries (12 points)
-1993 Kiwis tour of Britain and France