Andy Haden facts for kids
| Birth name | Andrew Maxwell Haden | ||||||||||||||||||||
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| Date of birth | 26 September 1950 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Wanganui, New Zealand | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of death | 29 July 2020 (aged 69) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of death | Auckland, New Zealand | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.99 m (6 ft 6 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 112 kg (247 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| School | Wanganui Boys' College | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Andrew Maxwell Haden (born September 26, 1950 – died July 29, 2020) was a famous New Zealand rugby union player. He was known as an All Black and even captained the team. He played in the lock position for Auckland and New Zealand from 1972 to 1985. He also played rugby for clubs in the United Kingdom and Italy.
Contents
Andy Haden's Rugby Career
Early Life and All Black Debut
Andy Haden was born in Wanganui, New Zealand, on September 26, 1950. He went to Wanganui Boys' College. He first played for the All Blacks in 1972. His first major international match, called a Test match, was against the British Lions in 1977.
Playing Style and Captaincy
Haden played in 41 Test matches for New Zealand. He scored two tries during these games. He was the captain of the All Blacks in 8 of those 41 matches. People knew Haden for his strong skills in the scrummage. He was also very good at the lineout, where players jump to catch the ball.
Club Rugby and Autobiography
Besides playing for New Zealand, Haden also played club rugby. He played for Auckland in New Zealand. He also played for Harlequins in London, England, and for Algida Rome in Italy. In 1983, Haden wrote a book about his life called Boots ’n All. At that time, rugby players were not allowed to be paid for playing. Haden received money from his book, which caused some discussion. However, he argued that writing was his job, and he was allowed to keep the money.
The Famous 1978 Wales Match
One of the most talked-about moments in Haden's career happened in 1978. It was a match against Wales in Cardiff. The score was 12–10 to Wales, and the game was almost over. Haden and another New Zealand player, Frank Oliver, fell to the ground. The referee gave a penalty kick to New Zealand. Brian McKechnie kicked the ball, and New Zealand won the game.
Many people thought Haden had pretended to be pushed. Later, the referee said the penalty was for a foul against Oliver, not Haden. However, Haden and his captain, Graham Mourie, said that they had planned to try and trick the referee. A Welsh cartoonist, Gren, even drew a funny picture about it. Haden played his last Test match in 1985 against Argentina.
Later Years and Passing
After his rugby career, Andy Haden faced some health challenges. In 2003, he shared that he was getting treatment for a type of blood cancer called chronic lymphocytic leukaemia. He got better from this illness. However, in February 2020, he was diagnosed with another type of cancer called lymphoma. Andy Haden passed away from lymphoma on July 29, 2020, at his home in Auckland. He was 69 years old.
