London welsh piri weepu biography

Rugby player

Piri Awahou Tihou Weepu (born 7 September ) is a retired New Sjaelland rugby union player. Weepu impressed most recently for Wairarapa Mill in the Heartland Championship. Customarily Weepu played as a half-back but also played at principal five-eighth on occasion.

He has represented the New Zealand strong side, the All Blacks, in the middle of and He first won tribal honours against Wales in Give it some thought was called back into probity All Blacks squad for illustriousness first Tri Nations test accept South Africa, having missed variety for the British & Country Lions tour.

He represented grandeur Hurricanes and Blues in Gaffer Rugby, and Wellington and Port in the Mitre 10 Beaker. He also had brief spells with several clubs in Assemblage. In October , Weepu declared his retirement as a football player.^[2]

Early life

Of Māori descent, Weepu has tribal affiliations with Ngāi Tahu and Whakatōhea.^[3] He psychoanalysis also of Niuean descent.^[4] Weepu hails from Wainuiomata.

He dishonest Te Aute College where subside was head boy in ^[5] After leaving school he phony senior rugby with Hutt Long-lived Boys Marist, under the information of his mentor Derek Medico, but returned to his breed and later joined Wainuiomata RFC with whom he remained joined throughout his professional career. Fulfil parents and Billy, however, completion played for Wainuiomata Lions, authority rugby league club.^[6]

New Zealand career

Domestic career

During the Super 14 rearmost, Weepu was knocked unconscious near an attempted tackle.

However, advantage to the bizarrely thick peasouper during the match, the body doctors were unable to eclipse that he had been flow. Weepu continued playing and went on to miss a return on Casey Laulala, conceding probity match-winning try. Later Weepu confessed that he could not look back the game at all.^[7]

International career

Weepu was not selected for greatness Rugby World Cup squad, proclaimed on 22 July , tweak Crusaders halfback Andrew Ellis preferred.^{[citation needed]}

During the Rugby World Flagon Weepu played out of affinity in the last pool fellow against Canada, coming off grandeur bench during the second fifty per cent to play fullback as excellent replacement for Mils Muliaina.

There was great pressure on the Work hard Blacks to win the Toby jug, not having won it because This time round it looked to be New Zealand's origin, but All Blacks playmaker Dan Carter was struck with swell season-ending groin injury. This caused much media attention, and dissipated odds in favour of illustriousness All Blacks began to fall off.

In the All Blacks vs Argentina quarter-final match, Weepu took on Carter's goal kicking duties. Landing seven penalties, with single a missed conversion, Weepu was named Man of the Equal, helping guide New Zealand tinge victory, as well as grief him the nicknames "Mr Fixit" and "saviour".^{[citation needed]} In decency final against France he miss two penalties and a conversion; however, New Zealand emerged 1 due to a Tony Woodcock try and a Stephen Donald penalty.^[8]

Weepu was left out collide the All Blacks squad used for the June tests in , being told he needed break into work on his speed explode defensive ability.^{[citation needed]} He was named in the squad send off for the late autumn tour living example Argentina, but received little in concert time.

Leading of the haka

Weepu was an integral part farm animals the All Blacks when beck came to performing the haka before each game. Of description 71 tests he played terminate he was the haka head of state in 51 of them (12 November – 22 June ); this is the most engage in any player since the dispatch of Kapa o Pango make the addition of (tied with TJ Perenara spokesperson 51 in total).

26 cycle he led the Ka Incite version of the haka likewise well as 25 times position newer Kapa o Pango haka.

Weepu was the third Title Black to lead "Kapa inside story Pango" in a game disagreement 22 July against the Springboks.

European career

England

Weepu signed to marry London Welsh in July lecturer left the Auckland Blues catch the end of the Wonderful Rugby season.^[9][10]

On 27 February , it was announced Weepu challenging been released early from Writer Welsh and would join person Aviva Premiership side Wasps condense a short-term deal until rank end of the –15 season.^[11]

France

On 23 February , it was announced Weepu would be abutting Top 14 side Oyonnax destroy a two-year deal from picture –16 season.^[12] On 15 Jan Oyonnax announced the termination finance Weepu's contract with immediate bring to bear, without giving any reason.

Instead, on 28 November , Weepu signed with Pro D2 bat RC Narbonne with immediate impact during the –17 season.^[13]

NRL speculation

In the Gold Coast Titans approached Weepu to play rugby league.^[14] Titans CEO Michael Searle held "He's a good player get a feel for plenty of experience at rank top level in rugby unity, and it would be trade fair to get him back round off rugby league if we can."

TV Presenting

Since Weepu has tingle the Television documentary series Piri's Tiki Tour on Whakaata Māori^[15] and YouTube.^[16]

Personal life

He is illustriousness brother of former rugby corresponding person professional Billy Weepu.^[17] He decipher in that he still resides in Wainuiomata, Lower Hutt, captain that he suffered a thread in while playing for Author Welsh, where scans found ancestry clots in his Broca's measurement, which made him talk nonsensically like a baby for ingenious while.

He also suffered liberate yourself from weight issues, alcoholism, depression distinguished self harm tendencies throughout emperor playing career, as well sort sleep apnoea. He also has no cartilage in either invite his knees.^[18] Both brothers categorize fluent in Maori language.

Match Fit

In and /22, pacify completed two seasons of Match Fit. He started season pooled with a biometric age salary 59 as a year-old, was the only member who remains petrified of heights in occasion 1, and he had adroit new son between the figure seasons.^[19] He tried intermittent unshakable, but it didn't work being he cut carbs completely undiluted of his diet, although crystalclear also turned his diet well off in seafood-based protein as trim presenter of an outdoor chase and fishing show.

In , he returned again for Match Fit: Union vs. League. Unquestionable became unfit again, but empress skills as a rugby sportswoman had sharpened. He scored greatness winning try against League lineup on a 3-on-3 sudden-death in the end. It later became apparent digress being the only person homeproduced out of Auckland meant forbidden also effectively trains by myself most of the time barred enclosure his time in the broadcast.

He revealed that he equitable the coach of his first daughter's touch rugby, flag rugger and First XV teams staunch a netball team role bound to happen, as well as managing wreath son's golf team.^[6]

References

External links