 Fox in 2018 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Birth name | Grant James Fox | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Date of birth | (1962-06-16)16 June 1962 (age 62) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | New Plymouth, New Zealand | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 72 kg (11 st 5 lb)[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| School | Auckland Grammar School | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| University | University of Auckland | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Notable relative(s) | Ryan Fox (son) Gregory Wallace (brother-in-law) Merv Wallace (father-in-law) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Grant James FoxMBE (born 16 June 1962) is a formerrugby union player from New Zealand. He was a member of theAll Blacks team that won theinaugural Rugby World Cup in 1987. He is also the father of professional golfer,Ryan Fox. Fox holds the world record for most points scored in a Rugby World Cup tournament of 126 in the1987 Rugby World Cup. He also holds the world record for most conversions in one world cup tournament of 30 also from the same 1987 cup.
Fox was born inNew Plymouth. He attendedAuckland Grammar school.
During his time with theAll Blacks from 1985 to 1993, he wore the number 10 jersey (first five-eighth orfly-half), and was the main goalkicker for the All Blacks. He amassed 645 points from 46 All Blacktest matches (1 try, 118 conversions, 128 penalties, 7 drop goals). He is considered a true pioneer of the modern art of goal kicking,[2] in particular the technicalities of leaning the ball forward, which has been adopted by world class kickers since.Fox is regarded as one of the greatest first five-eighths in All Blacks' history,[1] even though he was not a great runner with the ball in hand.[2]
Despite his relatively short height, he made up for this with fantastic distribution skills reinforced by his long-term colleagueJohn Kirwan's then-world-record career statistics playing outside him for Auckland and the All Blacks. His inability to score tries was often a joking point in the team – his cause not helped by an overruled attempt against Ireland in 1989 (due to a prior technical infringement by a teammate).[1]
Fox was a member of theNew Zealand Cavaliers which touredapartheid South Africa in 1986, following the cancellation of the officialNZRFU tour in 1985. For participating in therebel tour Fox was banned from selection in the All Blacks for three tests.[3]
The highlight of Fox's career was winning the inauguralRugby World Cup with New Zealand in 1987, a victory based in part on his accurate kicking.
Fox was selected as one of the “Five players of the year” for the 1984, 1988, 1989, 1990 and 1993 seasons, in the Rugby Almanack of New Zealand.
In the1995 New Year Honours, Fox was appointed aMember of the Order of the British Empire, for services to rugby.[4]
Fox remained an integral part of hisAuckland club, involved at a coaching level and sharing in their success in the 1999 and 2002–2003NPC seasons.
Fox is now acommentator onSky Sports,NBC Sports and in theEA Sports rugby union series.
Fox provided commentary on theRugby World Cup onABC in1995, withAl Michaels in1999 and2003 andMike Tirico in2007.
Fox is currently a selector with the New Zealand All Blacks (2011–present)
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