Matt Henjak
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2019}}
{{infobox rugby biography
| name = Matt Henjak
| image = Matt Henjak.jpg
| image_size =
| caption =
| alt =
| birth_name = Matthew T. Henjak
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1981|11|25}}{{cite web |url=http://www.espnscrum.com/australia/rugby/player/14211.html |title=Matt Henjak: Player profile |work=ESPN Scrum |publisher=ESPN EMEA Ltd |date=2011 |accessdate=2 June 2012 }}
| birth_place = Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia
| death_date =
| death_place =
| height = {{convert|1.81|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
| weight = {{convert|88|kg|stlb|abbr=on}}http://www.rctoulon.com/en/rct/joueur/henjak/ Toulon RC profile retrieved 7 May 2011
| school = St Edmund's College
| relatives = Ivan Henjak (uncle)
| ru_currentteam =
| position = Scrum-half
| amatyears1 = 2002
| amatyears2 = 2006–2008
| amatteam1 = Canberra Vikings (QPR)
| amatteam2 = Cottesloe
| amatapps1 = 9
| amatpoints1 = 40
| years1 = 2003–2005
| years2 = 2004
| years3 = 2006–2008
| years4 = 2007
| years5 = 2008–2012
| years6 = 2012–2013
| clubs1 = Brumbies
| clubs2 = Harlequins
| clubs3 = Western Force
| clubs4 = Perth Spirit
| clubs5 = Toulon
| clubs6 = Dax
| apps1 = 18
| apps2 = 2
| apps3 = 23
| apps4 =
| apps5 = 72
| apps6 = 21
| points1 = 5
| points2 = 0
| points3 = 5
| points4 =
| points5 = 16
| points6 = 5
| ru_clubupdate =
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| superyears1 =
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| repyears1 = 2004–2006
| repteam1 = Australia
| repcaps1 = 4
| reppoints1 = 0
| ru_ntupdate =
| repsevensyears1 =
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}}
Matt Henjak (born 25 November 1981) is an Australian former professional rugby union player. He played scrum-half for the Australian national team. Henjak, of Croatian ancestry, is the nephew of former rugby league half-back and former Brisbane Broncos head coach Ivan Henjak. After being sacked by the Western Force in 2008 for an off field indiscretion, Henjak signed for Toulon in the Top 14 in France where he played until 2012. He played a further season in France with Dax in the Pro D2 competition.
Early career
Henjak was educated at St Edmund's College in Canberra, the same school as Matt Giteau, George Gregan and Ricky Stuart. He played for the Canberra Vikings while playing in the Canberra club competition. In 2001 and 2002 Henjak represented Australia in the under 21 side as well as later playing for Australia A.
Super Rugby
He made his Super 12 debut in 2003, playing for the ACT Brumbies in a match against the Chiefs.
Henjak was called up into the 27-man national squad as cover mid-year 2004 after Elton Flatley broke his arm. Henjak made his international debut in 2004, on 26 June against England where he came off the bench onto the wing with 10 minutes remaining in the game after Clyde Rathbone was injured.
He moved to the new Super 14 team, the Western Force, for the 2006 Super 14 season. In 2008 he was involved in an altercation in which his teammate winger Haig Sare had his jaw broken, requiring surgery to insert a plate. Henjak was dismissed by the Western Force after he was found guilty of involvement in a bar room brawl.{{cite web|url=http://www.rugbywa.com.au/news/2008/ewf_news/feb/080222_henjak_terminated,52845.html/section/50753 |title=Henjak facing the sack |publisher=Western Force rugby club |date=20 February 2008 |accessdate=22 February 2008 }}{{dead link|date=June 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}{{cite web|url=http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,23260477-23217,00.html|title=Door will reopen if Henjak reforms|publisher=Fox Sports|date=22 February 2008|accessdate=25 February 2008}}
England and France
Henjak went over to England for the latter part of 2004, having a short term stint with Harlequins.
After being sacked from the Western Force in 2008, Henjak was linked to a code-switch to rugby league and a move to the Canberra Raiders,{{cite web|url=http://www.nrl.com/News/Latest/NewsArticle/tabid/76/NewsId/7905/Default.aspx|title=NRL leaves door ajar for Henjak|publisher=NRL|date=22 February 2008|accessdate=22 February 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080227102257/http://nrl.com/News/Latest/NewsArticle/tabid/76/NewsId/7905/Default.aspx|archive-date=27 February 2008|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|url=http://www.leaguehq.com.au/news/news/carney-out-henjak-in/2008/02/20/1203467180831.html|title=Raiders may come to Henjak's rescue|publisher=LeagueHQ|date=21 February 2008|accessdate=22 February 2008}} {{Dead link|date=October 2010|bot=H3llBot}}{{cite web|url=http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,23258073-23217,00.html|title=NRL likely for sacked Henjak|publisher=Fox Sports|date=22 February 2008|accessdate=25 February 2008}} however Toulon gave him the chance to resurrect his rugby union career in France.{{cite web|url=http://www.planetrugby.com/Story/0,18259,3551_3785080,00.html |title=Henjak heads for Toulon |publisher=Planet Rugby |date=6 July 2009 |accessdate=7 July 2009 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20081104075808/http://www.planetrugby.com/Story/0%2C18259%2C3551_3785080%2C00.html |archivedate=4 November 2008 }} After four seasons with Toulon in the Top 14 competition, he played a further season with Pro D2 Club, Dax, in the second tier professional competition before retiring from professional rugby.
Controversies
During his playing career, Henjak was linked with a series of scandals. In 2004, he was involved in an altercation in South Africa, in which the complainant was secretly paid A$16,000 to drop assault charges.{{cite web|url=http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,23262418-23217,00.html|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120730145235/http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,23262418-23217,00.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=30 July 2012|title=Learning from the Henjak experience|publisher=Fox Sports|date=23 February 2008|accessdate=25 February 2008}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20080128185410/http://www.westernforce.com.au/players/matt_henjak,30241.html/section/29976 Western Force profile]
- [http://www.sportnetwork.net/main/s98/st58711.htm Matt Henjak signs for Harlequins]
- [http://www.rugbyheaven.com.au/news/news/wild-west/2008/02/12/1202760297979.html Rugby Heaven]{{dead link|date=September 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
- [http://www.rctoulon.com/en/rct/joueur/henjak/ Toulon RC profile]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Henjak, Matt}}
Category:Australian rugby union players
Category:Western Force players
Category:Harlequin F.C. players
Category:Australian people of Croatian descent
Category:Australian expatriate rugby union players in France
Category:Australia international rugby union players
Category:Australian expatriate rugby union players in England
Category:Rugby union players from New South Wales
Category:Rugby union scrum-halves
Category:Sportspeople from Queanbeyan