Joe Karam

Sporting Personality and Celebrity available as Professional Keynote Business Speaker on Business and Motivational topics.

Based in Auckland New Zealand.
Available locally and internationally.

When you think of famous New Zealand Rugby Fullbacks you immediately think of George Nepia, Don Clarke, Fergie McCormick and Joe Karam.

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.

Joe Karam, 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.

Karam 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.
 
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.

Provincial coach Frank Ryan selected him for the Wellington team's South Island tour in 1972. An extremely hard trainer at a club level Joe 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 Joe 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.

The 11 wins and one draw recorded by the All Blacks on that Australian tour vindicated the new coach's selection policies. Joe 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.

Karam returned to the limelight as campaigner and author seeking the release of convicted Dunedin murderer David Bain.