Josh Bradnock is a retired New Zealand

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 previously included teams from Argentina, Japan, and South Africa. Building on various Southern Hem ...

rugby player. Bradnock captained the

Manawatu Turbos The Manawatu Rugby Football Union (MRU) is the governing body of the sport of rugby union in the Manawatū-Whanganui region of New Zealand. Founded in 1886, Manawatu is one of New Zealand's oldest rugby unions. In 1892, the MRU, amongst other ...

in the Air New Zealand Cup. He was one of the top openside flankers in New Zealand rugby. Josh Bradnock was an exciting addition to 2009 Hurricanes squad by adding depth and enthusiasm to the loose forward stocks. However, injury severely limited his first season and eventually forced his early retirement from the game. A former Hurricanes schoolboys star, Bradnock also missed most of the 2008 Air New Zealand Cup season with an Achilles tendon injury. The early part of 2009 saw his Hurricanes selection chances curtailed by the same injury. He worked his way back to provincial level but his Achilles went again while playing for Manawatu against Hawke's Bay in the 2009 ITM Cup. He subsequently retired in 2011, ending his playing days with 56 caps for Manawatu. A member of the Crusaders' Wider Training squad in 2008, he was also ruled out of Super 14 contract contention that season due to a shoulder injury. Bradnock is a former New Zealand Universities and Hurricanes Schools flanker and flew the flag as the sole Turbos representative in the 2009 Hurricanes team. Since retirement has continued to be involved in Manawatu Rugby both as a match commentator and member of the Manawatu Rugby Union Board of Directors.

Background

Josh Bradnock is a former Hurricanes Schoolboys player, who played in the schoolboy team just as

All Blacks The New Zealand national rugby union team, commonly known as the All Blacks ( mi, Ōpango), represents New Zealand in men's international rugby union, which is considered the country's national sport. The team won the Rugby World Cup in 1987 ...

Ma'a Nonu Ma'a Allan Nonu (; born 21 May 1982) is a professional rugby union player from New Zealand who currently plays for the San Diego Legion in Major League Rugby (MLR). He plays in the inside centre, but can also cover outside centre and wing. H ...

, Piri Weepu, and

Neemia Tialata Neemia Stanley Tialata (born 15 July 1982 in Lower Hutt, New Zealand) is a New Zealand rugby union footballer. He currently plays for Stade Toulousain in the Top 14. As well as representing New Zealand from 2005 - 2010, he also played for the H ...

and Munster Rugby Star

Lifeimi Mafi Lifeimi Mafi (born 15 August 1982) is a Tongan-born, New Zealand former rugby union player. Career in New Zealand Born in Nukuʻalofa, Tonga, Mafi initially played his club rugby with Kia Toa (Kia Toa is a Māori term which translates to "be br ...

did. In 2007 he was selected as a

New Zealand Universities This is a list of the universities in New Zealand, of which there are eight. Many of the universities are descended from the former University of New Zealand, a collegiate university that existed from 1870 to 1961. In 2013, the universities prov ...

representative. Bradnock has played 100+ games for

Palmerston North Palmerston North (; mi, Te Papa-i-Oea, known colloquially as Palmy) is a city in the North Island of New Zealand and the seat of the Manawatū-Whanganui region. Located in the eastern Manawatu Plains, the city is near the north bank of the ...

rugby club Varsity, and 50 games for Manawatu during the 2008 Air NZ Cup. He was selected in the 2009 Hurricanes Super 14 team. He was an Old Boy of

Palmerston North Boys' High School Palmerston North Boys' High School is a traditional boys school located in Palmerston North, New Zealand. Location Palmerston North Boys' High School has a campus located on Featherston Street between Rangitikei and North Streets in the central ...

and a member of the school's Kia Ora club.

References

External links

Manawatu Profile
New Zealand rugby union players Living people 1972 births People educated at Palmerston North Boys' High School Manawatu rugby union players Rugby union players from Masterton Rugby union flankers {{NewZealand-rugbyunion-bio-1970s-stub