Andrew Mehrtens facts for kids
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| Birth name | Andrew Philip Mehrtens | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Date of birth | 28 April 1973 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Durban, South Africa | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 89 kg (14 st 0 lb; 196 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| School | Christchurch Boys' High School | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Andrew Philip Mehrtens, born on April 28, 1973, is a famous former rugby player from New Zealand. He was known as a fantastic 'first five-eighth,' which is a key position in rugby. Andrew first played for the Canterbury team in 1993. Then, in 1995, he joined the All Blacks, New Zealand's national team, and even played in the Rugby World Cup that year.
After playing in New Zealand, Andrew moved to England and then to France. He helped his new clubs get promoted to the top leagues in those countries. For example, he joined Harlequins in England. In his first season, he helped them return to the top Guinness Premiership after they had been relegated.
After a successful season with Harlequins, he moved to Toulon in France for the 2007–08 season. Toulon won their league title and moved up to the Top 14. Andrew then joined Racing Métro, another French team. For the second year in a row, his team won their league and earned a spot in the Top 14.
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Early Life and Family
Andrew Mehrtens was born in Durban, South Africa. His parents lived there for four years before returning to New Zealand when he was a young child. Andrew grew up in Christchurch, New Zealand.
He went to Christchurch Boys' High School, where he played rugby for the school's top team. He also played Junior Grade Rugby for a team called Kaiapoi. When he was 10, his Kaiapoi team played a match at Lancaster Park. It was a special game before a bigger match between Canterbury and Mid Canterbury. Andrew also played for New Zealand's national teams for players under 19 and under 21.
Andrew comes from a family with a long history in rugby. His grandfather, George Mehrtens, played for Canterbury in the 1920s. He was also an All Blacks player in unofficial games in 1928. Andrew's father, Terry, also played rugby for Canterbury from 1964 to 1976. He even played for a New Zealand under-23 team.
Andrew's Rugby Journey
Andrew Mehrtens became very popular in New Zealand rugby. He played for 12 years at the highest level. Many people, including famous rugby players like Colin Meads, thought Andrew was the best 'first five-eighth' New Zealand ever had. Others admired his amazing skills, vision, and kicking ability.
Off the field, Andrew was also a favorite with fans and the media. People liked his friendly manner, his intelligence, and his great sense of humor.
Even with his family's rugby background, Andrew didn't become a top player until his late teenage years. This might be because he developed physically a bit slower. When he was younger, Andrew was also very good at tennis and was even ranked nationally in different age groups.
His first big rugby selection was in 1992. He played for the national under-19 team against Australia. Many of his teammates from that team later became famous players for the Crusaders or the All Blacks.
Andrew was first chosen to play for Canterbury in 1993. In 1994, he helped the Canterbury team win the Ranfurly Shield from Waikato. His great performance in that game and in later Shield defenses showed he was ready to become an All Black.
Playing for the All Blacks
Even though he wasn't in the first training groups, Andrew improved so much that he joined the 1995 World Cup squad. He made his first appearance for the All Blacks in an early season game against Canada. In that game, he scored 28 points, which was a record at the time for a player in their first international game.
At the 1995 World Cup, Andrew was very successful. He was one of three young players, along with Jonah Lomu and Josh Kronfeld, who brought a new energy to the All Blacks. The only small disappointment was missing a drop goal attempt in extra time during the final game.
For the next six or seven seasons, Andrew was almost always chosen for the All Blacks squad. However, injuries and competition from other talented players sometimes meant he didn't always start every game.
He played a key role again in 1999. He kicked a record nine penalties in a game against Australia. He also played well in the World Cup that year.
Success with the Crusaders
Besides his important role for the All Blacks, Andrew Mehrtens had an amazing record with the Crusaders team in the Super 12 competition. He was a key player in their three championship wins from 1998 to 2000. He helped them win by guiding the team's strategy or, like in the 2000 final, by kicking important penalty goals under pressure. He also played in the Crusaders teams that won the Super 12 titles in 2002 and 2005.
Andrew also contributed a lot to the Canterbury team in the NPC. His partnership with half-back Justin Marshall was very well-known. He helped Canterbury win the Ranfurly Shield in 1994, 2000, and 2004. He also played in three NPC-winning teams in 1997, 2001, and 2004.
Towards the end of his time in New Zealand, especially in 2003, Andrew faced some personal challenges that affected his fitness and performance. He worked hard to stay in the Crusaders team in 2003 and 2004. He was not chosen for the All Blacks for the 2003 season.
He did return to the All Blacks for a short time in 2004. However, it became clear that a younger player, Dan Carter, was becoming the main 'first five-eighth'. At the end of the 2005 Super 12 season, Andrew left New Zealand rugby to play for the Harlequins in Britain.
He left behind an impressive record: 281 first-class games with 3,178 points. He scored 1,056 points in 108 games for Canterbury, and 981 points in 87 games for the Crusaders. For the All Blacks, he scored 967 points in 70 games. His total points for the All Blacks was a record for a New Zealander until Dan Carter passed it in November 2009.
International Achievements
Andrew Mehrtens made a big impact when he first played for the All Blacks in 1995. He scored 28 points against Canada in his first Test match. He also played in the 1995 Rugby World Cup final against South Africa. He almost won the game for New Zealand with a drop goal attempt that just missed the posts.
Andrew is currently the second all-time highest point scorer for the All Blacks, with 967 points. Dan Carter passed his record in 2009. Andrew scored 20 or more points in 13 different Test matches. He also scored nine penalties in two separate games. He is the only player to have scored over 300 points in the Tri Nations Series. His 209 points against South Africa is the most ever by one player against one country. He also has the third-highest points against one country, with 202 against Australia. Andrew is also at the top of the list for Test conversions, with 167.
Life After All Blacks
Andrew Mehrtens played his last game for Harlequins on his birthday, the final day of the 2006–07 season. He scored 24 points in a win against the Sale Sharks. After the game, fans and teammates celebrated his birthday and said goodbye.
In May 2007, Andrew joined the French team Toulon. They went on to win their league title that season and were promoted to the Top 14. For the 2008–2009 season, Andrew signed to play with another French team, Racing Métro 92.
After two years in Paris, his contract was not renewed. He then moved to Béziers, a team in France's third division. His contract allowed him to move into the club's coaching staff after he finished playing.
In 2014, he joined the Waratahs team as a kicking coach. Andrew now lives in Sydney, Australia. He works as a commentator for Stan Sport, where he talks about rugby games.
Awards and Recognition
In the 2006 New Year Honours, Andrew Mehrtens was made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit. This award recognized his great contributions to rugby.
See also
In Spanish: Andrew Mehrtens para niños
