Stephen John Bachop (born 2 April 1966) is a New Zealand former rugby union player and current coach. He is the older brother of fellow former

All Black The New Zealand national rugby union team, commonly known as the All Blacks, is the representative men's national team in the sport of rugby union for the nation of New Zealand, which is considered the country's national sport. Famed for th ...

, Graeme Bachop.

Rugby career

Following the 1985 season, Bachop was selected as one of the "Five promising players" in the Rugby Almanack of New Zealand. He made his debut for

Canterbury Canterbury (, ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and UNESCO World Heritage Site, in the county of Kent, England; it was a county borough until 1974. It lies on the River Stour, Kent, River Stour. The city has a mild oceanic climat ...

in the 1986 South Pacific Championship match against Auckland in which he marked All Black

Grant Fox Grant James Fox (born 16 June 1962) is a former rugby union player from New Zealand. He was a member of the All Blacks team that won the inaugural Rugby World Cup in 1987. He is also the father of professional golfer, Ryan Fox. Fox holds the w ...

. As with his predecessor at Canterbury, Wayne Smith, Bachop was not a goal kicker and this was the role of

Robbie Deans Robert Maxwell Deans (born 4 September 1959) is a New Zealand rugby union coach and former player, currently the head coach of Japanese club Saitama Wild Knights. He was head coach of the Australian national team between 2008 and 2013. Deans prev ...

. Bachop had two spells in the

National Provincial Championship The National Provincial Championship may refer to: * National Provincial Championship (1976–2005), original competition before reform into 14 sides * National Provincial Championship (2006–present) The National Provincial Championship (NP ...

with each Canterbury and

Otago Otago (, ; ) is a regions of New Zealand, region of New Zealand located in the southern half of the South Island and administered by the Otago Regional Council. It has an area of approximately , making it the country's second largest local go ...

, and also played for the Highlanders in the first

Super 12 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 ...

season in

1996 1996 was designated as: * International Year for the Eradication of Poverty Events January * January 8 – A Zairean cargo plane crashes into a crowded market in the center of the capital city of the Democratic Republic of the Congo ...

. He then moved north in 1997 and for the next two seasons played with the Central Vikings in the NPC second division and for the

Hurricanes A tropical cyclone is a rapidly rotating storm system with a low-pressure area, a closed low-level atmospheric circulation, strong winds, and a spiral arrangement of thunderstorms that produce heavy rain and squalls. Depending on its locat ...

in the Super 12. Bachop had a key role in

's back to back wins over the

British and Irish Lions The British & Irish Lions is a rugby union team selected from players eligible for the national teams of England national rugby union team, England, Ireland national rugby union team, Ireland, Scotland national rugby union team, Scotland, and ...

in 1993 and the

Springboks The South Africa national rugby union team, commonly known as the Springboks (colloquially the Boks, Bokke or Amabhokobhoko) is the country's national team governed by the South African Rugby Union. The Springboks play in green and gold jersey ...

in 1994.

All Blacks statistics

Tests: 5 (0 as Captain)
Games: 13 (0 as Captain)
Total Matches: 18 (0 as Captain)
Test Points: 0pts
Game Points: 33pts (6t, 0c, 0p, 1dg, 0m)
Total Points: 33pts (6t, 0c, 0p, 1dg, 0m)

Family

Bachop is of Samoan, Tahitian and Cook Islands Heritage. Several of Bachop's relatives have played sport at a high level, among them brother Graeme Bachop and nephews

Aaron Mauger Aaron Joseph Douglas Mauger (last name pronounced "Major"; born 29 November 1980) is a New Zealand professional rugby union coach and former player. Playing career Born in Christchurch, Mauger played first five-eighth and second five-eighth ...

and Nathan Mauger, all of whom have played for the All Blacks. Stephen's wife was

Sue Garden-Bachop Susan Carol Garden-Bachop (2 December 1961 – 11 September 2008) was a New Zealand sportsperson who represented her country in rugby union, touch, basketball and field hockey. Early life and family Born in 1961, Garden-Bachop grew up in the Lo ...

, a New Zealand representative and coach at women's rugby. Their sons, Connor Garden-Bachop and Jackson Garden-Bachop, are also professional rugby players, and their daughter Georgia Garden-Bachop has represented New Zealand at age-group level at hockey. Another uncle of Aaron and Nathan is former world speedway champion

Ivan Mauger Ivan Gerald Mauger (4 October 1939 – 16 April 2018; last name pronounced "Major") was a New Zealand motorcycle speedway rider. He won a record six World Championships (Finals), a feat equalled only with the inclusion of the Speedway GP Champ ...

References

External links

* 1966 births New Zealand rugby union coaches New Zealand rugby union players New Zealand sportspeople of Cook Island descent New Zealand people of French Polynesian descent New Zealand sportspeople of Samoan descent Samoa international rugby union players New Zealand international rugby union players Otago rugby union players Central Vikings players Leeds Tykes players London Irish players Blackrock College RFC players Rugby union fly-halves Rugby union players from Christchurch Living people Bachop–Mauger family 1991 Rugby World Cup players 1999 Rugby World Cup players New Zealand expatriate sportspeople in Italy Samoan rugby union players Samoan expatriate rugby union players Samoan expatriate sportspeople in Italy Samoan expatriate sportspeople in England New Zealand expatriate rugby union players in England Expatriate rugby union players in Italy Highlanders (rugby union) players Hurricanes (rugby union) players 20th-century New Zealand sportsmen {{NewZealand-rugbyunion-bio-1960s-stub