Mark Nixon (rugby league)

Mark Byron Nixon[2] is a New Zealand former rugby league footballer who played in the 1980s and 1990s. He played at representative for New Zealand and Canterbury (captain, as a stand-off.

Mark Nixon
Personal information
Full nameMark Byron Nixon
Born (1968-02-05) 5 February 1968 (age 56)
New Zealand
Playing information
PositionStand-off
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
Hornby (CRL)
1989–91 Rochdale Hornets 50 23 0 0 92
1994 Canterbury Cardinals 25 11 0 0 44
1994–95 Featherstone Rovers
1996 Canterbury Cardinals 6 3 0 0 12
Total 81 37 0 0 148
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1988–97 Canterbury
1990–93 New Zealand 2 0 0 0 0
Source: [1]

Playing career

edit

Nixon played for the Hornby club in the Canterbury Rugby League competition and represented Canterbury. In 1989 he spent ten weeks in Australia with the Canberra Raiders as part of the New Zealand Rugby League's "Rookie Scheme".[3]

In 1990 he was selected for the New Zealand national rugby league team and played in two Test matches against Papua New Guinea. Later that year he moved to England, joining the Rochdale Hornets for the 1990/91 season.

In 1993 Nixon captained Canterbury and was selected as a Kiwi triallist.[4][5] From there he was selected as part of the Kiwis touring side to Great Britain and France but did not play in any Test matches.

In 1994 Nixon was part of the Canterbury Country Cardinals in the new Lion Red Cup.[6] At the end of the year he again moved to England, playing for the Featherstone Rovers during the 1994/95 season.[7]

Nixon again represented Canterbury in 1997.[8][9] He played for Hornby.

Later years

edit

Nixon is a long-standing current employee of the Aviation security services of New Zealand, based at Christchurch International Airport.[citation needed]

Previous to this between his stints overseas playing Rugby League, Nixon had a long association with NZ Post.[citation needed]

References

edit
  1. ^ "Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org". rugbyleagueproject.org. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  2. ^ NIXON, Mark Byron 1990, 1993 - Kiwi #624 Archived 2011-07-24 at the Wayback Machine nzleague.co.nz
  3. ^ Lion Red 1989 Rugby League Annual New Zealand Rugby League, p.82
  4. ^ Smith, Tony (30 May 2009). "Nothing better than bettering Auckland". The Press. Retrieved 20 October 2011.
  5. ^ Lion Red Rugby League Annual 1993, New Zealand Rugby Football League, 1993. p.p.192-202
  6. ^ Lion Red Rugby League Annual 1994, New Zealand Rugby Football League, 1994. p.110
  7. ^ Nixon covers for injured Pearson The Independent, 23 September 1994
  8. ^ Cougars to venture on to Canterbury killing field[dead link] Sunday Star-Times, 12 October 1997
  9. ^ Nixon replaces brother [dead link] The Press, 14 May 1997