Sam Strahan

Samuel Cuningham Strahan (25 December 1944 – 21 December 2019) was a New Zealand rugby union player. He represented Manawatu at a provincial level and the New Zealand national team, the All Blacks. He was a lock and was said to be the best lineout jumper in the country.^[1]

Sam Strahan

Birth name	Samuel Cuningham Strahan
Date of birth	(1944-12-25)25 December 1944
Place of birth	Palmerston North, New Zealand
Date of death	21 December 2019(2019-12-21) (aged 74)
Place of death	Kiwitea, New Zealand
Height	1.94 m (6 ft 4 in)
Weight	101 kg (223 lb)
School	Apiti School, Huntley School Wanganui Collegiate School
Rugby union career
Position(s) Lock Provincial / State sides Years Team Apps (Points) 1965–76 Manawatu () International career Years Team Apps (Points) 1967–73 New Zealand 17 (0)

Rugby career

Strahan represented Manawatu at a provincial level for 12 seasons, and the All Blacks between 1967 and 1973. He played 45 matches for the All Blacks including 17 internationals.^[2][3]

He was selected by Fred Allen as a 22 year old to play for the All Blacks in the 1967 "NZRFU 75th Jubilee Test" against Australia at Athletic Park. Although he was Manawatu's 14th All Black he was only the second to be born locally, the first being Arthur Law. In that game his locking partner was Colin Meads who he would play many tests and other All Black matches with. Strahan played tests in the following tours:

• 1967 New Zealand rugby union tour of Britain, France and Canada (all 4 tests, locking with Meads)
• 1968 New Zealand rugby union tour of Australia and Fiji (both tests with Meads)
• 1968 France rugby union tour of New Zealand and Australia (all 3 tests with Meads)
• 1970 New Zealand rugby union tour of South Africa (the first 3 tests, locking with Alan Smith, Alan Sutherland and then Meads)
• 1972 Australian tour of New Zealand (all 3 tests, locking with Peter Whiting)
• 1973 England rugby union tour of Fiji and New Zealand (the sole test, locking with Hamish Macdonald)^[4]

Later life

Strahan was made a life member of the Oroua rugby club in 2002.

He served as president of the Manawatu Rugby Union from 2003 to 2006. In 2009 he and fellow Manawatu All Blacks John Callesen, Mark Donaldson, Gary Knight and Frank Oliver advocated for the retention of the Turbos in the National Provincial Championship.^[5]

Strahan died at his home in Kiwitea, northeast of Feilding, on 21 December 2019.^[6]