John Hardie
Encyclopedia
John Hardie is a New Zealand rugby union
player. He plays as a flanker
for the Southland Stags
in the ITM Cup and Highlanders in the Super Rugby competition.
he was in the 1st XV for three years from 2004 to 2006 earning New Zealand Secondary Schools selection in his final year. The following year he was a member of the New Zealand Under 19 team
which won the 2007 IRB World Championships in Ireland.
He made his Southland
debut in 2007 against Otago, and emerged as a full-time starter during the 2009 Air New Zealand Cup
, appearing in every match and scoring 3 tries. He continued to be a key member of the squad as the Stags defended the Ranfurly Shield
for the greater part of the 2010 ITM Cup
season. Another outstanding season with the Stags in 2011, in which they regained the Ranfurly Shield
from Canterbury, saw him named Stags player of the year and also Southland Supporters Club player of the year for the second year.
, Hardie was included in the Highlanders squad for the 2010 Super 14 season
. Serving mainly as backup to starting flankers Adam Thomson and Alando Soakai
, he made 11 appearances over the course of the season including 3 starts.
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. He plays as a flanker
Flanker (rugby union)
A flanker is a position in the sport of rugby union. Flankers play in the forwards, and are generally classified as either blindside, or openside flankers; numbers six and seven respectively. The name comes from their position in a scrum in which they flank each set of forwards...
for the Southland Stags
Southland Rugby
The Southland Rugby Football Union is a provincial rugby union who govern the Southland Region founded in 1886. The headquarters of Southland Rugby are in Invercargill, New Zealand however the Southland Union also covers country teams such as Midlands of Winton and Excelsior Rugby Club of Gore.The...
in the ITM Cup and Highlanders in the Super Rugby competition.
Provincial Rugby
As a student of Southland Boys High SchoolSouthland Boys' High School
Southland Boys' High School is an all-boys school in Invercargill, New Zealand, and has been the only one in the city since Marist Brothers was merged with St Catherines to form Verdon College in 1982.-History:...
he was in the 1st XV for three years from 2004 to 2006 earning New Zealand Secondary Schools selection in his final year. The following year he was a member of the New Zealand Under 19 team
New Zealand national under-19 rugby union team
The New Zealand Under 19's rugby team was a team for players aged under 19 as a platform to the All Blacks. The New Zealand Under 19's have joined forces with the New Zealand Under 21's to make the new team New Zealand Under 20's for the all new IRB Junior World Championship, which commenced in...
which won the 2007 IRB World Championships in Ireland.
He made his Southland
Southland Rugby
The Southland Rugby Football Union is a provincial rugby union who govern the Southland Region founded in 1886. The headquarters of Southland Rugby are in Invercargill, New Zealand however the Southland Union also covers country teams such as Midlands of Winton and Excelsior Rugby Club of Gore.The...
debut in 2007 against Otago, and emerged as a full-time starter during the 2009 Air New Zealand Cup
2009 Air New Zealand Cup
The 2009 Air New Zealand Cup was the 33rd provincial rugby union competition, the fourth since the competition reconstruction in 2006, involving the top 14 provincial unions in New Zealand. It ran for 15 weeks from 30 July to 7 November...
, appearing in every match and scoring 3 tries. He continued to be a key member of the squad as the Stags defended the Ranfurly Shield
Ranfurly Shield
The Ranfurly Shield, colloquially known as the Log o' Wood, is a trophy in New Zealand's domestic rugby union competition. First played for in 1904, the Ranfurly Shield is based on a challenge system, rather than a league or knockout competition as with most football trophies...
for the greater part of the 2010 ITM Cup
2010 ITM Cup
The 2010 ITM Cup was the 34th provincial rugby union competition, the fifth since the competition reconstruction in 2006 and the first under the new sponsor of ITM , involving the top 14 provincial unions of New Zealand...
season. Another outstanding season with the Stags in 2011, in which they regained the Ranfurly Shield
Ranfurly Shield
The Ranfurly Shield, colloquially known as the Log o' Wood, is a trophy in New Zealand's domestic rugby union competition. First played for in 1904, the Ranfurly Shield is based on a challenge system, rather than a league or knockout competition as with most football trophies...
from Canterbury, saw him named Stags player of the year and also Southland Supporters Club player of the year for the second year.
Super Rugby
Based on his strong performance in the 2009 Air New Zealand Cup2009 Air New Zealand Cup
The 2009 Air New Zealand Cup was the 33rd provincial rugby union competition, the fourth since the competition reconstruction in 2006, involving the top 14 provincial unions in New Zealand. It ran for 15 weeks from 30 July to 7 November...
, Hardie was included in the Highlanders squad for the 2010 Super 14 season
2010 Super 14 season
The 2010 Super 14 season kicked off in February 2010 with pre-season matches held from mid-January. It finished on 29 May. The 2010 season was the fifth and last season of the expanded Super 14 format. The schedule, which covers 3½ months, featured a total of 94 matches, with each team playing one...
. Serving mainly as backup to starting flankers Adam Thomson and Alando Soakai
Alando Soakai
Alando Soakai is a professional rugby union player who plays for the Kubota Spears in the Japanese Top League as a flanker...
, he made 11 appearances over the course of the season including 3 starts.