Lee Stensness
Date of birth | 24 December 1970 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Place of birth | Auckland, New Zealand | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Height | 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Weight | 90 kg (14 st 2 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
School | Taupo-nui-a-Tia College | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
University | Massey University | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Lee Stensness (born 24 December 1970) is a former New Zealand
Early career
Stensness was born in Auckland, but began his first-class rugby career at Manawatu in 1989 and went on to play 33 matches for them until 1992. Highlights during this time included a 58-24 win over Ireland, and selection for New Zealand Universities team to the World Student Games. Stensness also made several national selections during his time with Manawatu: the Colts, the Divisional XV, New Zealand Universities and in 1991 had the first his many All Black trials. He was in the New Zealand XV side which played England B in 1992.
In 1993 he moved to Auckland and in one of his first games for his new union, an away Ranfurly Shield defence against Horowhenua, he ended up scoring four tries. With Grant Fox still playing, it was hard to get the first five role so Stensness moved to second five eighths.
All Blacks
The
After the All Blacks
Stensness continued to play for the Blues in the Super 12 until the end of 1998. But midway through the year, before he could play for Auckland in the NPC, he moved to play overseas in France, where he played for the next three years. He played an important role in Toulouse's French Championship win in 2001.
Stensness returned to New Zealand in 2001 after a serious knee injury and after surgery made the 2002 Blues team for the Super 12 and bringing his matches in that competition to 48. He also was part of a championship winning Auckland NPC team, bringing his appearances for the union to 80. But he was only a reserve in the final and now in the veteran stage seemed to lack the dash of some of the younger players. He was given a Blues Super 12 contract for 2003 but only had a minor role in their title win. He has two children, a daughter named Ella who was born on 3 October 1997 and a son named Louis birth date unknown.