View source for Eric Rush

{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2023}}
{{Use New Zealand English|date=June 2014}}
{{BLP sources|date = April 2014}}
{{Infobox rugby biography
| name                    = Eric Rush
| image                   = Tauranga Gala Dinner 2016 (cropped) - Eric Rush.jpg
| caption                 = Rush in 2016
| birth_name              = Eric James Rush
| birth_date              = {{Birth date and age|1965|02|11|df=y}}
| birth_place             = [[Kaeo]], New Zealand
| height                  = 1.83 m<ref name="AB profile"/>
| weight                  = 86 kg<ref name="AB profile"/>
| school                  = [[Tangaroa College]]
| university              = [[University of Auckland]]
| children                =
| occupation              = {{Hlist|Lawyer|supermarket proprietor}}
| ru_position             = {{Hlist|[[Flanker (rugby union)|Flanker]]|[[Wing (rugby union)|wing]]}}
| repyears1               = 1992–1996
| repteam1                = {{nrut|New Zealand}}
| repcaps1                = 9
| reppoints1              = 25
| repyears2               = 1987–1998
| repteam2                = [[Māori All Blacks|New Zealand Māori]]
| repcaps2                = 30
| reppoints2              = 57
| super1                  = [[Chiefs (rugby union)|Chiefs]]
| superapps1              = 18
| superpoints1            = 50
| superyears1             = 1996–1998
| ru_sevensnationalteam1  = [[New Zealand national rugby sevens team|New Zealand]]
| ru_sevensnationalcomp1  = 
| ru_sevensnationalyears1 = &nbsp;
| ru_province1            = [[Auckland Rugby Union|Auckland]]
| ru_provinceyears1       = 1986–1989
| ru_provinceapps1        = 13
| ru_provincepoints1      = 24
| ru_province2            = [[North Harbour Rugby Union|North Harbour]]
| ru_provinceyears2       = 1991–2000
| ru_provinceapps2        = 90
| ru_provincepoints2      = 182
| website                 = 
| medals                  = {{MedalSport|Men's [[rugby sevens]]}}
{{MedalCountry| {{NZL}}}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[Commonwealth Games]]}}
{{MedalGold | [[1998 Commonwealth Games|1998 Kuala Lumpur]] | [[Rugby sevens at the 1998 Commonwealth Games|Team competition]] }}
{{MedalGold | [[2002 Commonwealth Games|2002 Manchester]] | [[Rugby sevens at the 2002 Commonwealth Games|Team competition]] }} 
}}

'''Eric James Rush''' (born 11 February 1965) is a former New Zealand [[rugby union]] footballer and [[Rugby Sevens#Rugby union sevens|rugby sevens]] player, and now a supermarket owner. His [[New Zealand national rugby sevens team|New Zealand Sevens]] career began in 1988 and ran until 2004. Rush played in more than 60 tournaments, with the highlights being two [[Commonwealth Games]] gold medals and the [[Rugby World Cup Sevens|World Cup Sevens]] victory in 2001. He was also voted Best and Fairest Player at the 1991 Hong Kong Sevens.

He was regarded as a pacy and skillful winger and also played for the [[All Blacks]] briefly until the emergence of [[Jonah Lomu]] effectively ended his All Blacks career. Lomu played a major role in the 2001 World Cup Sevens win, effectively filling in for Rush, who suffered a broken leg in New Zealand's last group match of that tournament.

==Early life==
Born in [[Kaeo]] on 11 February 1965, Rush was educated at [[Tangaroa College]] in the Auckland suburb of [[Ōtara]].<ref name="AB profile">{{All Blacks|id=758|name=Eric Rush}}</ref> He went on to study at the [[University of Auckland]], graduating with a [[Bachelor of Laws]] degree in 1988.<ref name ="NZ 2014"/>

==Career==
Rush switched full-time to rugby sevens in 1999 to compete in the newly formed [[International Rugby Board|IRB]] [[World Sevens Series|international Sevens circuit]]. Rush helped New Zealand to win the first six editions of the World Sevens Series.

Over the course of 14 years, Rush regularly appeared for the [[New Zealand national rugby sevens team|New Zealand Sevens]] team at the [[Hong Kong Sevens]] and other sevens tournaments, mostly as captain. In later years, he was converted into a forward in the sevens version, with the wing position given to his understudy [[Karl Te Nana]].

In 15s rugby, Rush played first for [[Auckland Rugby Union]] then moved North to play for [[North Harbour Rugby Union|North Harbour]] at [[National Provincial Championship (1976–2005)|NPC]] level, where he blossomed.

=== All Blacks statistics ===
* Tests: 9
* Other games: 20
* Total matches: 29
* Test points: 25pts (5t, 0c, 0p, 0dg)
* Other game points: 65pts (13t, 0c, 0p, 0dg)
* Total points: 90pts (18t, 0c, 0p, 0dg)
<small> Ref:<ref name="AB profile"/></small>

==Retirement==
On retiring from playing in 2005. Rush became assistant to [[New Zealand national rugby sevens team|New Zealand Sevens]] coach [[Gordon Tietjens]].

In 2010 Rush became owner operator of the Browns Bay franchise of the New World Supermarket chain<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=10651098 |title=Ex-All Blacks adapt to new world |work=The New Zealand Herald |date=11 June 2010 |access-date=8 November 2015}}</ref> and in February 2014 took over the New World store in Kaikohe.<ref name ="NZ 2014">{{cite news |url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/northern-advocate/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503446&objectid=11201499 |title=Eric Rush takes over store |work=The Northern Advocate |date=13 February 2014 |access-date=8 November 2015}}</ref> On 17 September 2017 Rush took over ownership of New World, Regent in Whangarei.

In 2020, he completed season 1 of ''Match Fit'', and revealed he had hip and knee replacements. Despite that, his metabolic age was 40 as a 58-year-old, the oldest member of the playing squad, and was by far the fittest player in the team. However, he had been sidelined with [[Calcaneal spur|heel spur]] since week 2.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Match Fit Season 1 Ep 1 &#124; DOCUMENTARY/FACTUAL &#124; ThreeNow |url=https://www.threenow.co.nz/shows/match-fit/season-1-ep-1/S2339-580/M51880-029 |access-date=30 June 2022 |website=www.threenow.co.nz}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* {{All Blacks|new_id=Eric-Rush-AB-927|old_id=758}}
* {{World Rugby Sevens Series profile|mens/6483}}
* {{ESPNscrum}}
* {{NZOC}}
* {{CGF}}

{{Navboxes
| title = Squads
| list1 = 
{{All Blacks Squad 1995 World Cup}}
{{New Zealand Squad 1998 Commonwealth Games}}
{{New Zealand Squad 2002 Commonwealth Games}}
}}
{{1998 New Zealand Commonwealth Games team}}
{{2002 New Zealand Commonwealth Games team}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rush, Eric}}
[[Category:1965 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:New Zealand rugby union players]]
[[Category:Rugby union wings]]
[[Category:North Harbour rugby union players]]
[[Category:New Zealand international rugby union players]]
[[Category:Commonwealth Games gold medallists for New Zealand]]
[[Category:Māori All Blacks players]]
[[Category:Rugby sevens players at the 1998 Commonwealth Games]]
[[Category:Rugby sevens players at the 2002 Commonwealth Games]]
[[Category:Commonwealth Games rugby sevens players for New Zealand]]
[[Category:People educated at Tangaroa College]]
[[Category:New Zealand international rugby sevens players]]
[[Category:New Zealand male rugby sevens players]]
[[Category:Commonwealth Games gold medallists in rugby sevens]]
[[Category:Rugby union players from the Northland Region]]
[[Category:Medallists at the 1998 Commonwealth Games]]
[[Category:Medallists at the 2002 Commonwealth Games]]
[[Category:1995 Rugby World Cup players]]
[[Category:Chiefs (Super Rugby) players]]
[[Category:University of Auckland alumni]]
[[Category:New Zealand lawyers]]
[[Category:Auckland rugby union players]]
[[Category:Rugby union flankers]]
[[Category:New Zealand businesspeople in retailing]]
[[Category:20th-century New Zealand sportsmen]]