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Birth name | Brendon Grant Leonard | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Date of birth | (1985-04-16)16 April 1985 (age 39) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Place of birth | Morrinsville, New Zealand | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Height | 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Weight | 91 kg (14 st 5 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
School | Matamata College | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
University | Waikato Institute of Technology | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Notable relative(s) | Ron Leonard (father) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Brendon Leonard (born 16 April 1985) is a New Zealandrugby union footballer.
Leonard playshalf-back and made his provincial debut forWaikato in the 2005National Provincial Championship. He was in theChiefs wider training group for the 2006 Super 14. After playing for Waikato in their championship winning2006 Air New Zealand Cup side, Leonard was selected for the Chiefs in the2007 Super 14. Leonard had a successful Super 14 where he played forByron Kelleher who missed the first seven rounds of the competition to participate in theAll Blacks reconditioning programme. Following the 2007 Super 14 he was selected for the All Blacks squad for the2007 mid-year Tests and2007 Tri-Nations. He was one of only two uncapped players named in the squad, and All Blacks coachGraham Henry said of Leonard's selection "Brendon [Leonard] has been the best attacking scrum-half in the Super 14 this season and has forced his way into the side based on form."[1] He made his Test debut against France at Eden Park on 2 June 2007. He came on as a substitute forPiri Weepu in the 64th minute of the All Blacks 42–11 victory.[2] He then scored his first Test try againstSouth Africa on 14 July 2007. On 12 August 2013, Leonard left New Zealand as he signed for new Italy franchiseZebre in thePro12 from the 2013–14 season.[3] On 22 January it was announced Leonard had signed for theOspreys, mainly to provide experienced cover for Welsh internationalRhys Webb during the2015 Rugby World Cup.[4]