Andy Slater (rugby union)

{{Short description|New Zealand rugby union player (born 1969)}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2024}}

{{Use New Zealand English|date=July 2024}}

{{Infobox rugby biography

| name = Andy Slater

| image =

| caption =

| full_name = Andrew William Slater

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1969|11|21|df=y}}

| birth_place = New Plymouth, New Zealand

| death_date =

| death_place =

| height = 191 cm

| weight = 105 kg

| occupation = Dairy farmer

| school = {{nowrap|New Plymouth Boys' High School}}

| university =

| relatives = Gordon Slater (brother)
Bradley Slater (son)

| position = Back-row / Lock

| provinceyears1 = 1989–01

| province1 = {{rut|Taranaki}}

| provinceapps1 = 180

| provincepoints1 = 138

| superyears1 = 2001

| super1 = {{Rut|Hurricanes}}

| superapps1 = 1

| superpoints1 = 0

}}

Andrew William Slater (born 21 November 1969) is a New Zealand former rugby union player.

Biography

Slater was educated at New Plymouth Boys' High School and is dairy farmer by profession.{{cite news |title=Rugby: Slater true example of spirit in provinces |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/rugby/super-rugby/rugby-slater-true-example-of-spirit-in-provinces/T5JRJJWCZQ6NNEJQR4LZ6OWVT4/ |work=NZ Herald |date=14 October 2000 |language=en-NZ}}

A forward, Slater often played in the back-row early in his career, but was later solely a lock. He spent his entire provincial career with Taranaki, where he debuted in 1989 as a 19-year-old. In 1996, Slater captained the Taranaki side which claimed the Ranfurly Shield off Auckland. He was NPC 1st Division Player of the Year in 2000 and the following season made a belated debut for the Hurricanes as a substitute against the Blues at Eden Park. Forced to retire in 2002 due to a heart condition, Slater ended with 180 provincial appearances, bettered by only Ian Eliason amongst Taranaki forwards.{{cite news |title=Slater retires from representative rugby |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/slater-retires-from-representative-rugby/5BVULZYX6QBZLTMLB3EGP4HXTE/ |work=NZ Herald |date=26 June 2002 |language=en-NZ}}

Slater is the elder brother of All Black Gordon Slater and father of Chiefs player Bradley Slater.{{cite news |title=Taranaki's next generation of rugby talent follow in fathers' footsteps |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/taranaki-daily-news/news/122828159/taranakis-next-generation-of-rugby-talent-follow-in-fathers-footsteps |work=Stuff.co.nz |date=20 September 2020}}

References