{{Short description|New Zealand rugby union player (1935–2022)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=June 2022}} {{Use New Zealand English|date=March 2016}} {{Infobox rugby biography | name = Russell Watt | honorific-suffix = | image = | caption = Watt in 1956 | birth_name = James Russell Watt | birth_date = {{Birth date|1935|12|29|df=yes}} | birth_place = Dunedin, New Zealand | death_place = Silverstream, New Zealand | death_date = {{death date and age|2022|6|25|1935|12|29|df=yes}} | position = Wing three-quarter | height = 1.80 m | weight = {{convert|78|kg|lb|abbr=on}} | repteam1 = {{nrut|New Zealand}} | repyears1 = 1957–1962 | repcaps1 = 9 | reppoints1 = 3 | province1 = {{Rut|Otago}} | province2 = {{Rut|Southland}} | province3 = {{Rut|Wellington}} | provinceyears1 = 1955–1956 | provinceyears2 = 1957 | provinceyears3 = 1958–1964 | provinceapps1 = 11 | provinceapps2 = 9 | provinceapps3 = 63 | provincepoints1 = | occupation = Bank officer | school = Otago Boys' High School }}
'''James Russell Watt''' (29 December 1935 – 25 June 2022) was a New Zealand rugby union player. A wing three-quarter, Watt represented {{Rut|Otago}}, {{Rut|Southland}}, and {{Rut|Wellington}} at a provincial level, and was a member of the New Zealand national side, the All Blacks, between 1957 and 1962. He played 42 matches for the All Blacks including nine internationals, scoring 114 points in all.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://stats.allblacks.com/asp/Profile.asp?ABID=932 |title = Russell Watt | last = Knight | first = Lindsay | publisher = New Zealand Rugby Union | accessdate = 19 March 2016}}</ref>
On 30 April 1960, Watt became engaged to Betty Thorner,<ref>{{cite news|url=https://newspaperarchives.uhcc.govt.nz/cgi-bin/upperhutt?a=d&d=UpperHuttLeader19600505.2.9|title=Engagement Party|date=5 May 1960|newspaper=Upper Hutt Leader}}</ref> and the couple later married.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/local-papers/upper-hutt-leader/sport/5770905/City-honours-sporting-legends |title=City honours sporting legends |date=12 October 2011 |work=The Dominion Post |first=Colin |last=Williams |access-date=29 June 2022}}</ref>
Watt died on 25 June 2022 in Silverstream, at the age of 86.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/all-blacks/129088574/all-black-no-584-russell-watt-a-winger-with-a-nose-for-tries-dies-aged-86|title=All Black No 584 Russell Watt, a winger with a nose for tries, dies aged 86|work=Stuff|date=27 June 2022|access-date=27 June 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://deaths.dompost.co.nz/nz/obituaries/dominion-post-nz/name/james-watt-obituary?pid=202269179 |title=James Watt obituary |work=The Dominion Post |date=27 June 2022 |access-date=27 June 2022}}</ref>
==References== {{Commons category|James Russell Watt}} {{Reflist}}
{{Portal|Sports}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Watt, Russell}} Category:1935 births Category:2022 deaths Category:Rugby union players from Dunedin Category:People educated at Otago Boys' High School Category:New Zealand rugby union players Category:New Zealand international rugby union players Category:Otago rugby union players Category:Southland rugby union players Category:Wellington rugby union players Category:Rugby union wings Category:20th-century New Zealand sportsmen
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