Player Profile

Wairarapa-Bush RU

168 Martin Joseph ’Marty’ Berry

Centre Fullback
Height 188
Weight 85
Birthplace Wellington
Previous Clubs Featherston , Greytown
  • Wellington 1989-90-93-94
  • Manawatu 1996
  • NZRU President’s XV 1992-95
  • NZ U21 1985-86
  • NZ Divisional XV 1992-93
  • Hurricanes 1997
  • North Island 1986
  • NZ Trials 1986-87-92-93-94
  • New Zealand XV 1992
  • NEW ZEALAND 1986-93 (10 games – 1 test)
  • Glasgow (Scotland) 1985-86
  • Transvaal (South Africa) 1988
  • Career: 143 games

Marty Berry  #878

Marty Berry was one of the last players to be chosen for the All Blacks from a small rural-based union. Tall and strongly built, he was a Wairarapa-Bush player capable of playing in several backline positions when he came into the All Black squad for the 1986 test series against the Wallabies.

In 1985 he had been a New Zealand Colt and as a teammate of later stars such as Mike Brewer, Zinzan Brooke, Greg Cooper and John Schuster was clearly a player of considerable promise. Berry’s All Black debut in the third test against the Wallabies in 1986 at Eden Park was one of the most remarkable in All Black history.

He came on only for the last minute to replace injured first five eighth Frano Botica. As he arrived on the field, David Campese crossed for the final Wallabies’ try. Berry’s only involvement was to stand behind the goal-line for the conversion attempt and then to vainly chase the All Black halfway kickoff which was immediately taken into touch for fulltime to be called.

That briefest of cameos was the only test appearance for Berry. However, at the end of the season he did tour France with the All Blacks and seven years later was recalled for the tour of England and Scotland when injury forced the late withdrawal of an original selection, Walter Little. But on neither tour was Berry a serious challenger for a test spot.

As well as his home union, Berry spent four seasons with Wellington, and in 1996, his last year in first class rugby, he played mainly in the midfield for Manawatu and in the first season of the Super 12 for the Hurricanes.

Subsequently he played in Italy and coached at club level in Wellington.

Profile by Lindsay Knight
for the New Zealand Rugby Museum.

 

FULL NAME Martin Joseph Berry
BORN Wednesday, 13 July 1966 in Wellington, New Zealand
PHYSICAL 1.88m, 85kg
POSITION Utility back
LAST SCHOOL Chanel College
RUGBY CLUB
(First made All Blacks from)		 Greytown
PROVINCES Wairarapa Bush, Wellington
ALL BLACK DEBUT Saturday, 6 September 1986
v Australia at Auckland
aged 20 years, 55 days
INTERNATIONAL DEBUT Saturday, 6 September 1986
v Australia at Auckland
aged 20 years, 55 days
LAST TEST Saturday, 6 September 1986
v Australia at Auckland
aged 20 years, 55 days
ALL BLACK TESTS 1 (1 as a substitute) 1
ALL BLACK GAMES 9 9
TOTAL ALL BLACK MATCHES 10 (1 as a substitute) 10
STARTING POSITIONS Jersey Number 16 : 1
ALL BLACK TEST POINTS 0pts
ALL BLACK GAME POINTS 9pts (2t, 0c, 0p, 0dg, 0m)
TOTAL ALL BLACK POINTS 9pts (2t, 0c, 0p, 0dg, 0m)
ALL BLACK NUMBER 878

 

ALL BLACK GAMES THAT BERRY PLAYED

(+) = substitute; (-) = replaced
Click on the date below to view the Match Card
1986
6 Sep vs Australia at Auckland 9-22 (+)
21 Oct vs French Selection at Strasbourg 42-12
28 Oct vs French Selection at Toulon 25-6
4 Nov vs Cote Basque Selection at Bayonne 21-9
11 Nov vs French Barbarians at La Rochelle 26-12
1993
23 Oct vs London & SE Division at London 39-12
2 Nov vs England North at Liverpool 27-21
10 Nov vs South of Scotland at Galashiels 84-5 (-)
23 Nov vs England Emerging Players at Gloucester 30-19
30 Nov vs Combined Services at Plymouth 13-3

 

POINTS SCORED FOR THE ALL BLACKS
 t c p dg pts
vs French Selection, 21 Oct 1986 1 – – – 4
vs London & SE Division, 23 Oct 1993 1 – – – 5
Totals 2 0 0 0 9

 

TEST RECORD BY NATION
 P W D L t c p dg pts
Australia 1 – – 1 – – – – –
Totals 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0

1991 season

11
Played
5
Tries
6
Conversions
18
Penalties
0
Drop Goals

1986 season

13
Played
3
Tries
1
Conversions
4
Penalties
0
Drop Goals

1987 season

2
Played
3
Tries
0
Conversions
0
Penalties
0
Drop Goals

1988 season

1
Played
0
Tries
0
Conversions
0
Penalties
0
Drop Goals

1985 season

13
Played
3
Tries
0
Conversions
3
Penalties
0
Drop Goals

1992 season

12
Played
5
Tries
5
Conversions
8
Penalties
0
Drop Goals

1995 season

10
Played
3
Tries
20
Conversions
21
Penalties
0
Drop Goals

All seasons

62
Played
22
Tries
32
Conversions
54
Penalties
0
Drop Goals

1991 season

Wed 08 May 2:30 pm A Representative Match Hawkes Bay 34 - 06 Match Center
Wed 22 May 2:30 pm H Tour Romania 32 - 25 Match Center
Wed 29 May 2:30 pm H Representative Match Wellington 10 - 23 Match Center
Wed 31 Jul 2:30 pm H Representative Match Horowhenua 40 - 21 Match Center
Thu 22 Aug 2:30 pm A 2nd Division NPC Thames Valley 08 - 06 Match Center
Sun 25 Aug 2:30 pm A 2nd Division NPC Poverty Bay 09 - 17 Match Center
Sat 31 Aug 2:30 pm H 2nd Division NPC Southland 17 - 22 Match Center
Sat 07 Sep 2:30 pm A 2nd Division NPC Manawatu 29 - 28 Match Center
Sat 14 Sep 2:30 pm A 2nd Division NPC Whanganui 09 - 21 Match Center
Wed 18 Sep 2:30 pm H 2nd Division NPC Marlborough 12 - 17 Match Center
Wed 25 Sep 2:30 pm H 2nd Division NPC King Country 16 - 31 Match Center

1986 season

Sat 26 Apr 2:30 pm H Representative Match WaiBush Invitation XV 34 - 26 Match Center
Mon 02 Jun 2:30 pm A Representative Match Horowhenua 06 - 43 Match Center
Sat 14 Jun 2:30 pm H Representative Match NZ Maori 09 - 41 Match Center
Wed 16 Jul 2:30 pm H Representative Match Whanganui 12 - 19 Match Center
Wed 23 Jul 2:30 pm A 1st Division NPC Canterbury 13 - 07 Match Center
Wed 30 Jul 2:30 pm H Tour Australia 06 - 18 Match Center
Sat 02 Aug 2:30 pm A Representative Match Hawkes Bay 31 - 07 Match Center
Tue 05 Aug 2:30 pm H 1st Division NPC Otago 09 - 17 Match Center
Sat 16 Aug 2:30 pm A 1st Division NPC Southland 25 - 12 Match Center
Sun 24 Aug 2:30 pm H 1st Division NPC Manawatu 25 - 09 Match Center
Sat 30 Aug 2:30 pm A 1st Division NPC Auckland 50 - 07 Match Center
Sun 07 Sep 2:30 pm H 1st Division NPC Bay of Plenty 18 - 13 Match Center
Sat 13 Sep 2:30 pm H 1st Division NPC Counties Manukau 12 - 13 Match Center

1987 season

Sun 31 May 2:30 pm H Representative Match Horowhenua 82 - 09 Match Center
Sat 08 Aug 2:30 pm H Representative Match Hawkes Bay 19 - 18 Match Center

1988 season

Sat 26 Mar 2:30 pm H Representative Match Wellington 09 - 09 Match Center

1985 season

Wed 03 Jul 2:30 pm H Representative Match NZ Emerging Players 11 - 20 Match Center
Wed 24 Jul 2:30 pm H 1st Division NPC Canterbury 13 - 09 Match Center
Sat 03 Aug 2:30 pm A 1st Division NPC Bay of Plenty 21 - 06 Match Center
Wed 07 Aug 2:30 pm A 1st Division NPC Counties Manukau 04 - 10 Match Center
Tue 13 Aug 2:30 pm H 1st Division NPC Auckland 06 - 16 Match Center
Sat 17 Aug 2:30 pm H 1st Division NPC Southland 21 - 04 Match Center
Tue 27 Aug 2:30 pm H Representative Match Hawkes Bay 53 - 06 Match Center
Sat 31 Aug 2:30 pm A Representative Match Whanganui 07 - 19 Match Center
Wed 04 Sep 2:30 pm H 1st Division NPC Waikato 15 - 16 Match Center
Sat 14 Sep 2:30 pm A 1st Division NPC Manawatu 45 - 10 Match Center
Sat 21 Sep 2:30 pm H 1st Division NPC North Auckland 12 - 10 Match Center
Sat 28 Sep 2:30 pm A 1st Division NPC Otago 18 - 19 Match Center
Sat 05 Oct 2:30 pm A 1st Division NPC Wellington 19 - 20 Match Center

1992 season

Sun 26 Apr 2:30 pm H Representative Match Wellington 10 - 68 Match Center
Tue 05 May 2:30 pm H Representative Match Whanganui 12 - 16 Match Center
Wed 27 May 2:30 pm A Representative Match Horowhenua 21 - 37 Match Center
Wed 10 Jun 2:30 pm H Representative Match Hawkes Bay 08 - 44 Match Center
Sat 20 Jun 2:30 pm H Tour England B 06 - 40 Match Center
Wed 12 Aug 2:30 pm A 2nd Division NPC South Canterbury 55 - 10 Match Center
Sat 22 Aug 2:30 pm H 2nd Division NPC Bay of Plenty 03 - 33 Match Center
Sat 29 Aug 2:30 pm H 2nd Division NPC Manawatu 16 - 48 Match Center
Sat 05 Sep 2:30 pm H 2nd Division NPC Thames Valley 36 - 22 Match Center
Sat 12 Sep 2:30 pm H 2nd Division NPC Poverty Bay 37 - 13 Match Center
Wed 16 Sep 2:30 pm A 2nd Division NPC Taranaki 69 - 15 Match Center
Sat 19 Sep 2:30 pm A 2nd Division NPC Counties Manukau 54 - 15 Match Center

1995 season

Wed 17 May 2:30 pm H Representative Match Wellington 26 - 48 Match Center
Wed 14 Jun 2:30 pm A Representative Match Horowhenua 23 - 23 Match Center
Sat 05 Aug 2:30 pm A 2nd Division NPC Bay of Plenty 38 - 06 Match Center
Sat 12 Aug 2:30 pm H 2nd Division NPC Northland 15 - 42 Match Center
Sat 19 Aug 2:30 pm H 2nd Division NPC South Canterbury 51 - 15 Match Center
Sat 26 Aug 2:30 pm A 2nd Division NPC Manawatu 47 - 07 Match Center
Sat 02 Sep 2:30 pm H 2nd Division NPC Hawkes Bay 34 - 16 Match Center
Sat 16 Sep 2:30 pm A 2nd Division NPC Nelson Bays 17 - 38 Match Center
Sat 23 Sep 2:30 pm H 2nd Division NPC Taranaki 25 - 55 Match Center
Sat 30 Sep 2:30 pm A 2nd Division NPC Mid Canterbury 08 - 72 Match Center

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