Joe Karam
When you think of famous New Zealand Rugby Fullbacks you immediately think of George Nepia, Don Clarke, Fergie McCormick and Joe Karam. When you think of New Zealand heroes you think - Joe Karam.
He is without doubt one of New Zealand's top sportsmen. He broke all the rules and changed codes. He was rejected and criticized for that.
He was so methodical was his goal-kicking and touch-finding ability, was nicknamed 'Clock'. To have Joe Karam in the side was to have a feeling of security akin to having money in the bank.
Joe exuded so much confidence no one ever doubted the All Blacks would win the 1972 test match against Wales with Joe Karam as the goal-kicker.
As an ex All Black he can relate anecdotal humour to the on and of field events from his rugby and more latterly his rugby league career. Joe was a key player in the last great All Black tour of 1972.
He can talk about “Beware of what you see on the news” where he gives some interesting insight in crossing swords with authorities at all levels.
He heard about the case of a young man named David Bain. Initially he just wanted to donate some money to David's fighting fund and legal costs. But he found brick walls whenever he tried to delve into the case. Now Joe is not someone to ignore, treat with indifference or treat like an idiot. So Joe decided to take the matter further. That was 13 years ago and on Friday June 5, 2009 in Christchurch a jury took just under 6 hours to find David Bain "not guilty" of the murder of his family. While David had many supporters, there is no doubt that Joe Karam is the true hero of the day. Joe was so committed to freeing David Bain that his health, his personal life and his business suffered. But Joe never ever gave up.
Joe is also a motivational speaker who can talk with authority on “Integrity and going the distance”. When it comes to “self help” Joe has been there. No one would have had more stressors than Joe Karam over past 15 years.
After rugby he amassed a personal fortune as a business entrepreneur showing his ability to take cutting edge marketing solutions and turning them into highly successful business ventures. In fact Joe set up the very first franchise ever established in New Zealand in 1978.
As a highly successful business entrepreneur Joe can speak with authority on “The art of making money out of small business”. And anything you want to know about franchising. His latest topic is "Popular versus Profitable"
Joe's sporting profile
Joseph Francis Karam was an outstanding schoolboy rugby player who went on to complete the tremendous potential he displayed as a youngster. There was no doubting he had the skills but there was also no doubting he used to the full the talents given him. Karam, so methodical was his goal-kicking and touch-finding ability, was nicknamed 'Clock'. To have Karam in the side was to have a feeling of security akin to having money in the bank.
Karam exuded so much confidence no one ever doubted the All Blacks would win the 1972 test match against Wales with Karam as the goal-kicker.
Joe Karam, of Lebanese descent, was born at Taumarunui on November 21, 1951. As a pupil at St Patrick's College, Silverstream he was a member of the First XV from 1966-68.
In 1967, a year when he scored more than 130 points for the First XV, he was a North Island secondary schoolboys representative. In 1968 he toured Fiji with the Centurion Club Colts side before joining the Marist Club in Wellington in 1969.
Arthur Carman and Arthur Swan in their 1970 Rugby Almanac recorded Karam's debut to first class rugby, for a New Zealand Junior trial team in August 1969, as 'sensational.' The trial, in which he scored 14 points from two tries, two penalty goals and a conversion, proved to be the catalyst from which Karam's provincial career for Wellington was launched.
'Clock' Karam was chosen for the New Zealand Juniors tour of Australia in 1972. It was onwards and upwards following this Junior's tour when he was part of New Zealand Colts 21-6 victory over Taranaki in July 1972.
Provincial coach Frank Ryan selected him for the Wellington team's South Island tour in 1972. An extremely hard trainer at a club level Karam was named as a full All Black for the 1972-73 tour of the British Isles and France. Another MSP man, the late Ernie Todd, was the manager of Ian Kirkpatrick's controversial 1972-73 All Blacks. Todd was an ill man during this tour and came in for considerable criticism for his handling of the Keith Murdoch incident.
On the field the tour was a successful one for Karam with test victories over Wales, Scotland and England. His cool-as-you like approach in the Welsh test saw him kick five penalties in his test debut.
Off the field, being part of a team which saw Keith Murdoch banished from its midst following the Welsh test victory, Karam learned some harsh lessons on the long, arduous 1972-73 tour, but returned to New Zealand a better, harder player for the experience and eager to do battle with the Springboks in 1973.
However when that tour was inevitably cancelled it was replaced by a four match internal-tour in 1973. Batty and Karam were part of the All Black side, under new coach J J Stewart, which lost matches against the New Zealand Juniors in Dunedin and Colin Meads' Presidents XV in Wellington. They redeemed themselves, and thereby ensured J J's future in the coaching role, with wins over New Zealand Maoris in Rotorua and the Presidents XV in Auckland. J J wielded the selectorial axe before the 1974 All Black tour of Australia with Karam listed among the 10 established All Black survivors.
The 11 wins and one draw recorded by the All Blacks on that Australian tour vindicated the new coach's selection policies. Karam's All Black career continued on via an unbeaten tour of Ireland and a drawn match against The Barbarians at the end of the 1974 season and the home test win over Scotland in 1975.
It came to an abrupt end when he announced he was going to the Glenora league club in Auckland at the beginning of the 1976 season. Joe Karam represented Auckland at league 1976/77 and the North Island.
POSITION Fullback
LAST SCHOOL St Pat's (Silverstream)
RUGBY CLUB Wellington Marist-St Pat's
PROVINCES Wellington, Horowhenua-Kapiti
ALL BLACK DEBUT 19-Oct-1972 v British Columbia at Vancouver
ALL BLACK TESTS 10
ALL BLACK GAMES 42
ALL BLACK TEST POINTS 65pts (1t, 11c, 13p, 0dg)
ALL BLACK TOTAL POINTS 345pts (6t, 81c, 51p, 2dg)
ALL BLACK NUMBER 713