Entering first class rugby with Hawke's Bay in 1986 while still attending Napier Boys High School, Richard Turner from his earliest years was a player with prodigious talents. But while there were occasions in subsequent seasons when he looked on the verge of greatness he never quite fulfilled his immense potential.

Powerfully built at nearly 1.95m and weighing around 110kgs, Turner in his early seasons was used at lock but he soon switched to No 8 with the thought that he could possibly develop into another Wayne Shelford or Zinzan Brooke.

After playing in the Bay side in 18 matches between 1986 and 1988, Turner moved to North Harbour. In his first season with Harbour, 1989, he made the New Zealand Colts. He got the first of his All Black trials in 1990 and in 1992, with his Harbour coach Peter Thorburn joining Laurie Mains and Earle Kirton on the national panel, was in the first All Black squads named that season.

But two appearances, both against the World XV in the Rugby Union centenary matches, proved to be his only time in the All Black colours.

He started in the first match at Christchurch, which was lost decisively, and came on as a replacement in the midweek match four days later in Wellington.

Somewhat controversially the Rugby Union gave full test caps for those matches so even though he never ever appeared for the All Blacks against another country Turner ranks among the official internationals.

Turner, perhaps because he was suffering from one of the injuries which plagued his career, missed the tour soon after the centenary matches to Australia and South Africa and was never again an All Black.

But he reappeared in All Black trials in 1993 and in that season played twice for a New Zealand XV, one of the matches being against Samoa. He succeeded Shelford as the Harbour representative captain in 1992 and led that union up until 1996.

In all he played 86 games for Harbour. He was also the captain of the Chiefs in their first season playing nine Super 12 games. But he was injured during that competition and this was to affect considerably his final year in New Zealand rugby.

He was recalled to the Harbour side for a Ranfurly Shield challenge against Taranaki despite not having played for a long time and his lack of match fitness was probably a factor in Harbour failing to win a match many had expected them to win. Also crucial were decisions taken by Turner to ignore what were kickable penalties and instead attempt to force his way over from attacking scrums. In each instance a determined Taranaki defence repelled him.

Turner led Harbour to two more abortive shield challenges in 1996 and after the last against Auckland won some unpopularity by publicly criticising some of his team-mates.

Having missed a Super 12 contract for 1997, Turner then opted to play his rugby overseas, first in Italy, then Japan.

Nicknamed "Pod" because of his whale-like bulk, Turner suffered ill luck with injuries and may well have lacked the training dedication needed in the professional era. In 1992 Turner appeared for a New Zealand Samoan XV and there was speculation in the late 1990s that he might resume his international career with Manu Samoa. But nothing came of that suggestion. In recent times Turner, who has a bright, breezy personality, has returned to prominence as a television comments man.

Profile by Lindsay Knight
for the New Zealand Rugby Museum.

FULL NAME

Richard Steven Turner

BORN

Friday, 15 March 1968 in Napier

AGE

42

PHYSICAL

1.95m, 110kg

POSITION

Number 8

LAST SCHOOL

Napier Boys' High

RUGBY CLUB
(First made All Blacks from)

Northcote

PROVINCE

North Harbour

ALL BLACK DEBUT

Saturday, 18 April 1992
v World XV at Christchurch
aged 24 years, 34 days

INTERNATIONAL DEBUT

Saturday, 18 April 1992
v World XV at Christchurch
aged 24 years, 34 days

LAST TEST

Wednesday, 22 April 1992
v World XV at Wellington
aged 24 years, 38 days

ALL BLACK TESTS

2 (0 as Captain)

ALL BLACK GAMES

0 (0 as Captain)

TOTAL ALL BLACK MATCHES

2 (0 as Captain)

ALL BLACK TEST POINTS

4pts (1t, 0c, 0p, 0dg, 0m)

ALL BLACK GAME POINTS

0pts

TOTAL ALL BLACK POINTS

4pts (1t, 0c, 0p, 0dg, 0m)

ALL BLACK NUMBER

917

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

Click on the date to be taken to the Match Card

1992

 18 Apr vs World XV at Christchurch 14-28  

 22 Apr vs World XV at Wellington 54-26 (+) 

Points scored for the All Blacks

t

c

p

dg

pts

vs World XV, 18 Apr 1992

1

-

-

-

4

Totals

1

0

0

0

4

Test Record by Nation

P

W

D

L

t

c

p

dg

pts

World XV

2

1

-

1

1

-

-

-

4

Totals

2

1

0

1

1

0

0

0

4