Liam Messam facts for kids
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| Birth name | Liam Justin Messam | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Date of birth | 25 March 1984 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Blenheim, New Zealand | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 109 kg (240 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| School | Rotorua Boys' High School | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Notable relative(s) | Sam Messam (brother) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Spouse | Monique Corbett | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Liam Justin Messam (born March 25, 1984) is a retired New Zealand rugby union player. He used to play for RC Toulonnais in France's top league, TOP14. In Super Rugby, he played for the Chiefs. He also played for Waikato in New Zealand's ITM Cup.
Liam Messam mainly played as a blindside flanker. He could also play as a Number 8 or openside flanker. After the Chiefs' captain retired, Liam became a co-captain for the team in 2012, sharing the role with Aaron Cruden.
Besides rugby, he is also a professional boxer.
Contents
Rugby Career Highlights
Playing for New Zealand
In October 2008, Liam Messam was chosen to join the All Blacks for their tour to Hong Kong and Europe. He played one test match against Scotland. He also played in a game against Munster. Over his career, he played 40 test matches for the All Blacks.
When he was just 20 years old in 2004, Liam captained the New Zealand sevens team. He led them to win their fifth IRB Sevens World Series title. In 2005, he led the team to the final again. Liam also helped the New Zealand sevens teams win gold medals at the 2006 Commonwealth Games and the 2010 Commonwealth Games. In 2004, he was named New Zealand Sevens Player of the Year.
Rugby World Cup and Olympics
Liam Messam was picked for the All Blacks' 31-man squad for the 2015 Rugby World Cup. After the World Cup, Liam decided to try out for rugby sevens again. He wanted to compete in the Rio Olympics 2016. He was then named in the All Black Sevens' squad for the Wellington Sevens, playing alongside Sonny Bill Williams. After the Rio Olympics, Liam returned to play for the Chiefs in 2017 and 2018.
Leading the Haka
The Haka is a traditional Māori dance or challenge. Liam Messam was the leader of the Haka in 21 of the 43 test matches he played. He led the "Ka Mate" version of the Haka nine times. He also led the newer "Kapa o Pango" Haka twelve times. This makes him the third highest leader of the "Kapa o Pango" Haka.
Professional Boxing Career
Liam Messam started his professional boxing career in January 2015. His first fight was against Rhys Sullivan. Liam won this fight by a unanimous decision, meaning all judges agreed he won.
Six years later, Liam returned to boxing for a special charity fight. This fight helped raise money for a young boy named Antonio Pohatu-Barbarich, who was being treated for brain cancer. In April 2021, Liam fought Joe Ageli and won by unanimous decision. Since returning to boxing, he has been training with Cairo George, a retired professional boxer. He trains alongside Olympic Bronze medalist David Nyika.
Liam had his third professional fight in May 2022 against Thomas Russell. He won this fight by unanimous decision too. In July 2022, Liam fought Tussi Asafo and won his first fight by a stoppage. He finished his 2022 boxing year in December by fighting Mathew Matich, winning by unanimous decision.
Boxing Record
| 7 fights | 7 wins | 0 losses |
| By knockout | 1 | 0 |
| By decision | 6 | 0 |
| No. | Result | Record | Opponent | Type | Round, time | Date | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | Win | 7–0 | Darryl Takerei | UD | 4 | May 25, 2024 | TSB Stadium, New Plymouth, New Zealand | |
| 6 | Win | 6–0 | Kyle Mereweather | UD | 4 | Nov 23, 2023 | YMCA Stadium, Hamilton, New Zealand | |
| 5 | Win | 5–0 | Mathew Matich | UD | 4 | Dec 3, 2022 | Grassroots Trust Velodrome, Cambridge, New Zealand | |
| 4 | Win | 4–0 | Tussi Asafo | TKO | 2 (4) | Jul 30, 2022 | YMCA Stadium, Hamilton, New Zealand | |
| 3 | Win | 3–0 | Thomas Russell | UD | 4 | May 13, 2022 | TSB Stadium, New Plymouth, New Zealand | |
| 2 | Win | 2–0 | Joe Ageli | UD | 4 | Apr 17, 2021 | Don Rowlands Event Centre, Lake Karapiro, New Zealand | |
| 1 | Win | 1–0 | Rhys Sullivan | UD | 4 | Jan 31, 2015 | Qudos Bank Arena, New South Wales, Australia |
Personal Life
Liam Messam's brother, Sam Messam, is also an athlete. Sam played football for the All Whites at the 2008 London Olympics.
Liam has always been interested in natural health options. He uses them to help with physical pain and the mental challenges that high-level athletes face. In 2020, Liam started a company called Ora CBD with Teddy Stanaway. They wanted to offer natural alternatives for health and wellness.
Māori Heritage
Liam Messam is of Māori descent. His family is connected to the Ngāi Tūhoe iwi, which is a Māori tribe. Liam has also mentioned that he has Samoan and Scottish heritage.
He has played for the New Zealand Māori team. This included playing in the 2006 Churchill Cup and the 2010 centenary series, where he was the team captain. In 2012 and 2013, Liam Messam received the Tom French Cup. This award is given to the Māori Player of the Year.
See also
In Spanish: Liam Messam para niños
