Mike Clamp achieved considerable distinction in his rugby career even though for a number of seasons he had to compete for a regular Wellington representative spot as a wing against two star players in Bernie Fraser and Stu Wilson.

But he gained an early national profile through playing for the New Zealand Colts (1981) and Junior (1982) sides and for New Zealand Maori, with whom he made the extensive tour of Wales and Europe in 1982.

And such was the consistency of the Petone club product that from 1983 he increasingly became a first choice Wellington player. He was able to play together with Wilson and Fraser with Wilson moving into centre when the 1980-81 All Black Jamie Salmon returned to England.

A Hutt Valley High School product (1st XV 1977-79) who played age-grade rugby for Wellington at second five eight or centre Clamp had good size at more than 6ft tall (1.85m) and plenty of pace, which was to be his chief asset. By the time he finished with Wellington in 1988, before accepting an offer to play overseas, Clamp in just 86 matches for the union had achieved 71 tries. In his entire first class career he scored 123 tries.

Clamp's pace was well suited to sevens rugby and in each of the 1984-85 and 86 seasons he represented New Zealand in the Hong Kong international tournament.

Clamp became an All Black on the 1984 tour of Australia, making 10 appearances in which he scored 13 tries. He played in the second and third tests, scoring a try in the All Blacks' 25-24 win in the third test in Sydney. Later in 1984 he made the short tour of Fji, playing in all four matches including the unofficial test.

His efforts through 1984 were rewarded with the Tom French Cup as the country's outstanding Maori player for the season.

Clamp was chosen for the 1985 All Blacks' tour of South Africa, only for that to be cancelled only a few days before the scheduled departure. He went on the replacement tour of Argentina late in the year, but because of an injury could only play in the second to last match against a Mar del Plate selection. Clamp compensated for his lack of previous activity by scoring three tries.

That meant in just 15 matches for the All Blacks Clamp scored 18 tries.

Clamp never played for the All Blacks again. He went on the rebel Cavaliers' tour of South Africa in 1986 and was subsequently banned for two internationals.

By then he had fallen behind Kirwan, Craig Green and Terry Wright in the All Black wing rankings. In 1987 he played for the Central zone in the George Nepia inaugural triangular competition but his only other outing at national level came with his last match for New Zealand Maori in 1988 against Marlborough. But by the time the Maori team late in 1988 toured Europe and Argentina he had moved overseas.

Profile by Lindsay Knight
for the New Zealand Rugby Museum.

FULL NAME

Michael Clamp

BORN

Tuesday, 26 December 1961 in Wellington

AGE

48

PHYSICAL

1.85m, 83kg

POSITION

Wing three-quarter

LAST SCHOOL

Hutt Valley High

RUGBY CLUB
(First made All Blacks from)

Petone

PROVINCE

Wellington

ALL BLACK DEBUT

Wednesday, 4 July 1984
v Queensland B at Brisbane
aged 22 years, 191 days

INTERNATIONAL DEBUT

Saturday, 4 August 1984
v Australia at Brisbane
aged 22 years, 222 days

LAST TEST

Saturday, 18 August 1984
v Australia at Sydney
aged 22 years, 236 days

ALL BLACK TESTS

2 (0 as Captain)

ALL BLACK GAMES

13 (0 as Captain)

TOTAL ALL BLACK MATCHES

15 (0 as Captain)

ALL BLACK TEST POINTS

4pts (1t, 0c, 0p, 0dg, 0m)

ALL BLACK GAME POINTS

68pts (17t, 0c, 0p, 0dg, 0m)

TOTAL ALL BLACK POINTS

72pts (18t, 0c, 0p, 0dg, 0m)

ALL BLACK NUMBER

851

The All Black Games that Clamp played.
(+) = substitute; (-) = replaced

Click on the date to be taken to the Match Card

1984

 4 Jul vs Queensland B at Brisbane 37-0  

 7 Jul vs N.S.W. at Sydney 37-10 (+) 

 11 Jul vs South Australia at Adelaide 99-0  

 17 Jul vs Victoria at Melbourne 65-3  

 25 Jul vs A.C.T. at Canberra 40-16  

 28 Jul vs Sydney at Sydney 28-3  

 4 Aug vs Australia at Brisbane 19-15  

 12 Aug vs Queensland at Brisbane 39-12  

 14 Aug vs N.S.W. B at Gosford 21-15 (+) 

 18 Aug vs Australia at Sydney 25-24  

 17 Oct vs President's XV at Suva 39-0  

 20 Oct vs Western XV at Nadi 32-10  

 24 Oct vs Eastern XV at Suva 58-0  

 27 Oct vs Fiji at Suva 45-0  

1985

 29 Oct vs Mar del Plata Selection at Mar del Plata 56-6  

Points scored for the All Blacks

t

c

p

dg

pts

vs Queensland B, 4 Jul 1984

2

-

-

-

8

vs South Australia, 11 Jul 1984

2

-

-

-

8

vs Victoria, 17 Jul 1984

2

-

-

-

8

vs A.C.T., 25 Jul 1984

3

-

-

-

12

vs Sydney, 28 Jul 1984

3

-

-

-

12

vs Australia, 18 Aug 1984

1

-

-

-

4

vs Western XV, 20 Oct 1984

1

-

-

-

4

vs Eastern XV, 24 Oct 1984

1

-

-

-

4

vs Mar del Plata Selection, 29 Oct 1985

3

-

-

-

12

Totals

18

0

0

0

72

Test Record by Nation

P

W

D

L

t

c

p

dg

pts

Australia

2

2

-

-

1

-

-

-

4

Totals

2

2

0

0

1

0

0

0

4