WAYNE ROBERTSON – KIWI #508

Auckland forward Wayne Robertson, who spent two seasons in Canterbury during a nomadic rugby league career, played in all three Tests against the 1974 Lions.

Robertson played for Brisbane Rugby League grand finalists Norths in 1967, earning selection in the Brisbane rep team, before spending 1968 with Ponsonby.

Venturing south, Robertson helped Hornby to the 1969 title and represented Canterbury. Returning home to Auckland in 1971, he toured Queensland with NZ Colts in 1973. Robertson made his Test debut by coming off the bench to replace Lindsay Proctor during the first Test win over Great Britain in 1974.

The 27-year-old, a nephew of 1940s-50s Kiwis Maurice and Bruce Robertson, started in the second-row in the remaining two Tests, both won by the tourists.

Robertson was a standout at prop for Auckland against Australia in 1975 before being lured back to Hornby (along with fellow Auckland Kiwis Robert Jarvis and Murray Wright) in 1976. Despite making himself unavailable for Canterbury selection, he won the D.V. Syme Rosebowl as the 1976 CRL Sportsman of the Year winner, courageously playing on with a suspected broken arm later in the season.

Auckland’s best and fairest award winner in 1979 after joining Te Atatu, Robertson brought a long and illustrious top-level career to an end the following season.

WAYNE ROBERTSON
NEW ZEALAND (1974)
3 Tests – 0 points