Matt Proctor
FullnameMatthew Phillip Proctor
Birth date26 October 1992 (age 34)
Birth placeWellington, New Zealand
Height180 cm (5 ft 11 in)
Weight90 kg (198 lb; 14 st 2 lb)
SchoolSt Patrick's College, Wellington
RelativesBilly Proctor (brother)
PositionCentre, Wing, Fullback
Years 12012–2018
Apps 151
Points 163
Years 22013–2019
Clubs 2Hurricanes
Apps 267
Points 260
Years 32019–2023
Clubs 3Northampton Saints
Apps 372
Points 360
Years 42024–2024
Apps 45
Points 40
Repyears 12012
Repteam 1New Zealand U20
Repcaps 13
Reppoints 15
Repyears 22013–2018
Repteam 2Māori All Blacks
Repcaps 212
Reppoints 25
Repyears 32018
Repteam 3New Zealand
Repcaps 31
Reppoints 35
Clubupdate2/11/2024
Repupdate16 April 2019
Years 52025

Matthew Phillip Proctor (born 26 October 1992) is a New Zealand rugby union player who currently plays as a utility back for the Western Force in Super Rugby. He has previously played for the Northampton Saints in the Premiership Rugby[1] and for the Melbourne Rebels and in Super Rugby.[2]

Club career

In October 2012, he was named in the Hurricanes squad for the 2013 Super Rugby season.[2][3] He scored a try on debut against the Stormers on 27 April 2013, playing on the wing.[4]

After the departure of the Hurricanes' long-serving midfield combination, Ma'a Nonu and Conrad Smith, Proctor became a regular starter for the club in 2016. At the end of the season, Proctor started for the Hurricanes in the 2016 Super Rugby Final, in which the team won Super Rugby for the first time. Proctor's form continued into the 2017 season, leading to rumours of an All Black call-up.[5] However, Proctor lost his place in the starting lineup in 2017, after struggling with injury, while midfield team-mates, Vince Aso and Ngani Laumape, were the top two scorers of the competition for the year.

Although Proctor missed the Hurricanes' historic fixture against the touring British & Irish Lions, in 2017, he did start for the Māori All Blacks against the Lions, in a 10–32 loss, on 17 June 2017.

Having re-gained his place in the Hurricanes' starting XV in the 2018 Super Rugby season, Proctor was then named as Wellington's Captain for the 2018 Mitre 10 Cup, succeeding England international flanker, Brad Shields, as the team's leader.[6][7]

On 11 January 2019, Proctor signed a three-year deal with English Premiership side Northampton Saints ahead of the 2019–20 season.[8]

International career

Proctor was a member of the New Zealand Under 20 team which competed in the 2012 IRB Junior World Championship in South Africa.[9]

Proctor was named in the New Zealand's 51-man All Blacks squad for the 2018 end-of-year tour, by All Black Head Coach Steve Hansen, in the wider training squad to travel to Japan. In the absence of New Zealand's regular starting lineup, who travelled to Europe earlier than the rest of the team, Proctor was named to start in the 3 November test against Japan.[10] Proctor was one of eight players to make their test debut for New Zealand in the game, including his Hurricanes team-mate Gareth Evans, as well as only two players to start on debut that day, the other being Blues loose forward, Dalton Papalii. Proctor had a fine performance and scored a try on his debut, with New Zealand beating Japan by 69–31.[11]

Personal life

Proctor is a New Zealander of Māori descent (Ngāi Te Rangi and Ngāpuhi descent).[12] He is the brother of New Zealand international Billy Proctor.[13]

Super Rugby statistics

[14]

SeasonTeamGamesStartsSubMinsTriesConsPensDropsPointsYelRed
20134312631000500
20149363631000510
2015114741630001500
2016131218991000500
201776145220001000
201899065530001000
2019141319671000500
Total6750174,015120006010

References

  1. ^ "Matt Proctor profile". Wellington Lions. Archived from the original on 8 February 2013. Retrieved 4 November 2012.
  2. ^ "Matt Proctor profile". Hurricanes. Retrieved 20 December 2012.
  3. ^ "2013 Hurricanes squad". Hurricanes. 31 October 2012. Archived from the original on 26 January 2013. Retrieved 4 November 2012.
  4. ^ Robson, Toby (27 April 2013). "'Canes face hooking crisis after Matu'u injury". Stuff. Retrieved 22 July 2019.
  5. ^ Campbell Burnes. "Rugby: Matt Proctor one of NZ rugby's big improvers". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 14 February 2019.
  6. ^ "Matt Proctor succeeds Brad Shields as Wellington Lions skipper". Hamish Bidwell. stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 14 February 2019.
  7. ^ "Matt Proctor named Wellington captain for Mitre 10 Cup". TVNZ. Retrieved 14 February 2019.
  8. ^ "All Blacks: Northampton Saints confirm Matt Proctor signing". Newshub. Retrieved 14 February 2019.[dead link]
  9. ^ "Matt Proctor profile". Junior World Championship. IRB. Retrieved 4 November 2012.
  10. ^ "Dalton Papalii and Matt Proctor cherish their All Black debuts". Joseph Pearson. stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 14 February 2019.
  11. ^ "All Blacks player ratings against Japan in the Tokyo test". Joseph Pearson. stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 14 February 2019.
  12. ^ "5 players from Ngāti Porou named in "Maori All Blacks"". Ngāti Porou East Coast. 2015-06-30. Retrieved 2024-02-22.
  13. ^ "Billy Proctor set to join his brother Matt in All Black colours". 2024-06-26. Retrieved 2024-10-26.
  14. ^ "Player Statistics". its rugby. Retrieved 29 June 2023.