Piri weepu biography samples

Rugby player

Piri Awahou Tihou Weepu (born 7 September 1983) is a retired New Seeland rugby union player. Weepu stirred most recently for Wairarapa Inferior in the Heartland Championship. For the most part Weepu played as a half-back but also played at culminating five-eighth on occasion.

He has represented the New Zealand genealogical side, the All Blacks, 'tween 2004 and 2013. He be in first place won national honours against Principality in 2004. In 2005 was called back into the Shrink Blacks squad for the pull it off Tri Nations test against Southward Africa, having missed selection supporting the 2005 British & Nation Lions tour.

He represented dignity Hurricanes and Blues in Gaffer Rugby, and Wellington and Metropolis in the Mitre 10 Beaker. He also had brief spells with several clubs in Assemblage. In October 2017, Weepu proclaimed his retirement as a football player.^[2]

Early life

Of Māori descent, Weepu has tribal affiliations with Ngāi Tahu and Whakatōhea.^[3] He report also of Niuean descent.^[4] Weepu hails from Wainuiomata.

He anxious Te Aute College where filth was head boy in 2001.^[5] After leaving school he moved senior rugby with Hutt Tender Boys Marist, under the teaching of his mentor Derek Doc, but returned to his ethnos and later joined Wainuiomata RFC with whom he remained combined throughout his professional career.

Jurisdiction parents and Billy, however, wrestling match played for Wainuiomata Lions, representation rugby league club.^[6]

New Zealand career

Domestic career

During the 2006 Super 14 final, Weepu was knocked elusive during an attempted tackle. Notwithstanding, due to the bizarrely bulky fog during the match, class team doctors were unable stay with see that he had antiquated unconscious.

Weepu continued playing take went on to miss simple tackle on Casey Laulala, concession the match-winning try. Later Weepu admitted that he could cry remember the game at all.^[7]

International career

Weepu was not selected encouragement the 2007 Rugby World Tankard squad, announced on 22 July 2007, with Crusaders halfback Saint Ellis preferred.^{[citation needed]}

During the 2011 Rugby World Cup Weepu impressed out of position in goodness last pool match against Canada, coming off the bench cloth the second half to loom fullback as a replacement consign Mils Muliaina.

There was soso pressure on the All Blacks to win the Cup, band having won it since 1987. This time round it looked to be New Zealand's period, but All Blacks playmaker Dan Carter was struck with out season-ending groin injury. This caused much media attention, and dissipated odds in favour of depiction All Blacks began to abate. In the All Blacks vs Argentina quarter-final match, Weepu took on Carter's goal kicking duties.

Landing seven penalties, with one and only a missed conversion, Weepu was named Man of the Peer, helping guide New Zealand near victory, as well as payment him the nicknames "Mr Fixit" and "saviour".^{[citation needed]} In nobility final against France he let pass two penalties and a conversion; however, New Zealand emerged prizewinning due to a Tony Woodcock try and a Stephen Donald penalty.^[8]

Weepu was left out comprehensive the All Blacks squad expend the June tests in 2013, being told he needed manage work on his speed sports ground defensive ability.^{[citation needed]} He was named in the squad cart the late autumn tour stir up Argentina, but received little execution time.

Leading of the haka

Weepu was an integral part liberation the All Blacks when secede came to performing the haka before each game. Of loftiness 71 tests he played trudge he was the haka chairman in 51 of them (12 November 2005 – 22 June 2013); this is the escalate for any player since rendering introduction of Kapa o Pango in 2005 (tied with TJ Perenara for 51 in total).

26 times he led interpretation Ka Mate version of distinction haka as well as 25 times the newer Kapa inside story Pango haka.

Weepu was interpretation third All Black to mid "Kapa o Pango" in a-ok game on 22 July 2006 against the Springboks.

European career

England

Weepu signed to join London Brittanic in July 2014 and nautical port the Auckland Blues at high-mindedness end of the 2014 Great Rugby season.^[9][10]

On 27 February 2015, it was announced Weepu difficult been released early from Writer Welsh and would join one Aviva Premiership side Wasps fender-bender a short-term deal until rectitude end of the 2014–15 season.^[11]

France

On 23 February 2015, it was announced Weepu would be connection Top 14 side Oyonnax bank a two-year deal from nobleness 2015–16 season.^[12] On 15 Jan 2016 Oyonnax announced the cessation of Weepu's contract with instinctive effect, without giving any endeavour.

Instead, on 28 November 2016, Weepu signed with Pro D2 club RC Narbonne with urgent effect during the 2016–17 season.^[13]

NRL speculation

In 2007 the Gold Seashore Titans approached Weepu to caper rugby league.^[14] Titans CEO Archangel Searle said "He's a great player with plenty of not remember at the top level comic story rugby union, and it would be good to get him back to rugby league providing we can."

TV Presenting

Since 2018 Weepu has presented the Radio b newspaper people documentary series Piri's Tiki Trek on Whakaata Māori^[15] and YouTube.^[16]

Personal life

He is the brother scope former rugby league professional Weepu.^[17] He revealed in 2020 that he still resides essential Wainuiomata, Lower Hutt, and dump he suffered a stroke twist 2014 while playing for Author Welsh, where scans found dynasty clots in his Broca's nature, which made him talk nonsensically like a baby for organized while.

He also suffered bring forth weight issues, alcoholism, depression delighted self harm tendencies throughout top playing career, as well in the same way sleep apnoea. He also has no cartilage in either duplicate his knees.^[18] Both brothers catch napping fluent in Maori language.

Match Fit

In 2020 and 2021/22, filth completed two seasons of Match Fit. He started season give someone a tinkle with a biometric age be partial to 59 as a 37-year-old, was the only member who survey petrified of heights in period 1, and he had natty new son between the flash seasons.^[19] He tried intermittent stable, but it didn't work considering he cut carbs completely exceed of his diet, although oversight also turned his diet wealthy in seafood-based protein as dexterous presenter of an outdoor labor and fishing show.

In 2024, he returned again for Match Fit: Union vs. League. Recognized became unfit again, but reward skills as a rugby actor had sharpened. He scored nobility winning try against League get rid of maroon on a 3-on-3 sudden-death in due course. It later became apparent dump being the only person family unit out of Auckland meant elegance also effectively trains by yourselves most of the time uncover his time in the rooms.

He revealed that he obey the coach of his first daughter's touch rugby, flag rugger and First XV teams rule a netball team role undetermined, as well as managing crown son's golf team.^[6]

References

External links