Mark Robinson

Though he ranked among the country’s top five or six halfbacks for almost of all his seven-year career in New Zealand first class rugby Mark Robinson had only a brief and sporadic period in the All Blacks.

Known by the nickname, “Sharky,” from his distinctive profile and also as a means of distinguishing him from his namesake and All Black contemporary, Mark Robinson the midfield back, Robinson was in the All Blacks in 1997-98 and then again in 2001 on the tour of Ireland, Scotland Argentina.

But he played only eight matches of which only three were in tests. In 1997 he was taken on the tour of Wales, Ireland and England as one of the three halfbacks in the expanded 36-man squad. Justin Marshall was preferred for the internationals and Robinson shared the midweek matches with Jon Preston, making three appearances.

In 1998 Robinson came on as a replacement for Ofisa Tonu’u in the first test against England in Dunedin and when Marshall recovered from an achilles tendon injury to regain his place Robinson, though remaining in the squad, never again took the field from the bench.

In 1999 Robinson fell behind Byron Kelleher in the halfback pecking order and was even rated behind Rhys Duggan for the New Zealand A side, for whom he appeared in five matches but only once starting. He was also in the New Zealand A side which toured Europe in 2000, playing in two of the matches and coming as a replacement on one occasion for the squad’s other halfback, Jason Spice.

Robinson was recalled to the All Blacks for the end of the year 2001 tour when Marshall was ruled out with an injury. Robinson played the midweek matches against Ireland and Scotland A, then replaced an injured Kelleher in the international against Scotland. He played his last game for the All Blacks in the international against Argentina, which was to be his only start in a test.

Robinson grew up in Whangarei but came from a family who had been prominent in Horowhenua rugby in the 1960s and 70s. He emerged as a top prospect when he moved to North Harbour as a teenager making the Harbour Colts and New Zealand Colts in the southern hemisphere tournament in Argentina in 1995.

He entered first class rugby with Harbour in 1996, in which season he was also in the New Zealand Colts. Robinson impressed especially in the 1997 season as a fine all round halfback with a good pass and an ability to break despite the fact Harbour as a team had a poor season with the forwards giving him a shaky platform.

Robinson was with the Chiefs in the 1997-98 Super 12, playing in 12 matches. From 1999 to 2002 he was with the Blues, playing 39 matches for that franchise. But for the 2003 Super 12 he was controversially omitted from the Blues and the lateness of the selection process meant he was not picked up in the draft by another franchise. It was treatment that a player of Robinson’s talent and years of service did not deserve.

Robinson was a particularly loyal contributor to North Harbour at NPC level, often being the captain in his 74 games for the union.

Before taking up a contract with the Northampton club in England Robinson had a short stint with the Warriors. In league he was mainly limited to matches in the national subsidiary competitition but he did make an appearance for the Warriors in the National Rugby League against the Bulldogs in Wellington.