# Nathan Spooner

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{{Short description|Australia international rugby union player}}
{{BLP sources|date=May 2023}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2023}}
{{Use Australian English|date=October 2023}}
{{Infobox rugby biography
| name         = Nathan Spooner
| birth_name   = Nathan Raymond Spooner<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.itsrugby.co.uk/joueurs/nathan-spooner-11969.html|title = Nathan Spooner|access-date=2023-05-03|website=It's Rugby|language=en}}</ref>
| birth_date   = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1975|11|7}}
| height       = {{height|m=1.88|}}
| weight       = {{convert|88|kg|stlb|abbr=on}}
| super1       = [NSW Waratahs](/source/NSW_Waratahs)
| super2       = [Queensland Reds](/source/Queensland_Reds)
| super3       = [Natal Sharks](/source/Natal_Sharks)
| superyears1  = 1997
| superapps1   = 3
| superpoints1 = 0
| superyears2  = 1998–2001
| superapps2   = 12
| superpoints2 = 208
| superyears3  = 2004
| superapps3   =
| superpoints3 = 
| years1       = 2001–2003
| clubs1       = [Leinster](/source/Leinster)
| apps1        = 10
| points1      = 68
| repyears1    = 1999
| repteam1     = [Australia](/source/Australia_national_rugby_union_team)
| repcaps1     = 4
| reppoints1   = 50
| repupdate    = 
| occupation   = Rugby union player 
}}
'''Nathan Raymond Spooner''' (born 1975) is a retired [rugby union](/source/rugby_union) player, who represented [Australia](/source/Australia_national_rugby_union_team). He typically played in the [out-half (or fly-half)](/source/Rugby_union_positions) position.

==Career==
===Clubs and provinces===
* 1997 : [NSW Waratahs](/source/NSW_Waratahs), [Australia](/source/Australia)
* 1999-2001 : [Queensland Reds](/source/Queensland_Reds), [Australia](/source/Australia)
* 2001-2003 : [Leinster](/source/Leinster_Rugby), [Ireland](/source/Ireland)
* 2003 : [Sharks](/source/Sharks_(rugby)), [South Africa](/source/South_Africa)
* 2004-2007 [Mie Honda Heat](/source/Mie_Honda_Heat), [Japan](/source/Japan)

===Australian International Career===
He played under-age representative rugby, before making his debut for [Australia](/source/Australia_national_rugby_union_team) on 12 June 1999 against [Ireland](/source/Ireland_national_rugby_union_team) in [Brisbane](/source/Brisbane), scoring 17 points. His final test match was against the same team on 19 June 1999.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://classicwallabies.com.au/players/nathan-raymond-spooner|title = Nathan Raymond Spooner|access-date=2023-05-03|website=Classic Wallabies}}</ref>

===Club Rugby===
He played for [Queensland Reds](/source/Queensland_Reds). In 1998, he was largely sidelined by a shoulder injury, but in 1999 he was out-half for a side that reached the Super12 semi-finals, scoring 131 points. The following year, he was again largely unable to play, due to surgery, playing only 4 games early in 2001.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/rugby/story/_/id/15344431/reds-spooner-comeback-trail|title = Reds Spooner on comeback trail|access-date=2023-07-19|website=Irish Times| date=3 April 2000 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/spooner-gets-straight-to-heart-of-things-1.341810|title = Spooner gets straight to heart of things|access-date=2023-05-03|website=Irish Times}}</ref>

He was then signed for [Leinster Rugby](/source/Leinster_Rugby) for the 2001-2002 season, playing in Leinster's victory in the [2001–02 Celtic League](/source/2001%E2%80%9302_Celtic_League) final (in which he scored 14 points) and in Leinster's [Heineken Cup](/source/Heineken_Cup) quarter-final defeat at the hands of [Leicester Tigers](/source/Leicester_Tigers).<ref>{{cite web |title=Wallaby signs for Leinster |url=https://www.espn.com/rugby/story/_/id/15351158/wallaby-signs-leinster |website=ESPN |access-date=11 August 2025}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2001/dec/17/rugbyunion.leinster|title = Leinster kings of the Celts|access-date=2023-07-19|website=The Guardian| date=17 December 2001 | last1=Plummer | first1=David }}</ref> He remained with Leinster for the following season, in spite of sustaining a further severe shoulder injury in April 2002.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/spooner-s-injury-not-career-threatening-1.1086284|title = Spooner's injury not career threatening|access-date=2023-07-19|website=Irish Times}}</ref> After the signing of [Felipe Contepomi](/source/Felipe_Contepomi) was announced towards the end of the 2002-3 season, Spooner was not offered a new contract.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/spooner-is-left-with-few-options-1.359978|title = Spooner left with few options|access-date=2023-07-19|website=Irish Times}}</ref> After leaving Leinster, Spooner went to the [Natal Sharks](/source/Natal_Sharks) in September 2003.<ref>{{cite web |title=Spooner For Natal Sharks |url=https://www.irishrugby.ie/2003/09/02/spooner-for-natal-sharks/ |website=Irish Rugby |access-date=11 August 2025}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/rugby/arid-30111948.html|title = Spooner snapped up by Sharks |access-date=2023-07-19|website=Irish Examiner|date = 2 September 2003 }}</ref> Following a season with the Sharks, Spooner went to play in [Japan](/source/Japan) with [Mie Honda Heat](/source/Mie_Honda_Heat) until 2007 when he retired, going on to work in sales.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/mackay/sport/exwallaby-ready-for-charity-match/news-story/5a85bb35f3b98dffafe47997a035a2a3|title = Ex-Wallaby ready for charity match |access-date=2023-07-19|website=IThe Courier Mail}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Spooner, Nathan}}
Category:Living people
Category:1975 births
Category:Australian rugby union players
Category:Place of birth missing (living people)
Category:Queensland Reds players
Category:Leinster Rugby players
Category:Mie Honda Heat players
Category:Rugby union fly-halves
Category:Australia international rugby union players
Category:Australian expatriate rugby union players in Japan
Category:New South Wales Waratahs players

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Nathan Spooner](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nathan_Spooner) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nathan_Spooner?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.