Craig Wing

Craig Wing (born 26 December 1979) is an Australian-born Japanese rugby union player. He currently plays in Japan and has represented the Japanese international side. A former rugby league player for New South Wales State of Origin and Australian international utility player, Wing played for South Sydney Rabbitohs and Sydney Roosters.

Wing attended Sydney Boys High School where he played Rugby Union. In 1997 Wing was selected to play in the NSW Schoolboys 1st XV where the team remained undefeated until the final decider.

Sydney Roosters

Wing played most of his professional rugby league at the Sydney Roosters. He moved to the club in 2000 and originally started as a halfback partnering Brad Fittler. Wing played from the interchange bench in the Sydney Roosters' 2000 NRL Grand Final loss to the Brisbane Broncos. He played at halfback in the Roosters team which won the 2002 NRL Grand Final against the New Zealand Warriors, scoring a try.

Having won the 2002 NRL Premiership, the Roosters travelled to England to play the 2003 World Club Challenge against Super League champions, St Helens RLFC. Wing played at half back in Sydney's victory. Wing was later moved to hooker in 2003 when halfback Brett Finch joined the club. After his side's loss in the 2003 NRL grand final, Wing was selected to go on the 2003 Kangaroo tour of Great Britain and France, helping Australia to victory over Great Britain in what would be the last time the two nations contested an Ashes series.

Wing played for the Roosters at hooker in their 2004 NRL grand final loss to cross-Sydney rivals, the Bulldogs. Wing was selected in the Australian team to go and compete in the end of season 2004 Rugby League Tri-Nations tournament. In the final against Great Britain he played from the interchange bench in the Kangaroos' 44–4 victory.

Wing played in four NRL Grand Finals, a feat achieved by very few players in the NRL, and all with the Roosters: 2000, 2002, 2003 and 2004.

Return to Souths

Wing announced in June 2007 that he would be leaving the Roosters at the end of the 2007 NRL season to take up a four-year contract with the South Sydney Rabbitohs, the club where he started his career.

While the Roosters' offer was higher, Wing said he felt more comfortable accepting the Souths offer as it was a guaranteed four-year deal compared to the Roosters' 2-year deal with an option for a further 2 years.

Wing came under criticism for allowing himself to be paraded at a high profile Souths press conference while still contracted at the Sydney Roosters. It could be argued that the Roosters started the whole problem in the first place however, as they broke the news of Craig Wing's signing on their website before Souths had officially signed him, in an apparent attempt to steal Souths thunder. In any case, Wing still apologised to the Sydney Roosters fans. He was jeered on 23 June 2007, by the Roosters fans at a game against the Parramatta Eels, his first game after signing for Souths.

In round 1 of the season, Wing was injured in a tackle in only the 8th minute of the game against his old club the Roosters. Wing was in the process of being tackled by Anthony Tupou and Braith Anasta, when Riley Brown shoulder charged Wing's back. Wing was sidelined for 12 weeks. In a much awaited return, Wing helped Souths to only their fourth win of the season in his return from injury, beating bottom placed North Queensland Cowboys 29–28 in the greatest comeback in Souths' history, having been down 28–4 at one stage of the game.

Representative career

Wing has represented the New South Wales State of Origin team, City Origin and the Australian Kangaroos. Many of his appearances have been as a reserve due to the fact that he can cover a number of positions.

He was named in the Australia training squad for the 2008 Rugby League World Cup. He was selected for City in the City vs Country match on 8 May 2009.

In May 2009, he was named in the 17-man squad to represent New South Wales in the opening game of the 2009 State of Origin series on 3 June 2009, in Melbourne.

During Wing's rugby league career he played over 250 NRL first grade games combined for the Sydney Roosters and South Sydney Rabbitohs, winning an NRL premiership with the Roosters.

Wing announced on 21 July 2009 that he would be leaving South Sydney to play rugby union in Japan for the NTT Communication Shining Arcs and in 2010, he joined his former NSW Schoolboys 1st XV coach Joe Barakat who was coaching with the team.

In 2012, after two seasons with Shining Arcs, he moved to the Kobe Steel Kobelco Steelers, where he is listed as playing centre or stand-off.

His switch to rugby union attracted interest from the Philippines national rugby union team who approached him to play for them, as he qualified through his mother who is Filipina. Despite this interest, in 2013 he was instead selected for the Japan Cherry Blossoms, having qualified after 3 years residency. He made his debut for Japan in May 2013 in a match against the UAE. He scored his first try for Japan in June 2013, in a historic 23–8 win over Wales, playing at centre in a side coached by fellow Australian Eddie Jones.