Keven Mealamu facts for kids
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| Birth name | Keven Filipo Mealamu | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Date of birth | 20 March 1979 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Tokoroa, New Zealand | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.81 m (5 ft 11+1⁄2 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 111 kg (17 st 7 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| School | Aorere College | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Spouse | Latai Mealamu | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Keven Filipo Mealamu MNZM (born 20 March 1979) is a former New Zealand rugby union player. He played as a hooker. Keven played for the Blues in Super Rugby and for Auckland in the National Provincial Championship. He also played for the New Zealand national team, known as the All Blacks.
Keven was part of the Blues team that won the Super 12 title in 2003. He was also a key player in the All Blacks teams that won the 2011 and 2015 Rugby World Cups. This made him one of only 21 players to win the Rugby World Cup more than once. In 2012, he became the third All Black to play 100 test matches.
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Early Life and Rugby Start
Keven Mealamu's grandparents moved to New Zealand from Samoa. He grew up in Tokoroa, where his dad worked at a timber mill. His father was also a champion bodybuilder. Later, his family moved to Auckland because the timber industry slowed down.
Keven went to Aorere College. His brother, Luke Mealamu, who also played rugby for Manu Samoa, now works there. When Keven was a schoolboy, he played as a flanker. He played for New Zealand Under-16s and New Zealand Schools. In 1998, he changed his position to hooker. After finishing school, he trained as a signwriter, just in case his rugby career didn't work out.
Rugby Career Highlights
Keven Mealamu started his professional rugby career in 1999. He made his first appearance for Auckland against North Harbour. In 2000, he began playing for the Blues. He also played briefly for the Chiefs in 2002. That same year, he made his debut for the All Blacks.
In 2006, Keven scored two tries against the Wallabies. This helped the All Blacks start their Tri Nations campaign strongly. He captained the Blues in 2006 but had to give up the role in 2007 due to his commitments with the All Blacks. In 2014, Keven Mealamu made his 150th appearance for the Blues. He was the first player in Super Rugby history to play 150 games for one team.
Playing for New Zealand
Keven Mealamu played his first game for the All Blacks on 23 November 2002. This match was against Wales in Cardiff. In 2008, he was made test captain for a match against Scotland. This happened during the All Blacks' Grand Slam tour. He was a key part of New Zealand's team that won the 2011 Rugby World Cup.
Keven was known for his strong and tough tackles during games. The 2015 Rugby World Cup final on 31 October was his last match as an All Black. He was one of six experienced players who retired from international rugby after the competition. In 2016, Keven Mealamu was given the title of Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit. This award was for his great contributions to rugby.
Leading the Haka
Keven Mealamu became an important leader for the All Blacks. He led the haka 31 times before matches. The haka is a traditional Māori dance and challenge. He led the Ka Mate version 23 times and the newer Kapa o Pango version 8 times. His first time leading the team in the haka was in September 2007 against Italy. In his final international match, he led the Kapa o Pango haka. This was before the final against Australia in the 2015 Rugby World Cup.
Life Outside Rugby
Keven Mealamu has also been involved in local community work. In 2019, he was elected to the Papakura Local Board. This board helps make decisions for the local area.
Keven is a talented artist. He has drawn pictures for several books. These books were created to help raise money for the Starship Children's Hospital. In December 2024, he was appointed to the board of Creative New Zealand. This organization supports arts and culture in New Zealand.
Keven is a Catholic. He married his wife, Latai, in 2003. They have two children together.
Images for kids
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A robot image, like the one used in the "See also" section of the original article.
