A legendary New Zealand dual‑code athlete and one of the most prolific try‑scorers of his generation, Eric carved out a remarkable career across Rugby Union, Sevens, touch rugby, volleyball, and boxing. Known for his blistering pace, explosive power, and exceptional on‑field intuition, he became one of the most versatile and enduring figures in world rugby.
Eric began his first‑class career with Auckland as a dynamic flanker, renowned for having more speed than many backs. After transferring to North Harbour, he found regular game time and made the switch to the backline in 1992—an evolution that set the stage for his rise on the world stage.
From 1992 to 1996, Eric played 29 matches for the All Blacks, including nine Tests, and amassed over 200 first‑class appearances, crossing the line more than 100 times. His impact was even more profound in the global Sevens arena. Over 17 years representing New Zealand, he became one of the sport’s most influential players, captaining national sides to some of the country’s greatest Sevens achievements: the 1998 Commonwealth Games Gold in Kuala Lumpur, six consecutive World Sevens Series titles, the 2001 Rugby World Cup Sevens championship, and another Commonwealth Games Gold in Manchester in 2002.
A true multi‑sport talent, Eric also represented New Zealand in touch rugby, earned selection for the New Zealand U‑17 volleyball team, and claimed a national light‑heavyweight boxing title while still at school.
Alongside his sporting success, Eric completed a Bachelor of Laws and was admitted to the bar as a Barrister, gaining eight years of corporate legal experience before forging a career in business. Today, he is the owner and operator of a Foodstuffs supermarket, continuing his legacy of leadership, resilience, and high performance beyond the field.
Talking Points
As a company, we all really enjoyed Eric Rush as our speaker. He was funny but also inspiring. ... keep reading Johnson & Johnson Pacific
Couldn't have been better and I think Eric will prove to be one of the best speakers we've ever had
Perfect for our audience. I think the standing ovation said it all!
Eric was very good. He kept our attention through his jokes and anecdotes and had a good underlying message about attitude and motivation.
Fantastic - you could hear a pin drop in between the laughter! Some great key messages about practice makes perfect, and about always being open to opportunities. A perfect fit of speaker to situation. In our post-conference survey, Eric's session rated the highest.
He is a legend. Really motivated them, the highlight of the whole event. Exceptionally good.
Eric was great. [The audience] loved him. Great entertainment, just what we were looking for!
Exceeded our expectations by miles. Absolutely no negative feedback. He spoke for at least 75 minutes and answered questions for a further 15 - 20.
Eric was entertaining, relevant and informative. His presentation style appeals to a wide audience. An entertaining end to an excellent programme of business related presentations.
Exceeded [our expectations]. Very relaxed humorous style that truly engaged the audience. Eric received a standing ovation. Key messages of preparation, taking opportunity, striving for excellence and having fun with team mates.
From the opening line, Eric had us in fits of laughter. It was just the humour we needed and he received a standing ovation.
Eric had a great story that resonated with many of the people from our business. His speech was both entertaining and thought provoking. I would recommend him to any organisation wanting a world class speaker for their event.
