Born: January 15, 1957
Test record: 16 Tests (1982-86) – 1 try (4 points)
Tours: 1982 tour of Australia and Papua New Guinea, 1985 tour of Britain and France, 1986 tour of Australia and Papua New Guinea

Ōtāhuhu product Owen Wright was an engine-room mainstay for Graham Lowe’s Kiwis after breaking into the Kiwis set-up for the 1982 tour of Australia and Papua New Guinea.

The younger brother of 1978 Kiwis tourist Nick, Owen played under Lowe at club level for Ōtāhuhu and on Auckland under-21s’ tour of Australia in 1975. He represented Auckland against Great Britain in 1979 and New Zealand XIII against Australia in 1980.

The 25-year-old played six games on his first tour with New Zealand in 1982 and made his Test debut in the one-off clash with Papua New Guinea, coming off the bench in a 56-5 win.

Overlooked for the two Tests against Australia under incoming coach Lowe in 1983 (Nick would play a starring role in the Kiwis’ boilover win in Brisbane), he scored a try in his maiden Test start against Papua New Guinea at Carlaw Park playing alongside his brother. The pair also toured the UK with New Zealand Māori together later that season.

Wright lined up in the second-row throughout New Zealand’s 3-0 cleansweep of Great Britain in 1984 and at prop in all three Tests of the iconic 1985 series against Australia.

Touring with the Kiwis at the end of 1985, he was in the second-row for the series-opening win against Great Britain at Headingley but missed the remaining two Tests, before featuring at prop in the dual wins over France.

Wright retired after playing in all five of New Zealand’s Tests against Australia and Papua New Guinea in 1986, having tallied 33 games and 16 Tests for his country. He had switched to Counties Manukau for his last two club seasons and played the last of 42 matches for Auckland in 1986.

Moving into coaching, Wright had stints in charge of Manurewa and Ellerslie before coaching the Auckland team from 1991-93.