Born: September 1, 1961 Test record: 16 Tests (1986, 1988, 1990-91) Tours: 1986 tour of Australia and Papua New Guinea, 1987 tour of Papua New Guinea and Australia
Goalkicking prop Peter Brown played 16 Tests for New Zealand from 1986-91, as well as turning out for eight clubs in Auckland, Queensland and England.
Brown played for Te Atatu Roosters from 1980-91 – with the exception of 1982, when he was at Mt Wellington – and had stints with Mt Isa and Souths in Brisbane, along with off-season stays with Hunslet, Salford, Leigh and Halifax.
Breaking into the Auckland team and helping Te Atatu to their maiden Auckland championship (as well as the Lion Red national title) in 1986, Brown was named in the Kiwis squad to tour Australia and Papua New Guinea that year.
The 24-year-old debuted in a shock loss to Riverina but went on to top-score for the tourists with 42 points, despite being left out of the line-up for the Tests against Australia. He enjoyed a memorable Test debut against Papua New Guinea in Goroka – scoring two tries and kicking a goal in a 36-24 win – while he grabbed another try and booted three goals in an infamous 24-22 loss in the second clash in Port Moresby.
Brown scored 120 points for Auckland in 1987, smashing the record for the most first-class points on New Zealand soil in a season. But his only appearance on the Kiwis’ successful tour of Papua New Guinea and Australia was off the bench against Northern Rivers.
He returned to the Test side in 1988, kicking nine goals in a 66-14 thrashing of the Kumuls at Carlaw Park. The industrious prop slotted two crucial goals in the 12-10 win over Great Britain in muddy Christchurch conditions that propelled New Zealand into the World Cup final.
Brown held his spot for the World Cup decider, kicking another two goals in the bitterly disappointing 25-12 loss to Australia at Eden Park.
After missing New Zealand’s 1989 schedule, Brown was back on deck for all three Tests against the touring Lions in 1990, both Tests against the French tourists in 1991 and all three Tests in Australia in 1991, including the series-opening upset win in Melbourne.
Brown later became a prominent player manager, forming a partnership with ex-Kiwis coach Frank Endacott and representing the likes of Shaun Johnson.