|
Carlos Spencer is an international rugby union player for the New Zealand All Blacks. He has also played for the Auckland Blues Super 12 franchise since the inception of the competition in 1996, and has played extensively for the Auckland National Provincial Championship (NPC) side. He has generally specialised in the position of flyhalf, though he has also played fullback at national and international levels.
Born in Levin on 14 October 1975, Spencer first rose to prominence when he starred in a Ranfurly Shield challenge in 1992, playing for the Horowhenua team against Auckland. Auckland coach Graham Henry spotted Spencer's talent and recruited him to play for the Auckland team.
In 1996, Spencer played for the Auckland Blues in the first game ever played in the Super 12 competition, kicking off the professional era of rugby union.
Spencer first played for the All Blacks in a non-test tour match on 4 November 1995, but did not play his first test match until 1997. His test debut was against Argentina at Athletic Park in Wellington on 21 June that year. He scored 33 points in that match alone.
Spencer's All Black appearances were somewhat irregular thereafter, as Andrew Mehrtens was generally preferred as the first-choice flyhalf for the side during the period from 1995-2002. However, following an exceptional season for the Blues in Super 12, Spencer became first-choice flyhalf for the All Blacks from 2003, and was a part of the squad for the Rugby World Cup that year.
In 2004, Spencer struggled to find the same form he had displayed the previous year, and Mehrtens replaced him for the final game of that year's Tri Nations Series. He was then ruled out of the final All Black tour of the year through injury. It remains to be seen whether Spencer can regain his position with the All Blacks in 2005.
As a player, Spencer is valued for his imaginative kicking and passing game, and his ability to unlock defences. He is also a handy, if not entirely reliable, goal kicker.
Only two players have scored more test points than Spencer for New Zealand - Grant Fox and Andrew Mehrtens.
Spencer is 1.84m tall and weighs 95kg.
External Links
| 
