Born in Kaponga, Kieran Crowley went to secondary school at Sacred Heart College, Auckland, where he was in the 1st XV in 1977. Back in Taranaki he was selected for the 1979 North Island Under-18 team and the following year made his Taranaki debut as an 18 year old, playing variously at fullback, wing, and second five eight. He also appeared for the New Zealand Colts team in 1980, and again the following two seasons.

After a New Zealand trial in 1982 and playing for the North Island in 1983 Kieran Crowley came into the All Black side to tour England and Scotland when the original selection Allan Hewson was injured in training prior to the team's departure. In 1984 he played for New Zealand on the short tour to Fiji after missing selection for the earlier tour to Australia.

His test debut came against England in 1985 when he scored all his side's eighteen points with six penalty goals. He also appeared in tests against Australia and Argentina that year, and against Australia and France in 1986 after losing his place through touring South Africa with the Cavaliers.

Backup fullback to John Gallagher at the 1987 World Cup, and playing the pool match against Argentina, Crowley was then kept out of the All Blacks until Gallagher and Matthew Ridge switched to rugby league in 1990. He played the five domestic tests that season, plus two on the tour to France and also toured Argentina in 1991. Not an original choice for the 1991 World Cup he was called up after injury to Terry Wright and played the semi final against Australia.

Kieran Crowley continued to play for Taranaki until 1994, becoming its leading points scorer and one of the few players to play 200 games for his Union. He was made a life member of the Taranaki RFU in 1993.

A dependable fullback, unjustly criticised for a supposed lack of attacking flair, Crowley played 36 matches (20 tests) and scored 320 points for New Zealand. His younger brothers Alan (N Z Sevens rep.), Sean and Neil also played for Taranaki.

Kieran Crowley played cricket for Taranaki and Brabin Shield cricket for Central Districts. His involvement has continued with Taranaki rugby through coaching of the Taranaki Development team. In 2002 Crowley was made an All Blacks selector along with former All Black team mate Mark Shaw.

Profile by Bob Luxford
for the New Zealand Rugby Museum.

FULL NAME

Kieran James Crowley

BORN

Thursday, 31 August 1961 in Kaponga

AGE

49

PHYSICAL

1.84m, 84kg

POSITION

Fullback

LAST SCHOOL

Sacred Heart College

RUGBY CLUB
(First made All Blacks from)

Kaponga

PROVINCE

Taranaki

RUGBY NICKNAME

Colt

ALL BLACK DEBUT

Saturday, 29 October 1983
v South of Scotland at Galashiels
aged 22 years, 59 days

INTERNATIONAL DEBUT

Saturday, 1 June 1985
v England at Christchurch
aged 23 years, 274 days

LAST TEST

Sunday, 27 October 1991
v Australia at Dublin
aged 30 years, 57 days

ALL BLACK TESTS

19 (0 as Captain)

ALL BLACK GAMES

16 (0 as Captain)

TOTAL ALL BLACK MATCHES

35 (0 as Captain)

ALL BLACK TEST POINTS

105pts (5t, 5c, 23p, 2dg, 0m)

ALL BLACK GAME POINTS

211pts (8t, 31c, 38p, 1dg, 0m)

TOTAL ALL BLACK POINTS

316pts (13t, 36c, 61p, 3dg, 0m)

ALL BLACK NUMBER

848

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

Click on the date to be taken to the Match Card

1983

 29 Oct vs South of Scotland at Galashiels 30-9  

 5 Nov vs London Division at London 18-15  

 15 Nov vs South and South-West Counties at Bristol 18-6  

1984

 20 Oct vs Western XV at Nadi 32-10  

 27 Oct vs Fiji at Suva 45-0  

1985

 1 Jun vs England at Christchurch 18-13  

 8 Jun vs England at Wellington 42-15  

 29 Jun vs Australia at Auckland 10-9  

 12 Oct vs Club Athletico San Isidro at Buenos Aires 22-9  

 19 Oct vs Buenos Aires Selection at Buenos Aires 31-13  

 26 Oct vs Argentina at Buenos Aires 33-20  

 2 Nov vs Argentina at Buenos Aires 21-21  

1986

 6 Sep vs Australia at Auckland 9-22  

 26 Oct vs Selection du Centre at Clermont-Ferrand 23-19  

 1 Nov vs Rousillon-Languedoc Selection at Perpignan 59-6  

 4 Nov vs Cote Basque Selection at Bayonne 21-9  

 8 Nov vs France at Toulouse 19-7  

 11 Nov vs French Barbarians at La Rochelle 26-12  

 15 Nov vs France at Nantes 3-16  

1987

 1 Jun vs Argentina at Wellington 46-15  

1990

 16 Jun vs Scotland at Dunedin 31-16  

 23 Jun vs Scotland at Auckland 21-18  

 21 Jul vs Australia at Christchurch 21-6  

 4 Aug vs Australia at Auckland 27-17  

 18 Aug vs Australia at Wellington 9-21  

 20 Oct vs Languedoc Selection at Narbonne 22-6  

 27 Oct vs French Barbarians at Agen 23-13  

 3 Nov vs France at Nantes 24-3  

 10 Nov vs France at Paris 30-12  

1991

 19 Jun vs Cordoba at Cordoba 38-9  

 25 Jun vs Tucuman at Tucuman 21-9  

 2 Jul vs Cuyo at Mendoza 47-12  

 6 Jul vs Argentina at Buenos Aires 28-14  

 13 Jul vs Argentina at Buenos Aires 36-6  

 27 Oct vs Australia at Dublin 6-16  

Points scored for the All Blacks

t

c

p

dg

pts

vs South of Scotland, 29 Oct 1983

1

2

2

-

14

vs London Division, 5 Nov 1983

-

1

4

-

14

vs South and South-West Counties, 15 Nov 1983

-

2

2

-

10

vs Western XV, 20 Oct 1984

-

2

4

-

16

vs Fiji, 27 Oct 1984

2

4

3

-

25

vs England, 1 Jun 1985

-

-

6

-

18

vs England, 8 Jun 1985

-

3

3

-

15

vs Australia, 29 Jun 1985

-

-

2

-

6

vs Club Athletico San Isidro, 12 Oct 1985

-

2

2

-

10

vs Buenos Aires Selection, 19 Oct 1985

-

3

3

-

15

vs Argentina, 26 Oct 1985

1

1

4

-

18

vs Argentina, 2 Nov 1985

-

1

1

-

5

vs Australia, 6 Sep 1986

-

-

3

-

9

vs Selection du Centre, 26 Oct 1986

1

1

3

-

15

vs Rousillon-Languedoc Selection, 1 Nov 1986

2

6

1

-

23

vs Cote Basque Selection, 4 Nov 1986

-

1

4

-

14

vs France, 8 Nov 1986

-

-

3

1

12

vs French Barbarians, 11 Nov 1986

-

2

2

-

10

vs France, 15 Nov 1986

-

-

1

-

3

vs Argentina, 1 Jun 1987

1

-

-

-

4

vs Scotland, 16 Jun 1990

1

-

-

-

4

vs Australia, 21 Jul 1990

1

-

-

-

4

vs Languedoc Selection, 20 Oct 1990

-

1

4

-

14

vs France, 10 Nov 1990

1

-

-

-

4

vs Cordoba, 19 Jun 1991

2

-

-

-

8

vs Cuyo, 2 Jul 1991

-

4

4

1

23

vs Argentina, 6 Jul 1991

-

-

-

1

3

Totals

13

36

61

3

316

Test Record by Nation

P

W

D

L

t

c

p

dg

pts

Argentina

5

4

1

-

2

2

5

1

30

Australia

6

3

-

3

1

-

5

-

19

England

2

2

-

-

-

3

9

-

33

France

4

3

-

1

1

-

4

1

19

Scotland

2

2

-

-

1

-

-

-

4

Totals

19

14

1

4

5

5

23

2

105