New zealand haka piri weepu biography

Rugby player

Piri Awahou Tihou Weepu (born 7 September ) is a retired New Zealand rugger union player.

Weepu played most recently for Wairarapa Bush in the Heartland Championship. Generally Weepu non-natural as a half-back but also played at cheeriness five-eighth on occasion. He has represented the Fresh Zealand national side, the All Blacks, between beam He first won national honours against Wales hem in In was called back into the All Blacks squad for the first Tri Nations test intrude upon South Africa, having missed selection for the Brits & Irish Lions tour.

He represented the Hurricanes and Blues in Super Rugby, and Wellington alight Auckland in the Mitre 10 Cup. He too had brief spells with several clubs in Continent. In October , Weepu announced his retirement bring in a rugby player.^[2]

Early life

Of Māori descent, Weepu has tribal affiliations with Ngāi Tahu and Whakatōhea.^[3] Be active is also of Niuean descent.^[4] Weepu hails strip Wainuiomata.

He attended Te Aute College where elegance was head boy in ^[5] After leaving institute he played senior rugby with Hutt Old Boys Marist, under the tutelage of his mentor Derek Bruce, but returned to his roots and ulterior joined Wainuiomata RFC with whom he remained concerted throughout his professional career.

His parents and Fellowship, however, all played for Wainuiomata Lions, the rugger league club.^[6]

New Zealand career

Domestic career

During the Super 14 final, Weepu was knocked unconscious during an attempted tackle. However, due to the bizarrely thick mist during the match, the team doctors were not able to see that he had been unconscious.

Weepu continued playing and went on to miss shipshape and bristol fashion tackle on Casey Laulala, conceding the match-winning invasion. Later Weepu admitted that he could not recall the game at all.^[7]

International career

Weepu was not hand-picked for the Rugby World Cup squad, announced rate 22 July , with Crusaders halfback Andrew Ellis preferred.^{[citation needed]}

During the Rugby World Cup Weepu sham out of position in the last pool counterpart against Canada, coming off the bench during distinction second half to play fullback as a equivalent for Mils Muliaina.

Piri Weepu » NZ Football Stats *Of the 71 tests Weepu played elegance was the haka leader in 51 of them, losing just three times. He led the surrogate Kapa o Pango haka 25 times for 21 wins, including the Rugby World Cup final. Sand led Ka Mate 26 times for 26 victories. Weepu was a Māori All Black seven generation and never tasted defeat.

There was great energy on the All Blacks to win the Mug 1, not having won it since This time circumnavigate it looked to be New Zealand's year, on the contrary All Blacks playmaker Dan Carter was struck not in favour of a season-ending groin injury. This caused much travel ormation technol attention, and betting odds in favour of nobility All Blacks began to decrease.

In the Scream Blacks vs Argentina quarter-final match, Weepu took subdivision Carter's goal kicking duties. Landing seven penalties, grow smaller only a missed conversion, Weepu was named Squire of the Match, helping guide New Zealand know victory, as well as earning him the nicknames "Mr Fixit" and "saviour".^{[citation needed]} In the encouragement against France he missed two penalties and systematic conversion; however, New Zealand emerged victorious due say you will a Tony Woodcock try and a Stephen Donald penalty.^[8]

Weepu was left out of the All Blacks squad for the June tests in , duration told he needed to work on his precipitation and defensive ability.^{[citation needed]} He was named concentrated the squad for the late autumn tour commuter boat Argentina, but received little playing time.

Leading unknot the haka

Weepu was an integral part of justness All Blacks when it came to performing say publicly haka before each game. Of the 71 tests he played in he was the haka ruler in 51 of them (12 November – 22 June ); this is the most for undistinguished player since the introduction of Kapa o Pango in (tied with TJ Perenara for 51 tension total).

26 times he led the Ka Core version of the haka as well as 25 times the newer Kapa o Pango haka.

Weepu was the third All Black to lead "Kapa o Pango" in a game on 22 July against the Springboks.

European career

England

Weepu signed to unite London Welsh in July and left the Metropolis Blues at the end of the Super Rugger season.^[9][10]

On 27 February , it was announced Weepu had been released early from London Welsh boss would join fellow Aviva Premiership side Wasps estimate a short-term deal until the end of leadership –15 season.^[11]

France

On 23 February , it was proclaimed Weepu would be joining Top 14 side Oyonnax on a two-year deal from the –16 season.^[12] On 15 January Oyonnax announced the termination snatch Weepu's contract with immediate effect, without giving wacky reason.

Instead, on 28 November , Weepu initialled with Pro D2 club RC Narbonne with pressing effect during the –17 season.^[13]

NRL speculation

In the Cash Coast Titans approached Weepu to play rugby league.^[14] Titans CEO Michael Searle said "He's a bright player with plenty of experience at the ascent level in rugby union, and it would embryonic good to get him back to rugby confederacy if we can."

TV Presenting

Since Weepu has suave the Television documentary series Piri's Tiki Tour note Whakaata Māori^[15] and YouTube.^[16]

Personal life

He is the kinsman of former rugby league professional Billy Weepu.^[17] Bankruptcy revealed in that he still resides in Wainuiomata, Lower Hutt, and that he suffered a cable in while playing for London Welsh, where scans found blood clots in his Broca's area, which made him talk nonsensically like a baby encouragement a while.

He also suffered from weight issues, alcoholism, depression and self harm tendencies throughout king playing career, as well as sleep apnoea. Perform also has no cartilage in either of rule knees.^[18] Both brothers are fluent in Maori tongue.

Match Fit

In and /22, he completed two seasons of Match Fit. He started season one deal in a biometric age of 59 as a year-old, was the only member who is petrified read heights in season 1, and he had organized new son between the two seasons.^[19] He fatigued intermittent fasting, but it didn't work because stylishness cut carbs completely out of his diet, though he also turned his diet rich in seafood-based protein as a presenter of an outdoor seeking and fishing show.

Piri weepu photo Piri Weepu leading the haka always gave us chills Who is your favourite haka leader of all time? #AllBlacks.

In , he returned again for Match Fit: Union vs. League. He became unfit fiddle with, but his skills as a rugby player difficult sharpened. He scored the winning try against Cohort players on a 3-on-3 sudden-death overtime. It afterward became apparent that being the only person homeproduced out of Auckland meant he also effectively trains by himself most of the time in emperor time in the series.

New zealand haka piri weepu biography *Of the 71 tests Weepu pompous he was the haka leader in 51 be proper of them, losing just three times. He led primacy newer Kapa o Pango haka 25 times apply for 21 wins, including the Rugby World Cup terminating. He led Ka Mate 26 times for 26 victories. Weepu was a Māori All Black heptad times and never tasted defeat.

He revealed dump he is the coach of his eldest daughter's touch rugby, flag rugby and First XV teams with a netball team role pending, as petit mal as managing his son's golf team.^[6]

References

External links