Warrington’s World Cup heroes - Duane Mann

6:20am Friday 24th October 2008

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WHILE Duane Mann’s most memorable World Cup performance was produced for Tonga at Wilderspool Stadium in 1995, he had left Warrington Wolves by then.

During his Warrington spell between 1990 and 1993 the hooker starred for New Zealand five times in World Cup encounters.

He signed for Warrington in November 1989 and arrived at the club at the end of the following month, having just appeared for the Kiwis in a World Cup clash against France in Carcassonne.

Those six appearances while on Warrington’s books mean that Mann is second on the club’s list for players who have made the most appearances in the World Cup.

His other World Cup appearances with New Zealand include two against Great Britain in 1990, two months after appearing in the Challenge Cup Final with Warrington against Wigan at Wembley.

Further games came against Papua New Guinea at Port Moresby in August 1990, against France in Christchurch in 1991 and against Papua New Guinea in Auckland in 1992.

One of Mann’s strengths was his durability - he never seemed to be injured!

So it was no surprise that his international career continued to blossom after returning to New Zealand to play for the newly established Auckland Warriors in 1994.

He switched allegiances to Tonga for the Centenary World Cup and almost captained them to a shock victory over New Zealand at Wilderspool in October, 1995.

Only a late Matthew Ridge drop goal saved the Kiwis’ blushes, but Mann was awarded the man of the match in front of his former home crowd who, as they had done as a clubman, took him and his nation to their hearts. It was the only time ‘Tonga, Tonga’ was chanted from the Wilderspool terraces.

Mann returned to Europe again to compete in his third World Cup in the year 2000, again representing Tonga.

Log on again tomorrow for another feature on a Warrington World Cup hero.

Click on the following links to read about other Warrington World Cup heroes that we have featured so far.

Gerry Helme.