Mahonri Schwalger facts for kids
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| Full name | Mahonri Schwalger | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Date of birth | 15 September 1978 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Apia, Samoa | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 106 kg (234 lb; 16 st 10 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| School | Waitakere College, Auckland | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Notable relative(s) | John Schwalger (nephew) Oneata Schwalger (niece) |
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| Occupation(s) | Rugby union coach | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Mahonri Schwalger, born on September 15, 1978, is a former professional rugby union player from Samoa. He played as a hooker, which is a key position in rugby. He played for teams like the Chiefs in the Super Rugby competition and Counties Manukau in New Zealand. Mahonri was also the captain of the Samoan national team during the 2011 Rugby World Cup.
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Playing for Rugby Clubs
Mahonri Schwalger was born in Samoa. He moved to New Zealand when he was young. There, he went to Waitakere College in Auckland.
Early Club Career in New Zealand
Schwalger started his professional rugby career in 1999. He played for Hawke's Bay. His first game was against Waikato. He played 44 matches for Hawke's Bay.
In 2004, Schwalger moved to Wellington. His strong performance there led him to join the Highlanders for the 2005 Super 12 season. He played 5 games for the Highlanders. He was a backup hooker to All Black player Anton Oliver. After playing two more seasons with Wellington, Schwalger was chosen to play for the Hurricanes in the 2007 Super 14 season. He played 9 games for the Hurricanes, starting one of them.
Playing in Europe
In 2007, Mahonri Schwalger moved to Europe. He signed with the Llanelli Scarlets in the Celtic League. After two seasons with the Scarlets, he joined the Sale Sharks in the Guinness Premiership.
Return to New Zealand Rugby
Schwalger left Sale at the start of the 2010–11 season. He returned to New Zealand and signed with Taranaki. He played for them for the rest of the 2010 ITM Cup. His good performance with Taranaki helped him get another Super Rugby contract. He rejoined the Highlanders, where he had played before in 2005. He played 12 games for the Highlanders in the 2011 season, starting 5 of them.
After the Highlanders signed another player, Andrew Hore, Schwalger moved teams. He signed with the Chiefs for the 2012 season. In July 2012, Schwalger also signed with Counties Manukau. He played for them in the 2012 ITM Cup for two seasons.
Mahonri Schwalger had three successful seasons with the Chiefs. They won the Super Rugby titles in 2012 and 2013. He decided to retire from playing rugby in 2014.
International Rugby Career
Schwalger made his first appearance for the Samoan national team in 2000. This game was against Wales. He became a regular player for Samoa. He represented his country in the 2003 and 2007 Rugby World Cup tournaments.
Mahonri was known for his leadership skills. He was the team captain for Samoa at the 2011 Rugby World Cup. He also played for the Pacific Islanders team. This team toured Europe at the end of 2006.
