Mike Peter Delany (born 15 June 1982) is a retired New Zealand
rugby union
Rugby union football, commonly known simply as rugby union in English-speaking countries and rugby 15/XV in non-English-speaking world, Anglophone Europe, or often just rugby, is a Contact sport#Terminology, close-contact team sport that orig ...
player who last played for the in
Super Rugby
Super Rugby is a men's professional rugby union club competition involving teams from Australia, Fiji, New Zealand, and the Pacific Islands. It has previously included teams from Argentina, Japan, and South Africa. Super Rugby started as the S ...
and in the
Mitre 10 Cup
The mitre (Commonwealth English) or miter (American English; see spelling differences; both pronounced ; ) is a type of headgear now known as the traditional, ceremonial headdress of bishops and certain abbots in traditional Christianity. Mi ...
.
Delany plays at
fly-half
In the game of rugby union, there are 15 players on each team, comprising eight forwards (wearing jerseys numbered 1–8) and seven backs (numbered 9–15). In addition, there may be up to eight replacement players "on the bench", numbered 16� ...
but can also cover
fullback. Prior to playing for the , he played for the in
Super Rugby
Super Rugby is a men's professional rugby union club competition involving teams from Australia, Fiji, New Zealand, and the Pacific Islands. It has previously included teams from Argentina, Japan, and South Africa. Super Rugby started as the S ...
. Delany was chosen as one of 4 new caps to the New Zealand team for their End of Year of tour of 2009, playing one test match on the tour. He made his test debut against Italy where the All Blacks won by 20-6. He also played a game for the All Blacks against the Barbarians. In 2011 he signed for the Panasonic Wild Knights. In 2012, due to injuries to both starting and back up five-eighths
Colin Slade
Colin Richard Slade (born 10 October 1987) is a retired New Zealand professional rugby union player. He played primarily at first five-eighth, as well as all other backline positions on occasions. He was first selected for the All Blacks in 2 ...
and
Lima Sopoaga
Lima Zachariah Sopoaga (born 3 February 1991) is a professional rugby union player who plays as a fly-half for Japan Rugby League One club Shimizu Blue Sharks. Born in New Zealand, he represents Samoa at international level after qualifying o ...
for the Highlanders, Delany signed with his former team to fill the position until they returned. Whilst still under contract with the
Panasonic Wild Knights
Saitama Wild Knights (formerly Panasonic Wild Knights) is a Japanese rugby union team formerly based in Ōta, Gunma, Ōta city, Gunma prefecture which played in the Top League. In 2021 it relocated 13 kilometers south to Kumagaya, Saitama, Kumag ...
, he played on loan at
Clermont Auvergne, but signed a two-year deal with the French club in April 2013. On 19 February 2015, Delany travelled to England to join
Newcastle Falcons
Newcastle Falcons is a rugby union team that play in Premiership Rugby, England's highest division of rugby union.
The club was established in 1877 as the Gosforth Football Club. Around 1882 the club merged with the Northumberland Football Cl ...
in the
Aviva Premiership
Premiership Rugby, officially known as Gallagher Premiership Rugby, or the Gallagher Premiership for sponsorship reasons, is an English professional rugby union competition, consisting of 10 clubs, and is the top division of the English rugby u ...
on a three-year deal. In 2017, Delany returned to New Zealand to play for Bay of Plenty. Following a great performance during the
2017 Mitre 10 Cup
The 2017 Mitre 10 Cup season was the twelfth season of New Zealand's provincial rugby union competition since it turned professional in 2006. The regular season began on August 17, when North Harbour (National Provincial Championship), North Har ...
, he signed with the Crusaders for the
2018 Super Rugby season
The 2018 Super Rugby season was the 23rd season of Super Rugby, an annual rugby union competition organised by SANZAAR between teams from Argentina, Australia, Japan, New Zealand and South Africa. After two seasons in which 18 teams participate ...
.
He made 5 appearances for the Crusaders en route to the club winning their ninth title. This was Delany's first title at the professional level. He retired at the conclusion of the
2018 Mitre 10 Cup
The 2018 Mitre 10 Cup season was the thirteenth season of New Zealand's provincial rugby union competition since it turned professional in 2006. The regular season began on August 16, when North Harbour (National Provincial Championship), North ...
.
References
External links
Newcastle Falcons Profile*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Delany, Mike
1982 births
Bay of Plenty rugby union players
Saitama Wild Knights players
Highlanders (rugby union) players
Chiefs (Super Rugby) players
ASM Clermont Auvergne players
Living people
New Zealand international rugby union players
New Zealand rugby union players
Rugby union players from Rotorua
New Zealand expatriate rugby union players in Japan
New Zealand expatriate rugby union players in France
Rugby union fly-halves
People educated at Rotorua Boys' High School
Newcastle Falcons players
New Zealand expatriate rugby union players in England
Crusaders (rugby union) players