Mark Wyatt
Encyclopedia
Mark Andrew Wyatt is a former Canadian rugby union footballer. He played as a fullback and sometimes as a fly-half.
. He also played for the British invitational team Barbarian F.C.
.
His parents settled in British Columbia
, one of the provinces of Canada where rugby is more popular and where he would make his player career. He was first noticed at Oak Bay Secondary School
, in 1980. He then went to play for James Bay Athletic Association
, for a year. He then played for the University of Victoria
, Velox Valhallians
and the Vancouver Island Crimson Tide
.
Wyatt had 29 caps for Canada, from 1982 to 1991, scoring 1 try, 23 conversions, 55 penalties and 5 drop goals, for an aggregate of 227 points. His first match for the "Canucks" came on 11 April 1982, in a 24-18 loss to Japan
, in a friendly, in Osaka
. He scored two conversions and two penalties.
Wyatt played twice at the Rugby World Cup
finals. He played all the three matches at the 1987 Rugby World Cup
finals, scoring 2 conversions in the 37-4 win over Tonga
. In the 19-46 loss to Ireland
, he also scored a penalty. Canada final loss of 9-40 to Wales
meant that Canada did not pass the first round. Wyatt scored 2 conversions and one penalty during the tournament, for an aggregate of 7 points.
Wyatt remained a regular and a top scorer in the Canada side, being promoted to captain in 1990. He achieved an historical feat at 25 May 1991, in a 25-19 win over Scotland XV
, in a friendly, in Saint John
, scoring all the 8 penalties that gave Canada a memorable win. This world record was even stated at the 1993 edition of the Guinness Book of Records.
Wyatt, the same year, had his second and final presence at the major international rugby union competition, the 1991 Rugby World Cup
finals, this time as the captain. He was absent from the first game, where Fiji
was defeated by 13-3. He played in the 19-11 win over Romania
, scoring 1 conversion and 2 penalties, in the 19-13 narrow loss to France
, scoring a try and a penalty, and finally in the quarter-finals historical first presence of Canada. 20 October 1991 saw a heated game with the much favoured New Zealand, in Lille
, ending in a close defeat of 13-29. Wyatt once again scored a penalty. He had scored at the competition, 1 try, 1 conversion and 4 penalties, for an aggregate of 17 points. His total at the Rugby World Cup finals was 1 try, 3 conversions and 5 penalties, for an aggregate of 24 points.
Wyatt left the National Team after the competition, aged only 30 years old.
He was inducted at the British Columbia Rugby Hall of Fame
in 2007.
Career
Wyatt is remembered as one of the best Canadian rugby players of his generation and of all time, and for his kicking skills which made him one of the most prolific scorers ever for CanadaCanada national rugby union team
The Canada national rugby union team represents Canada in international rugby union. They are governed by Rugby Canada, and play in red and black. Canada is classified by the International Rugby Board as a tier two rugby nation. There are ten tier one nations, and seven tier two nations, the...
. He also played for the British invitational team Barbarian F.C.
Barbarian F.C.
The Barbarian Football Club, usually referred to as the Barbarians and nicknamed the "Baa-Baas", is an invitational rugby union team based in Britain...
.
His parents settled in British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, one of the provinces of Canada where rugby is more popular and where he would make his player career. He was first noticed at Oak Bay Secondary School
Oak Bay Secondary School
Oak Bay High School is the fourth largest secondary school in the Greater Victoria School District. It is located in Oak Bay, British Columbia, Canada. Roughly 1200 students attend in grades 9 to 12 in both regular and French immersion programs in two buildings, called East and West. The first high...
, in 1980. He then went to play for James Bay Athletic Association
James Bay Athletic Association
The James Bay Athletic Association is a Canadian rugby club based in Victoria, British Columbia. The JBAA were formed in 1886 and are said to be the oldest sports organization west of Montreal....
, for a year. He then played for the University of Victoria
University of Victoria
The University of Victoria, often referred to as UVic, is the second oldest public research university in British Columbia, Canada. It is a research intensive university located in Saanich and Oak Bay, about northeast of downtown Victoria. The University's annual enrollment is about 20,000 students...
, Velox Valhallians
Velox Valhallians
The Velox Valhallians R.F.C. is a rugby club located in Victoria, British Columbia, on Vancouver Island. The club has the largest junior program on the island and is home to a number of Canadian national men's and women's team players.-See also:...
and the Vancouver Island Crimson Tide
Vancouver Island Crimson Tide
The Vancouver Island Rising Tide are a Canadian rugby union team based in Victoria, British Columbia...
.
Wyatt had 29 caps for Canada, from 1982 to 1991, scoring 1 try, 23 conversions, 55 penalties and 5 drop goals, for an aggregate of 227 points. His first match for the "Canucks" came on 11 April 1982, in a 24-18 loss to Japan
Japan national rugby union team
The Japan national rugby union team represent Japan in international rugby union competitions. Japan is traditionally the strongest rugby union power in Asia but has both enjoyed and endured mixed results against non-Asian teams over the years...
, in a friendly, in Osaka
Osaka
is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...
. He scored two conversions and two penalties.
Wyatt played twice at the Rugby World Cup
Rugby World Cup
The Rugby World Cup is an international rugby union competition organised by the International Rugby Board and held every four years since 1987....
finals. He played all the three matches at the 1987 Rugby World Cup
1987 Rugby World Cup
The 1987 Rugby World Cup was the first Rugby World Cup. New Zealand and Australia agreed to co-host the first ever tournament with New Zealand hosting seventeen pool stage matches, two quarter-finals and the final with Australia being the junior partner hosting seven pool matches, two...
finals, scoring 2 conversions in the 37-4 win over Tonga
Tonga national rugby union team
The Tonga national rugby union team is nicknamed Ikale Tahi . Like their Polynesian neighbours, the Tongans start their matches with a war dance – the Kailao . They are members of the Pacific Islands Rugby Alliance along with Fiji and Samoa...
. In the 19-46 loss to Ireland
Ireland national rugby union team
The Ireland national rugby union team represents the island of Ireland in rugby union. The team competes annually in the Six Nations Championship and every four years in the Rugby World Cup, where they reached the quarter-final stage in all but two competitions The Ireland national rugby union...
, he also scored a penalty. Canada final loss of 9-40 to Wales
Wales national rugby union team
The Wales national rugby union team represent Wales in international rugby union tournaments. They compete annually in the Six Nations Championship with England, France, Ireland, Italy and Scotland. Wales have won the Six Nations and its predecessors 24 times outright, second only to England with...
meant that Canada did not pass the first round. Wyatt scored 2 conversions and one penalty during the tournament, for an aggregate of 7 points.
Wyatt remained a regular and a top scorer in the Canada side, being promoted to captain in 1990. He achieved an historical feat at 25 May 1991, in a 25-19 win over Scotland XV
Scotland A national rugby union team
The Scotland A team are the second national rugby union team behind the Scottish national side.-History:Scotland's status as one of the leading rugby nations in the Northern Hemisphere, made the SRU to field a second team, first known as Scotland XV, and currently as Scotland A, which can play at...
, in a friendly, in Saint John
Saint John, New Brunswick
City of Saint John , or commonly Saint John, is the largest city in the province of New Brunswick, and the first incorporated city in Canada. The city is situated along the north shore of the Bay of Fundy at the mouth of the Saint John River. In 2006 the city proper had a population of 74,043...
, scoring all the 8 penalties that gave Canada a memorable win. This world record was even stated at the 1993 edition of the Guinness Book of Records.
Wyatt, the same year, had his second and final presence at the major international rugby union competition, the 1991 Rugby World Cup
1991 Rugby World Cup
The 1991 Rugby World Cup was the second edition of the Rugby World Cup, and was jointly hosted by England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland and France; at that time, the five European countries that participated in the Five Nations Championship making it the first Rugby World Cup to be staged in the...
finals, this time as the captain. He was absent from the first game, where Fiji
Fiji national rugby union team
The Fiji national rugby union team is a member of the Pacific Islands Rugby Alliance formerly along with Samoa and Tonga. In 2009, Samoa announced their departure from the Pacific Islands Rugby Alliance, leaving just Fiji and Tonga. Fiji are ranked sixteenth in the world by the IRB as of 26...
was defeated by 13-3. He played in the 19-11 win over Romania
Romania national rugby union team
The Romania national rugby union team , nicknamed The Oaks , is the representative side of Romania in rugby union. Long considered one of the stronger European teams outside the Six Nations, they have participated in all six Rugby World Cups, and currently compete in the first division of the...
, scoring 1 conversion and 2 penalties, in the 19-13 narrow loss to France
France national rugby union team
The France national rugby union team represents France in rugby union. They compete annually against England, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales in the Six Nations Championship. They have won the championship outright sixteen times, shared it a further eight times, and have completed nine grand slams...
, scoring a try and a penalty, and finally in the quarter-finals historical first presence of Canada. 20 October 1991 saw a heated game with the much favoured New Zealand, in Lille
Lille
Lille is a city in northern France . It is the principal city of the Lille Métropole, the fourth-largest metropolitan area in the country behind those of Paris, Lyon and Marseille. Lille is situated on the Deûle River, near France's border with Belgium...
, ending in a close defeat of 13-29. Wyatt once again scored a penalty. He had scored at the competition, 1 try, 1 conversion and 4 penalties, for an aggregate of 17 points. His total at the Rugby World Cup finals was 1 try, 3 conversions and 5 penalties, for an aggregate of 24 points.
Wyatt left the National Team after the competition, aged only 30 years old.
He was inducted at the British Columbia Rugby Hall of Fame
British Columbia Rugby Hall of Fame
The British Columbia Rugby Hall of Fame, set in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, is a Hall of Fame created in 2005 to honour those who have contributed more to the progress of the sport of rugby union in Canada from the province of British Columbia, one of their country's where the oval sport...
in 2007.