Liam Messam

Liam Messam
Full name Liam Justin Messam
Date of birth (1984-03-25) 25 March 1984
Place of birth Blenheim, New Zealand
Height 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)
Weight 108 kg (238 lb)
School Rotorua Boys' High School
Rugby union career
Playing career
Position Flanker
New Zealand No. 1082
Amateur clubs
Years Club / team
Hautapu
Professional / senior clubs
Years Club / team Caps (points)
2015–2016 Toshiba Brave Lupus 4 (5)
correct as of 24 July 2016.
Provincial/State sides
Years Club / team Caps (points)
2003–15 Waikato 85 (148)
correct as of 9 October 2015.
Super Rugby
Years Club / team Caps (points)
2006–2015, 2017- Chiefs 146 (150)
correct as of 31 July 2016.
National team(s)
Years Club / team Caps (points)
2008–2015 New Zealand 43 (30)
correct as of 9 October 2015.
Sevens national teams
Years Club / team Comps
New Zealand 21
correct as of 14 March 2016.
Medal record
Representing  New Zealand
Men's Rugby
Commonwealth Games
2006 Melbourne Rugby sevens
2010 Delhi Rugby sevens

Liam Justin Messam (born 25 March 1984) is a New Zealand rugby union player who plays for the Super Rugby franchise the Chiefs, with 130 caps which makes him the most-capped Chiefs player to date, and for Waikato in the ITM Cup. Messam predominantly plays as a blindside flanker. After the retirement of then Chiefs captain Mils Muliaina, Messam was named the team's new co-captain from 2012 onwards, alongside Aaron Cruden.

In October 2008, Messam was selected in the All Blacks end of year tour squad to tour Hong Kong and Europe. He played one test against Scotland and one match against Munster. He subsequently appeared several more times for New Zealand but was dropped a month out of the 2011 Rugby World Cup in favour of Victor Vito.[1] Since debuting in 2008 he has won 40 test caps.

In 2004, at the age of just 20, he captained the New Zealand sevens teams to its fifth IRB Sevens World Series title and in 2005 led the team to the final. Messam also played in the New Zealand sevens teams that won gold at the 2006 Commonwealth Games and 2010 Commonwealth Games.[2] In 2004 he was also named New Zealand Sevens Player of the Year.

Of Māori descent, Messam affiliates to the Ngāi Tūhoe iwi.[3] He has played for the New Zealand Maori, including during the 2006 Churchill Cup and the 2010 centenary series, where he captained the side. In 2012 and 2013 Messam was awarded the Tom French Cup as Māori Player of the Year.[4][5]

On 31 January 2015, Messam fought on the undercard of close friend Sonny Bill Williams' boxing bout.

Messam was selected for the 2015 Rugby World Cup as part of the All Blacks' 31-man squad. After the history-making tournament was finished, Messam announced the will to compete in the Rugby Sevens for the 2016 Olympic Games.

Messam was later named in the All Black Sevens' squad for the Wellington Sevens alongside All Blacks teammate Sonny Bill Williams.

The most capped player for the franchise, with two title wins as captain, Messam is arguably the greatest player in Chiefs history.

References

  1. ↑ "Rugby World Cup 2011: All Blacks pick Vito, omit Sivivatu & Gear". BBC. 23 August 2011. Retrieved 29 October 2015.
  2. ↑ Profile at the New Zealand Commonwealth Games website
  3. ↑ "43 Māori athletes to head to Rio Olympics". Te Karere. 5 August 2016. Retrieved 6 August 2016.
  4. ↑ "Ray Watson, Liam Messam winners at Rugby Awards". Rotorua Daily Post. APN Holdings. 14 December 2012. Archived from the original on 23 February 2013. Retrieved 3 April 2013.
  5. ↑ McKendry, Patrick (5 December 2013). "Read, All Blacks, Hansen scoop top NZ rugby awards". NZ Herald. APN Holdings. Retrieved 5 December 2013.
Awards
Preceded by
Piri Weepu		 Tom French Memorial
Māori rugby union player of the year
2012, 2013 		Succeeded by
Aaron Smith
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