Born: September 20, 1986 – Sydney
Test record: 33 Tests (2018-17) – 19 tries (76 points)
Tours: 2008 World Cup, 2010 Four Nations, 2011 Four Nations, 2013 World Cup, 2014 Four Nations, 2015 tour of England, 2016 Four Nations, 2017 World Cup

A somewhat unlikely international star, St George Illawarra stalwart Jason Nightingale became one of New Zealand’s longest-serving players – turning out in three World Cups and four Four Nations campaigns – and one of the Kiwis’ most prolific Test tryscorers.

Sydney-born Nightingale, who has Māori heritage (Tainui), lived in Mount Maunganui and Morrisonville as a child before permanently settling in Australia at the age of 13. The Renown United junior came through the Dragons’ ranks and made his NRL debut in 2007, scoring seven tries in 16 games.

The 21-year-old winger was called up by the Kiwis for the Centenary Test against the Kangaroos at the SCG in early-2008. Finishing the NRL season with 13 tries, Nightingale was picked in New Zealand’s World Cup squad, crossing for two tries in a warm-up clash with Tonga and another in his only tournament appearance, the group-stage win over England in Newcastle.

Nightingale was chosen on the bench for the 2009 Anzac Test in a season where he struggled to hold down a starting spot for the high-flying Dragons, later missing the Four Nations tournament.

But the elusive flyer’s 2010 campaign was laced with success, bagged a double in the Saints’ drought-breaking grand final win over Sydney Roosters (giving him 16 for the year) and starring in the Kiwis’ Four Nations triumph.

As well as scoring in the Anzac Test and a one-off encounter with Samoa, he dotted down in Four Nations round-robin matches against Papua New Guinea and Australia, before memorably latching onto a Benji Marshall grubber for a crucial late try then having a key hand in the last-gasp match-winner as the Kiwis sunk the Kangaroos 16-12 in the decider in Brisbane.

As well as being named St George Illawarra’s Player of the Year, Nightingale played in all five of New Zealand’s Tests in 2011, netting a try in Four Nations fixtures against Australia, Wales and England. He featured in the 2012 and ’13 Anzac Tests and two World Cup matches in the latter year, including the epic semi-final win over England before Manu Vatuvei returned in his place for the final.

Enjoying one of his best seasons in 2014, Nightingale crossed for 16 tries for the Saints and scored in all four of New Zealand’s Four Nations matches – including a crucial brace in the 16-14 win over England in Dunedin and a four-pointer in the 24-22 triumph over Australia in Wellington.

The 28-year-old backed up for the Kiwis’ drought-breaking Anzac Test win over the Kangaroos in Brisbane in 2015 and played all three Tests on their tour of England at the end of the year. He played four Tests during 2016.

Nightingale passed the 100-try milestone in the NRL in 2017, a season that saw him play one last Test for the Kiwis – a two-try performance in a 74-6 World Cup win over Scotland in Christchurch that saw him join Nigel Vagana for the second-most in New Zealand Test history (19).

The celebrated clubman retired at the end of 2018 with third-most games (266) and tries (110) for St George Illawarra.