Liam Messam

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Liam Messam
Liam Messam at fundraiser dinner.jpeg
Full name Liam Justin Messam
Date of birth (1984-03-25) 25 March 1984 (age 41)
Place of birth Blenheim, New Zealand
Height tall1.88 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– Toshiba Brave Lupus
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)
2006–15 Chiefs 144 (150)
correct as of 21 June 2015.
National team(s)
Years Club / team Caps (points)
2008–2015 New Zealand 43 (30)
correct as of 9 October 2015.
Liam Messam
Medal record
Representing  New Zealand
Men's Rugby
Commonwealth Games
Gold medal – first place 2006 Melbourne Rugby 7's
Gold medal – first place 2010 Delhi Rugby 7's

Liam Messam (born 25 March 1984 in Blenheim) 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.

He has also 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.[3][4]

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.

References

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External links

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  2. ↑ Profile at the New Zealand Commonwealth Games website
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