Born: August 23, 1956
Test record: 19 Tests (1980, 1982-86) – 1 try (4 points)
Tours: 1980 tour of Britain and France, 1982 tour of Australia and Papua New Guinea, 1985 tour of Britain and France, 1986 tour of Australia and Papua New Guinea

Dependable Ellerslie and Hull FC fullback Gary Kemble was a mainstay during a transformative era for the Kiwis, featuring in several important victories among 19 Test appearances from 1980-86. He later coached New Zealand in 2007.

Kemble debuted for Auckland as a teenager in 1976, featured in the province’s famous 1977 ‘Grand Slam’ of victories over Australia, Great Britain and France, and accelerated his rugby league development with an off-season at lower-division English club New Hunslet.

The custodian represented Auckland against Great Britain (1979) and Australia (1980) again before getting the call-up to the Kiwis for the 1980 tour of Britain and France. He featured at wing and fullback in minor matches in Britain – also filling in as a goalkicker – and earned a Test debut in the No.1 jersey for the first-Test loss to France. Canterbury’s Michael O’Donnell returned for the second clash.

He played for Auckland and New Zealand Māori against the 1981 French tourists.

Kemble joined Hull FC in the 1981-82 season and quickly became recognised as one of the best fullbacks in Britain, playing almost 200 games for the club across six seasons and winning Challenge Cup finals in 1982 and 1985.

He became New Zealand’s first-choice fullback from 1982, playing both Tests in Australia that year. An injury early in the first Test against the green-and-golds in 1983 ruled him out of the iconic Lang Park victory in the second Test, however.

Regrouping in 1984, Kemble was a key figure as New Zealand swept Great Britain 3-0 at home and went on to extend his run of successive Test appearances to 11. He featured in the enthralling 1985 series against Australia – including the 18-0 third-Test victory at Carlaw Park – and all five Tests on the tour of Britain and France, though he was relegated to the bench for the series opener against Great Britain. Kemble’s sole Test try came in the second Test against France in Perpignan.

Kemble missed out to Darrell Williams for the fullback spot for the 1986 series opener against Australia but was recalled for the remaining two Tests, as well as both encounters with Papua New Guinea.

Moving into coaching after his playing career wrapped up, Kemble had stints at the helm of Papakura, Northcote and Lion Red Cup outfit Hawke’s Bay Unicorns. He also succeed Frank Endacott as Junior Kiwis and New Zealand Residents coach, and took the Warriors’ reserve grade team to the 1997 Super League grand final after Endacott had been promoted to the first-grade role midway through the season.

Also a Kiwis assistant to Endacott and a National Coaching Director, as well as coaching numerous representative teams, Kemble was appointed as Brian McClennan’s successor as New Zealand coach in 2007.

A difficult term in charge started with a record 58-0 loss to Australia in Wellington and barely improved, with the Kiwis trounced 3-0 by Great Britain before grabbing a scratchy win in the one-off Test in France. Kemble resigned in January 2008 after senior members of the team had publicly slammed the coach.

Nevertheless, Kemble’s enormous contribution to rugby league in New Zealand as a player and coach remains undeniable, and he would later return as Papakura Sea Eagles’ coach in the Auckland competition.