Stan Wright (born 29 September 1978) is a retired

Cook Islands ) , image_map = Cook Islands on the globe (small islands magnified) (Polynesia centered).svg , capital = Avarua , coordinates = , largest_city = Avarua , official_languages = , lan ...

international

rugby union Rugby union, commonly known simply as rugby, is a close-contact team sport that originated at Rugby School in the first half of the 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand. In its m ...

player, who played in the

prop A prop, formally known as (theatrical) property, is an object used on stage or screen by actors during a performance or screen production. In practical terms, a prop is considered to be anything movable or portable on a stage or a set, distinct ...

position for

Leinster Leinster ( ; ga, Laighin or ) is one of the provinces of Ireland, situated in the southeast and east of Ireland. The province comprises the ancient Kingdoms of Meath, Leinster and Osraige. Following the 12th-century Norman invasion of Ir ...

Blues Blues is a music genre and musical form which originated in the Deep South of the United States around the 1860s. Blues incorporated spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts, chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads from the Afr ...

and

Stade Français Stade Français Paris Rugby () is a French professional rugby union club based in the 16th arrondissement of Paris. The club plays in the Top 14 domestic league in France and is one of the most successful French clubs of the modern era. The ...

Playing career

Stan's played for clubs such as the Marist Club in Whangarei, and for Northland in the

Air New Zealand Cup The atmosphere of Earth is the layer of gases, known collectively as air, retained by Earth's gravity that surrounds the planet and forms its planetary atmosphere. The atmosphere of Earth protects life on Earth by creating pressure allowing for ...

where he played alongside Fijian flyer,

Rupeni Caucaunibuca Rupeni Caucaunibuca (; born 5 June 1980) is a retired Fijian rugby union footballer who last played professionally for Northland in the ITM Cup. His nickname was the "Bua Bullet" as he hailed from the province of Bua. Early years Caucaunibuca ...

. He was also part of the

Auckland Blues The Blues (known as the Auckland Blues from 1996 to 2000) is a New Zealand professional rugby union team based in Auckland, who play in the Super Rugby competition. Like New Zealand's four other Super Rugby teams, the Blues were established by ...

squad for the

2006 Super 14 season The 2006 Super 14 season started on 10 February 2006. The Grand Final was held on 27 May 2006. Super 14 is a provincial rugby union competition with 14 teams from New Zealand, Australia and South Africa. This season was the first of the expansion, ...

, however, he was forced to withdraw due to injury. Wright joined Irish side

in December 2006 as an injury replacement for Will Green, after he was recommended to the club by Auckland scrum coach Mike Casey, who was a friend of the then

forwards coach, Mike Brewer. Wright proved himself to be a successful scrummager and eventually nailed himself down as the first choice prop for the club. The following season, Stanley helped

to their 2nd

Magners League The United Rugby Championship (URC) is an annual rugby union competition involving professional teams from Ireland, Italy, Scotland, South Africa, and Wales. The current name was adopted in 2021 when the league expanded to include four South Afr ...

title win, with a number of impressive performances in the front row, he was rewarded for this by being selected in the ' 07/08 League Dream Team', along with six other players from

. Wright won the

IRUPA The Rugby Players Ireland is the representative body for professional rugby players in Ireland. Founded in October 2001, its aims are to promote and protect the welfare of professional rugby players in Ireland. The Chief Executive Officer is Si ...

Sports 'Unsung Hero' award for his performances in the 2008-09 Magners League season. Stanley won the

2009 File:2009 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: The vertical stabilizer of Air France Flight 447 is pulled out from the Atlantic Ocean; Barack Obama becomes the first African American to become President of the United States; 2009 Iran ...

and

2011 File:2011 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: a protester partaking in Occupy Wall Street heralds the beginning of the Occupy movement; protests against Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi, who was killed that October; a young man celebrate ...

Heineken Cup The European Rugby Champions Cup (known as the Heineken Champions Cup for sponsorship reasons) is an annual rugby union tournament organised by European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR). It is the top-tier competition for clubs who compete in a pre ...

with

, before moving on to French side

. He was extremely popular with the Leinster supporters and he earned the nickname 'Cookie Monster' because of his home nation, the

Cook Islands ) , image_map = Cook Islands on the globe (small islands magnified) (Polynesia centered).svg , capital = Avarua , coordinates = , largest_city = Avarua , official_languages = , lan ...

Coaching career

Stan was appointed Forwards coach for the amateur Irish Rugby team,

Suttonians RFC Suttonians Rugby Football Club is affiliated to the Irish Rugby Football Union. The men's 1st XV team plays in Division 1A of the Leinster League. The women's 1st XV, nicknamed 'Tribe', play in Division 1 of the women's All Ireland League. The c ...

, for the 2009–2010 season. In 2016, Stanley was hired as coach of the under 20's Cook Islands Rugby team.

Personal life

Stan's mother, Poila Wright (Mama Tuki) was awarded an OBE in 2007. In 2011, Stan was the highest paid athlete from the Cook Islands.

Honours

Cups

Pro12 The United Rugby Championship (URC) is an annual rugby union competition involving professional teams from Ireland, Italy, Scotland, South Africa, and Wales. The current name was adopted in 2021 when the league expanded to include four South Afr ...

Formerly known as Celtic League / Magners League **''

2008 File:2008 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Lehman Brothers went bankrupt following the Subprime mortgage crisis; Cyclone Nargis killed more than 138,000 in Myanmar; A scene from the opening ceremony of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing; ...

'' *

European Rugby Champions Cup The European Rugby Champions Cup (known as the Heineken Champions Cup for sponsorship reasons) is an annual rugby union tournament organised by European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR). It is the top-tier competition for clubs who compete in a pre ...

Formerly known as Heineken European Cup **''

'' **''

Personal Honours

Dream Team for the 07–08 season.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wright, Stan 1978 births Living people Cook Island Māori people Rugby union props Cook Island rugby union coaches Cook Island rugby union players Leinster Rugby players People from Rarotonga Ystradgynlais RFC players Cook Island expatriate rugby union players Expatriate rugby union players in France Cook Island expatriate sportspeople in England Cook Island expatriate sportspeople in France Cook Islands international rugby union players Expatriate rugby union players in England Cook Island expatriate sportspeople in Ireland Cook Island expatriate sportspeople in Wales