Quick Facts
Biography
Gary Woollard is a New Zealand former professional rugby league footballer who represented New Zealand, including at the 1970 World Cup.
Playing career
After growing up in Auckland, Woollard moved to Wellington in 1961, joining the Miramar club in the Wellington Rugby League competition. Miramar won the Wellington premiership in 1962, again in 1964 and shared a third with Waterside in 1966.
Woollard made his debut for the New Zealand national rugby league team in 1963 as a Wellington representative. He next played for the Kiwis in 1967, by which time he was now representing Auckland. He played a total of ten test matches for New Zealand, and was part of the squad that competed at the 1970 World Cup.
Woollard played for New Zealand in 1969 when they defeated Australia 2-1 in a Test series. He was also part of the Kiwis 1971 tour of Great Britain and France, winning 2-1 in Britain and 2-0, with one draw, in France. It was the Kiwis first Test win on British soil since the 1907-08 All Golds tour.
In 1969, while playing for the Mount Albert Lions, Woollard won the Lipscombe Cup as the Auckland Rugby League Sportsman of the Year.
Gary is married to Elizabeth Woollard. He has 3 children, Tanya Taylor, Brett Woollard and Shane Woollard, and 4 grandchildren, Ben Woollard, Hayley Taylor, Alannah Woollard and Jayden Woollard.