Mark van Gisbergen
Encyclopedia
Mark van Gisbergen is a rugby union
footballer who plays at full back for Lyon
and England
. He is nicknamed 'Giz' or 'Gizzy'.
Van Gisbergen’s father is Dutch
born whilst his mother is from New Zealand
, meaning that the player holds both New Zealand and Dutch passports. Van Gisbergen qualified to play for England
on 11 September 2005 on residency grounds, having come to England three years previously to begin his playing career at Wasps
.
He is a former Waikato
fly-half in the National Provincial Championship
, although he was unable to cement a regular starting position or secure a more financially rewarding Super 12
contract. He played his club rugby for Hamilton Marist for several seasons, often at fullback.
The full back made his debut for Wasps
in 2002 and scored just under 300 points for his club in the 2003/4 season. He scored over 300 points in the 2004/5 season and appeared in all but two Wasps matches. In his time with Wasps he has played in three Premiership
Finals and a Heineken Cup
Final.
He has taken up the kicking duties for Wasps on occasion and, as of late January 2006, had an accuracy rating of 85%. The highest of any kicker in the 2005–06 Premiership
season.
He made his Test debut as a brief replacement for Mark Cueto
during England's 26–16 defeat of Australia in November 2005.
In a friendly before the 2006/07 season he suffered a broken chin, and was ruled out for six weeks.
He was picked for the 2007 Six Nations Squad.
He has since joined Lyon OU and will be playing in the French top 14 in the 2011/12 season
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...
footballer who plays at full back for Lyon
Lyon OU
Lyon Olympique Universitaire or LOU is a French rugby union team that competes in the Top 14, the first level of the country's professional league system. They earned their spot in the Top 14 by winning the 2010–11 title of the second-tier Pro D2....
and England
England national rugby union team
The England national rugby union team represents England in rugby union. They compete in the annual Six Nations Championship with France, Ireland, Scotland, Italy, and Wales. They have won this championship on 26 occasions, 12 times winning the Grand Slam, making them the most successful team in...
. He is nicknamed 'Giz' or 'Gizzy'.
Van Gisbergen’s father is Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
born whilst his mother is from New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, meaning that the player holds both New Zealand and Dutch passports. Van Gisbergen qualified to play for England
England national rugby union team
The England national rugby union team represents England in rugby union. They compete in the annual Six Nations Championship with France, Ireland, Scotland, Italy, and Wales. They have won this championship on 26 occasions, 12 times winning the Grand Slam, making them the most successful team in...
on 11 September 2005 on residency grounds, having come to England three years previously to begin his playing career at Wasps
London Wasps
London Wasps is an English professional rugby union team. The men's first team, which forms London Wasps, was derived from Wasps Football Club who were formed in 1867 at the now defunct Eton and Middlesex Tavern in North London, at the turn of professionalism in 1999...
.
He is a former Waikato
Waikato Rugby Union
The Waikato Rugby Union is the official governing body of rugby union in the Waikato area in the North Island of New Zealand. Its senior representative team competes in the ITM Cup , and won the inaugural Air New Zealand Cup in 2006.Waikato Rugby Union was founded in 1921...
fly-half in the National Provincial Championship
National Provincial Championship
The National Provincial Championship, or NPC, is the major domestic rugby competition in New Zealand. The NPC has seen many alterations to its format and brand. Since 2006 the National Championship has been split into 2 competitions, the ITM Cup and the Heartland Championship...
, although he was unable to cement a regular starting position or secure a more financially rewarding Super 12
Super 14
Super Rugby is the largest and pre-eminent professional Rugby union competition in the Southern Hemisphere...
contract. He played his club rugby for Hamilton Marist for several seasons, often at fullback.
The full back made his debut for Wasps
London Wasps
London Wasps is an English professional rugby union team. The men's first team, which forms London Wasps, was derived from Wasps Football Club who were formed in 1867 at the now defunct Eton and Middlesex Tavern in North London, at the turn of professionalism in 1999...
in 2002 and scored just under 300 points for his club in the 2003/4 season. He scored over 300 points in the 2004/5 season and appeared in all but two Wasps matches. In his time with Wasps he has played in three Premiership
Guinness Premiership
The English Premiership, also currently known as the Aviva Premiership because of the league's sponsorship by Aviva, is a professional league competition for rugby union football clubs in the top division of the English rugby system. There are twelve clubs in the Premiership...
Finals and a Heineken Cup
Heineken Cup
The Heineken Cup is one of two annual rugby union competitions organised by European Rugby Cup involving leading club, regional and provincial teams from the six International Rugby Board countries in Europe whose national teams compete in the Six Nations Championship: England, France, Ireland,...
Final.
He has taken up the kicking duties for Wasps on occasion and, as of late January 2006, had an accuracy rating of 85%. The highest of any kicker in the 2005–06 Premiership
Guinness Premiership
The English Premiership, also currently known as the Aviva Premiership because of the league's sponsorship by Aviva, is a professional league competition for rugby union football clubs in the top division of the English rugby system. There are twelve clubs in the Premiership...
season.
He made his Test debut as a brief replacement for Mark Cueto
Mark Cueto
Mark John "Frank" Cueto is an English international rugby union player. He plays on the wing for Sale Sharks and England.-Biography:...
during England's 26–16 defeat of Australia in November 2005.
In a friendly before the 2006/07 season he suffered a broken chin, and was ruled out for six weeks.
He was picked for the 2007 Six Nations Squad.
He has since joined Lyon OU and will be playing in the French top 14 in the 2011/12 season