Sitiveni Sivivatu

Sitiveni Sivivatu
Full name Sitiveni Waica Sivivatu
Date of birth (1982-04-19) 19 April 1982
Place of birth Suva, Fiji
Height 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Weight 97 kg (15 st 4 lb)
School Wesley College
Rugby union career
Playing career
Position Wing, fullback
New Zealand No. 1052
Amateur clubs
Years Club / team
Pukekohe
Te Awamutu Sports
correct as of 26 June 2014.
Professional / senior clubs
Years Club / team Caps (points)
2011–14
2014–		 Clermont
Castres		 69
11		 (110)
(10)
correct as of 25 April 2015.
Provincial/State sides
Years Club / team Caps (points)
2001–2003
2004–2011		 Manukau
Waikato		 20
24		 (125)
(80)
correct as of 2007-04-06.
Super Rugby
Years Club / team Caps (points)
2003–11 Chiefs 89 (210)
correct as of 2013-04-26.
National team(s)
Years Club / team Caps (points)
2005–11
2004		 New Zealand
Pacific Islanders		 45
3		 (145)
(20)
correct as of 2011-08-26.

Sitiveni Waica Sivivatu (born 19 April 1982 in Suva, Fiji) is a New Zealand rugby union footballer, playing on the position of a wing. He was largely successful in the 2005 Super 12 season playing for the Chiefs, and acquired a starting position in the All Blacks. He has scored 29 tries in 45 tests. He also scored 4 tries for the Pacific Islanders in 2004, 2 of which he scored against his current team, the All Blacks and 2 against South Africa. Since the Pacific Islanders team has been sanctioned by the IRB, his 4 tries for them stands.

Early life

Sivivatu attended Ratu Kadavulevu School in Fiji before moving to New Zealand when he was 15. He attended Wesley College, the school that produced All Blacks great Jonah Lomu. He first played in the NPC with second division side Counties Manukau, eventually moving to the first division with Waikato. He was the only 2nd division player in NZ to win a Super Rugby contract. He regards as his hero Philippe Sella because "he could just do anything on the field of play. If he decided to drop he could do it from anywhere within his range, and he was an amazing player with ball in hand."[1]

Pacific Islanders

Sivivatu played for the inaugural Pacific Islanders rugby union team against the Australian Wallabies in 2004. Among his teammates were Sione Lauaki who also became an All Black. Sivivatu and fellow All Black wing Joe Rokocoko regard themselves as "cousins" as Sivivatu lived with the Rokocoko family.[2]

All Blacks

He was first named in a trials squad for All Black selection in 2004, despite the fact that he had not yet completed his required three years of residence to qualify as a New Zealand rugby representative. He made his Test debut against Fiji and broke the All Blacks record by scoring four tries. Sivivatu was selected for the All Blacks in 2005 and started in all three of the All Blacks Tests against the British and Irish Lions on their 2005 tour of New Zealand, scoring tries in the first two Tests.

Move to France

In March 2011, he signed a 2-year deal with French rugby giants, ASM Clermont Auvergne.[3] He was signed as a replacement for Fijian flyer Napolioni Nalaga, who returned to Fiji due to personal problems. He was not included in the New Zealand squad for the 2011 Rugby World Cup.[4]

Controversy

On 11 April 2007 Sivivatu pleaded guilty to slapping his wife in March 2007.[5] He was discharged without conviction and ordered to pay a fine.[5] On leaving court Sivivatu said "I'm clearly sorry about what I did".[5]

Notes

  1. ↑ Quoted in "My Hero" 2008, p. 35.
  2. ↑ "Traditional post-match kava will have to wait this time". New Zealand Herald. 1 September 2006.
  3. ↑ "Sivivatu signs for Clermont". Planetrugby.com. Retrieved 4 September 2011.
  4. ↑ "Rugby World Cup 2011: All Blacks pick Vito, omit Sivivatu & Gear". BBC. 23 August 2011. Retrieved 29 October 2015.
  5. 1 2 3 O'Rourke, Simon (11 April 2007). "NZRU considers options after All Black Sivivatu admits hitting wife". nzherald.co.nz. Retrieved 11 April 2007.

References

External links

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