Chris Latham started playing rugby at the age of 18, having grown up in Narrabri in rural NSW and preferring soccer in his youth. He was a natural talent and started his professional career with the Waratahs then moving north in 1998 to start a highly decorated career with the Queensland Reds. He debuted with for the Wallabies later that year against France.
Latham was exceptionally talented and set the standards of what a full-back should aspire to be. Latham was a talent that only comes around once in a while he was blessed with a boot that could smash the ball into the neighbouring town, an attacking ability that saw him score 40 international tries and a bone-crunching tackle that most players wouldn't want to receive twice.
He made his international debut against France on the 1998 Spring Tour and represented the Wallabies at three Rugby World Cups (1999, 2003 and 2007). At the 2003 tournament, he racked up an Australian record five-try haul against the helpless Namibia.
On 12 September 2006, he became the first backline player to be awarded the John Eales Medal (Australian rugby player of the year) and was later nominated by the International Rugby Board for Player of the Year, edged out for the award by New Zealand's Richie McCaw.
After a frustrating end to 2007 and start to the 2008 Super Rugby season where he battled a knee injury his representative career in Australia came to an untimely close in his return match against the Crusaders. In what should have been his penultimate appearance for the Queensland Reds, he ruptured his pectoral muscle 13 minutes into the game, drawing an end to his playing days in Australia.
Ahead of the 2008 season, Latham announced that he would be joining Worcester Warriors at the end of the Super Rugby season. Following 2 seasons with Worcester Latham headed to Japan to represent Kyuden Voltex, he spent two years at the club and retired from professional rugby in 2012, having made 78 appearances for the Wallabies scoring 40 tries (200 points)
JW April 2017
Career
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NSW Waratahs Fullback |
1997 - 1998 |
 |
Australia Fullback |
1998 - 2007 |
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Queensland Reds Fullback |
1998 - 2008 |
 |
Worcester Warriors Fullback |
2008 - 2010 |
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Kyuden Voltex Fullback |
2010 - 2012 |
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Utah Warriors Head Coach |
2020 - 2021 |
