Zac Guildford

Zachary Robert Guildford (born 8 February 1989) is a New Zealand rugby union player who plays for Waikato in the Mitre 10 Cup. A wing, he has won 11 caps for the New Zealand national team, the All Blacks, including during their victorious 2011 Rugby World Cup campaign.

Not to be confused with Zach Gilford.

Zac Guildford
Birth nameZachary Robert Guildford
Date of birth (1989-02-08) 8 February 1989
Place of birthGreytown, New Zealand
Height1.82 m (6 ft 0 in)[1]
Weight97 kg (15 st 4 lb; 214 lb)[1]
SchoolNapier Boys' High School
Rugby union career
Position(s) Wing, Fullback
Current team Woodend RFC
All Black No. 1097
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2007–2015
2008–2009
2010–2014
2014–2015
2016
2016
2017
2018-19
2019		 Hawke's Bay
Hurricanes
Crusaders
Clermont
Waratahs
Wairarapa Bush
Waikato
Nevers
Ngati Porou East Coast		 77
18
61
21
7
9
7
8
8		 (225)
(40)
(110)
(15)
(5)
(24)
(5)
(15)
(20)
Correct as of 15 February 2023
National team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
2008–2009
2009–2012
2013		 New Zealand U20
New Zealand
Māori All Blacks		 10
11
2		 (50)
(30)
(5)
Correct as of 9 November 2013
National sevens team(s)
Years Team Comps
2010 New Zealand 1
Medal record
Men's rugby sevens
Representing  New Zealand
Commonwealth Games
2010 Delhi Team competition

He initially signed with the Tasman Rugby Union for the 2016 Mitre 10 Cup season,[2] but the Union and Guildford agreed to part ways before the start of the season.[3]

In Super Rugby, he most recently played for the New South Wales Waratahs, having previously played for the Hurricanes and the Crusaders, in the Top 14 competition for French side Clermont Auvergne and in the New Zealand domestic ITM Cup for Hawke's Bay. He was selected for the All Blacks' end of year tour in 2009; the 2010 and 2012 Steinlager Series; and the 2011 Tri Nations Series.

Biography

Guildford was born in Greytown, New Zealand. He is the son of Deborah and Robert Guildford. His father, Robert, played for Wairarapa Bush in the early 1990s.[4] He has one younger brother, Victor. When Guildford was 10 years old, his family moved to Napier, Hawke's Bay, where he went through the rugby academy system. He attended Napier Boys' High School.

Playing career

Hawke's Bay

Guildford made his debut for Hawke's Bay in 2007 aged 18, making him one of the youngest players to play in the Air New Zealand Cup. In his debut season for Hawke's Bay, he played 12 games and scored five tries, two of them being scored in a 30-26 win over Waikato. Guildford went on to be one of the competition's leading try scorers in 2009 with 13 tries, most of them through his trade mark kick and chase. Guildford was part of the Hawke's Bay team that won the 2015 ITM Cup championship, though he did not play in the final.[5]

International career

Guildford first represented New Zealand at the U19 World Cup in 2007. He then represented New Zealand at the JWC in 2008. In his final season at International age grade level the following year, Guildford again played for New Zealand, in that year's JWC hosted in Japan. Guildford's father, Robert, died of a heart attack shortly after the conclusion of the final against England in Tokyo.[6]

Guildford was first selected for the All Blacks for the end of year tour in 2009 and was the youngest player in the squad. He made his All Blacks debut against Wales on 7 November 2009 at Millennium Stadium, Cardiff. In 2010 he was selected for the Steinlager Series. Guildford was selected for the All Blacks tri-nations squad the following year and was later selected in the 30-man All Blacks 2011 Rugby World Cup squad, though he did not play until New Zealand's final pool match of the tournament, where he contributed four tries to the All Blacks' 79–15 victory over Canada.[7] Guildford was then recalled into the All Blacks for the three test Ireland series where he played two more tests on the right wing.

Super Rugby

After a strong season with Hawke's Bay in the Air New Zealand Cup, Guildford was chosen for the Hurricanes 2008 season. Despite breaking him arm in pre-season, Guildford played 6 matches in the 2008 Super 14 season, starting all of these matches except his first match against the Stormers, and scoring three tries. In 2009 he played in 10 matches, most of them as a starter, scoring 4 tries. In 2009 he was secured by the Crusaders for the 2010 season. Guildford signed for the NSW Waratahs for the 2016 super rugby season.[8]

Sevens

Guildford was included in the New Zealand sevens squad that competed in the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi. They won the Gold Medal against Australia.

Clermont Auvergne

In January 2014, it was announced that he signed a contract for two years (with the option of a third) with French Top 14 side Clermont Auvergne.[9] Initially, he was supposed to join them at the conclusion of the 2014 Super Rugby season, but in May 2014, he was given an early release from his contract by the Crusaders.[10]

Controversies

Rarotonga

On 11 November 2011, Guildford was cited in Rarotonga,[11] where he was accused of drunken naked assaults during an alcohol-fuelled series of incidents.[12][13] He has since apologised for his actions and admitted to alcoholism.

Christchurch party

On 12 January 2013, a guest at a house party in Christchurch alleged that Guildford arrived to the party "completely out of control" and assaulted a fellow party goer. Guildford's Crusaders teammate Andy Ellis was called to retrieve Guildford, and took him home.[14] Guildford checked himself into a 28-day rehabilitation course following the incident.[15]

Male assaults female

In April 2021, Guildford dropped an appeal to keep his name suppressed in court after he pleaded guilty to punching a woman in the face in 2019.[16]

Fraud

In March 2022, Guildford was sentenced to nine months’ home detention for two separate fraud charges involving family and friends.[17] A month prior to the sentencing for the fraud charges, he was convicted and discharged for breaching an intensive supervision order by drinking alcohol.[18] On 8 February 2023, Guildford was convicted and discharged for breaching the conditions of his home detention by smoking cannabis.[19]

Other incidents

In August 2011, following the All Blacks loss to Australia in Brisbane, Guildford admitted to binge-drinking at the team hotel in breach of an agreement that he had with All Blacks coaches.[20]

On 24 July 2019, Guildford's driver's licence was suspended for three months after accumulating too many demerit points on it. He was subsequently stopped at a police checkpoint on Wellesley St, Auckland on 14 August 2019. His car was immediately impounded. On 23 September, he plead guilty to driving while disqualified, and was disqualified from driving for a further six months, and ordered to pay a $300 fine plus $130 in court costs.[21]

References
  1. "Stats | allblacks.com". stats.allblacks.com.
  2. "Zac Guildford signs with Tasman Makos for 2016". Tasman Rugby Union. Retrieved 25 May 2016.
  3. "2016 Makos Squad". www.makos.co.nz. Tasman Rugby Union. Retrieved 9 August 2016.
  4. "Zac Guildford". 15 February 2023. Retrieved 15 February 2023.
  5. "Magpies 2015 ITM Squad named" (Press release). Hawke's Bay Rugby Union. 25 July 2015. Archived from the original on 14 August 2015. Retrieved 17 January 2021.
  6. Millmow, Jonathan (24 June 2009). "Death casts shadow on under-20 rugby win". Stuff.
  7. "All Blacks run riot against Canada". ESPN. 2 October 2011. Retrieved 20 February 2013.
  8. "Guildford signs for 2016". NSW Waratahs. 16 September 2015. Retrieved 1 October 2015.
  9. "French Top 14 side Clermont Auvergne sign New Zealand winger Zac Guildford". Sky Sports. 9 January 2014. Retrieved 9 January 2014.
  10. "Crusaders part ways with wing Zac Guildford". The Press. Fairfax. 23 May 2014. Retrieved 23 May 2014.
  11. "Naked, drunk Zac in bar assault". NZ Herald.
  12. "Zac Guildford: 'I am truly sorry'". NZ Herald.
  13. "'Ashamed' Zac admits he has issue - Blackadder". NZ Herald.
  14. Bayer, Kurt; Leask, Anna (22 January 2013). "Guildford 'out of control' at party". New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 15 February 2023.
  15. Knowler, Richard (15 March 2013). "Crusaders to offer Zac Guildford tough love". Stuff. Retrieved 15 February 2023.
  16. "Zac Guildford named as former All Black sentenced for punching woman in the face in 'appalling act'". Stuff. 21 April 2021. Retrieved 21 April 2021.
  17. Fuller, Piers (18 March 2022). "Former All Black Zac Guildford sentenced on fraud charges totalling $100,000". Stuff. Retrieved 18 March 2022.
  18. Clarkson, David (26 May 2022). "Zac Guildford pleads guilty to breaching intensive supervision by drinking alcohol". New Zealand Herald.
  19. Moorhouse, Emily (8 February 2023). "Former All Black Zac Guildford smokes pot on Home D, breach minor blip says ex-boss". New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 15 February 2023.
  20. "Guildford fronts up over drinking binge in Brisbane". RNZ. 21 September 2011. Retrieved 14 February 2023.
  21. "Well-known rugby player Zac Guildford disqualified from driving". New Zealand Herald. 23 September 2019.
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