Liam Messam facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Liam Messam

Messam in 2010
Birth name	Liam Justin Messam
Date of birth	(1984-03-25) 25 March 1984 (age 41)
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
Rugby union career
Position(s) Blindside Flanker, Number 8 Amateur team(s) Years Team Apps (Points) 2005–2016 Hautapu RFC () Senior career Years Team Apps (Points) 2015–2018 Toshiba Brave Lupus 26 (15) 2018–2020 Toulon 38 (25) Correct as of 11 May 2021 Provincial / State sides Years Team Apps (Points) 2003– Waikato 104 (148) Correct as of 15 September 2022 Super Rugby Years Team Apps (Points) 2006–15, 17–18, 21– Chiefs 184 (160) Correct as of 11 May 2021 National team(s) Years Team Apps (Points) 2008–2015 New Zealand 43 (30) Correct as of 11 May 2021 National sevens team(s) Years Team Comps Correct as of 11 May 2021
Liam Messam Statistics Height 190 cm Boxing record Total fights 7 Wins 7 Wins by KO 1 Losses 0 Draws 0

Liam Justin Messam, born on March 25, 1984, is a retired New Zealand rugby player. He played rugby union for teams like RC Toulonnais in France. In New Zealand, he was a key player for the Chiefs in Super Rugby and for Waikato. Liam usually played as a flanker, which is a position that helps both attack and defense. He could also play as a Number 8. Liam became a co-captain for the Chiefs team in 2012. Besides rugby, he is also a professional boxer.

Liam Messam's Rugby Journey

Playing for New Zealand

In October 2008, Liam Messam was chosen to join the All Blacks. This is New Zealand's national rugby team. He went on a tour to Hong Kong and Europe. He played one important match against Scotland. He also played another game against Munster.

Liam played for the All Blacks many more times. He earned 40 "test caps," which means he played in 40 international matches. He was part of the team until just before the 2011 Rugby World Cup.

Rugby Sevens Success

Liam Messam also had a great career in rugby sevens. This is a faster version of rugby with fewer players. In 2004, when he was only 20, he led the New Zealand sevens team. They won their fifth IRB Sevens World Series title. In 2005, he led them to the final again.

Messam was also part of the New Zealand sevens teams that won gold medals. They won at the 2006 Commonwealth Games and the 2010 Commonwealth Games. In 2004, he was named New Zealand Sevens Player of the Year. This shows how talented he was.

Rugby World Cup and Olympics

Liam Messam was chosen for the All Blacks' 31-man squad for the 2015 Rugby World Cup. After this big tournament, Liam decided he wanted to play rugby sevens again. His goal was to compete in the Rio Olympics 2016.

He was then named in the All Black Sevens' squad for the Wellington Sevens. He played alongside another famous All Blacks player, Sonny Bill Williams. After the Rio Olympics, Messam returned to play for the Chiefs. He helped the team when many players were injured.

Leading the Haka

Liam Messam was a very important part of the All Blacks' traditions. He led the haka in 21 of the 43 test matches he played. The haka is a traditional Māori dance. It is performed by the All Blacks before their games.

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.

Liam Messam's Boxing Career

Liam Messam is also a professional boxer. He started his boxing career in January 2015. His first fight was against Rhys Sullivan. Liam won this fight by a unanimous decision. This means all the judges agreed he won.

Six years later, Liam returned to the boxing ring. He fought in a charity match to raise money for a young boy named Antonio Pohatu-Barbarich. Antonio was being treated for brain cancer. Liam fought Joe Ageli in April 2021 and won again by unanimous decision.

Since returning to boxing, Liam has been training with Cairo George. Cairo George is a retired professional boxer. Liam has continued to win his fights. In July 2022, he won his first fight by stoppage against Tussi Asafo. He finished 2022 with another win against Mathew Matich.

Boxing Record

Personal Life and Heritage

Liam Messam has a brother named Sam Messam. Sam is also an athlete. He played for the All Whites (New Zealand's national soccer team) at the 2008 London Olympics.

Liam Messam is also involved in health and wellness. He prefers natural ways to help with pain and stress. In 2020, he started a company called Ora CBD with Teddy Stanaway.

Māori Heritage

Liam Messam is of Māori descent. The Māori are the native people of New Zealand. He belongs to the Ngāi Tūhoe iwi, which is a Māori tribe. Liam has also shared that he has Samoan and Scottish family roots.

He has played for the New Zealand Māori team. This team is made up of players of Māori heritage. He played with them in the 2006 Churchill Cup. He also played in their 2010 centenary series, where he was the captain. Liam was recognized for his contributions to Māori rugby. He won the Tom French Cup as Māori Player of the Year in both 2012 and 2013.

See also

In Spanish: Liam Messam para niños