Pita Alatini facts for kids
| Birth name | Pita Faiva-ki-moana Alatini | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 11 April 1976 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Nukuʻalofa, Tonga | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.79 m (5 ft 10 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 90 kg (14 st 2 lb; 198 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| School | King's College | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| University | University of Otago | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Notable relative(s) | Anthony Alatini Sam Alatini (brothers) |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Spouse | Megan Cassie | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Children | Tonica (daughter) Tiara (daughter) Trey (son) |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Pita Faiva-ki-moana Alatini (born 11 April 1976) is a former professional rugby union player. He mostly played as a midfield back. Pita was born in Tonga, but he played for the New Zealand national team, also known as the All Blacks. He played 17 test matches for them between 1999 and 2001. During these games, he scored six tries.
Pita Alatini played many games for different teams in New Zealand. He played 81 matches in the NPC for four teams. These teams were Counties-Manukau, Southland, Otago, and Wellington. He also played 72 Super 12 matches for four different teams. These were the Crusaders, Chiefs, Highlanders, and Hurricanes. Later in his career, he played rugby professionally in Japan for Suntory Sungoliath and Kamaishi Seawaves.
Pita is married to Megan Alatini, who is a pop singer and actress. His brothers, Tevita, Anthony, and Sam Alatini, have all played for the Tonga national rugby union team.
Contents
Pita Alatini's Rugby Journey
Pita Alatini moved to Auckland, New Zealand, from Tonga when he was a child. He went to King's College. During his school years, he played for the national secondary school rugby team in 1993 and 1994. He also played for the national under-19 team in 1995.
In 1995 and 1996, Pita played 30 matches for the Counties-Manukau team in the NPC. In 1996, he played five matches for the Crusaders in the Super 12 competition. The next year, in 1997, he played for the New Zealand Colts team and three Super 12 matches for the Chiefs.
Playing as a Midfielder
From 1997 to 1998, Pita played for Southland in the NPC. This is when he started to focus on playing as a midfielder. Before this, he often played as a fullback. From 1998 to 2001, Pita played for the Highlanders in the Super 12. During this time, he became a regular player for the All Blacks.
In 2002 and 2003, Pita played for the Hurricanes in the Super 12 and Wellington in the NPC. After this, he was no longer chosen for the All Blacks team. In 2004, he moved to Japan to play for Suntory Sungoliath. In 2006, he left Suntory to play for Kamaishi Seawaves.
Coaching Career
In 2013, Pita Alatini started a new job as the Director of Rugby at Pakuranga United Rugby Club. This club is in Auckland's eastern suburbs. In his first year coaching the main team, he led Pakuranga United to win the Gallaher Shield. This was the first time the club had won it in 48 years.
Playing for the All Blacks
Pita Alatini played his first game for the All Blacks on 11 June 1999. This was a match against New Zealand A, which the All Blacks won 22–11. His first official test match was on 26 June 1999, against France. The All Blacks won this game 54–7.
Pita was chosen for the 1999 Rugby World Cup team. He played in a pool match against Italy, which the All Blacks won by a huge score of 101–3. He also came on as a replacement player in the game for third place against South Africa. South Africa won that game 22–18.
Later All Black Matches
Pita was the first-choice second five-eighth for the All Blacks during the 2000 Tri Nations. He also went on the All Blacks' tour to France and Italy at the end of that year. He was not in the starting team for the test matches against France. The coaches preferred another player, Daryl Gibson, because of his stronger defense. Pita was a reserve player in the second test against France and started the test against Italy.
He got his spot back as the first-choice second five-eighth for the 2001 domestic tests and Tri Nations. Pita played his last test match for the All Blacks on 1 September 2001. This was a close game against Australia, which Australia won 29–26.
After the 2001 Tri Nations, new coaches took over the All Blacks team. Pita was chosen for the All Blacks one last time for a tour of Ireland and Argentina in 2001. However, he played with the mid-week team. The new coaches preferred Aaron Mauger for the main test matches because of his better passing skills.
Life After Rugby
After his professional rugby career, Pita Alatini took part in a TV show called Match Fit. In the first season, he was one of only two people to finish the program. He had a very low "metabolic age," meaning his body was very fit for his age.
He returned for the second season of Match Fit in 2021 as a backup player. During a rugby scrimmage, he dislocated his shoulder after scoring a try. In 2024, he was a featured player again for Match Fit: Union vs. League. Before this show started, he and another player, Carlos Spencer, already had excellent metabolic age scores.
Personal Life
Pita Alatini married Megan Alatini in 2000. They first met in 1994. They have three children together. Their two daughters are Tonica, born in 1995, and Tiara, born in 2002. Their son, Trey, was born in 2005.
