Ardie Savea facts for kids
Savea representing New Zealand during the haka
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| Full name | Ardie Suemalo Savea | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Date of birth | 14 October 1993 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Wellington, New Zealand | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 185 cm (6 ft 1 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 112 kg (247 lb; 17 st 9 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| School | Rongotai College | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Notable relative(s) | Julian Savea (brother) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Ardie Suemalo Savea, born on October 14, 1993, is a professional rugby union player from New Zealand. He plays as a Number 8 or Flanker. These are important positions in rugby. Ardie plays for the Moana Pasifika team in Super Rugby. He also plays for Wellington in the Bunnings NPC. In 2023, he was named the World Rugby Player of the Year. This is a huge award in rugby!
Contents
Early Life and School
Ardie Savea comes from a Samoan family. He went to Rongotai College for high school. In his last year, he was the captain of the school's top rugby team. He was also the head prefect, which is a big leadership role. In high school, Ardie played as an outside centre. Later, he moved to a forward position in professional rugby.
Ardie's Rugby Journey
Starting His Career
Ardie Savea played for the New Zealand Sevens team. This is a faster, seven-a-side version of rugby. In 2013, he joined the Hurricanes team. He signed a two-year contract with them.
In November 2013, Ardie traveled with the All Blacks, New Zealand's national team. His older brother, Julian, also went. The coach, Steve Hansen, wanted to show Ardie what being an All Black was like. Ardie was the first "apprentice" player for the All Blacks. This means he learned from the team without playing in games.
Playing for the Hurricanes and All Blacks
In 2015, Ardie became a regular player for the Hurricanes. He played many games during the 2015 Super Rugby season. He also became captain for the Wellington team that year. Wellington reached the final of their competition, but they lost by a very close score.
In 2016, Ardie decided not to play for the Sevens team anymore. He was then chosen for the All Blacks squad. He made his first appearance for the All Blacks on June 11, 2016. He came off the bench in a game against Wales. The All Blacks won that game. In his second game, he scored a try in front of his home crowd in Wellington.
Ardie continued to play well for the All Blacks. In a game against South Africa, he and his brother Julian both scored tries. They were the first brothers in All Blacks history to do this in the same game! Ardie played 12 games for the All Blacks in his first year.
Key Moments: 2017-2018
Ardie was one of the top try-scorers in the 2017 Super Rugby season. He scored six tries that year. He even scored two tries in the first ten minutes of a game!
He also played against the British and Irish Lions in 2017. He scored two tries in a big win against Samoa. Ardie often came off the bench to make a big impact in games. He was known for his strong play.
In 2018, Ardie continued to shine. He scored an amazing try against France. He also played a full game against Argentina and was named "Man of the Match." This was his first big award in international rugby. He scored a crucial try in the last minute of a game against South Africa, helping the All Blacks win!
Ardie became a regular starter for New Zealand later in 2018. Many people thought he was one of the best New Zealand players that year. He scored three tries, more than any other All Black forward.
World Cup and Top Awards
In 2019, Ardie was a very important player for the Hurricanes. Even famous former All Blacks praised his consistent performances. His teammate, Beauden Barrett, called him the All Blacks' "most influential player."
Ardie was chosen for New Zealand's squad for the 2019 Rugby World Cup. He played in all the pool matches. In the semi-final against England, he scored New Zealand's only try. New Zealand won the bronze medal at this World Cup.
Ardie was nominated for the World Rugby Player of the Year award in 2019. His brother Julian had also been nominated before. This made them the first brothers to both be nominated for this top award. Ardie also won the New Zealand rugby player of the year award.
In 2023, Ardie Savea was officially named the World Rugby Player of the Year. This is one of the highest honors a rugby player can receive.
Personal Life
Ardie's older brother, Julian Savea, is also a famous rugby player. Julian used to play as a wing for the Hurricanes and the All Blacks. Ardie is married to his partner, Saskia. They have three children.
Outside of rugby, Ardie and his wife run a clothing company. Ardie also speaks out about mental health. He has even started his own podcast.
Rugby Achievements
- New Zealand
- Rugby World Cup
- Third Place: 2019
- Second Place: 2023
- Individual Awards
- 1× World Rugby Men's 15s Player of the Year: 2023
- Super Rugby
- 2016 Champions
Images for kids
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Ardie Savea performing the haka for New Zealand.
See also
In Spanish: Ardie Savea para niños
