Keven Mealamu Tribute

Описание: All Blacks hooker Keven Mealamu made his international debut against Wales at the Millennium Stadium in 2002, while playing his Super 12 rugby for the Chiefs.

Mealamu has played the vast majority of his club and provincial rugby for Auckland and the Blues however, debuting for Auckland in 1999. A compact and powerful hooker, he has scrapped for the All Blacks' No.2 jersey with Anton Oliver and Andrew Hore for much of his career.

In 2005, Mealamu was involved in an incident during the first Test between the All Blacks and the British & Irish Lions, when he and skipper Tana Umaga spear tackled Lions captain Brian O'Driscoll. O'Driscoll dislocated his shoulder and missed the rest of the tour, while Umaga and Mealamu were condemned by the International Rugby Board.

Mealamu was in fine form during the 2005 Tri-Nations and played a key part in the first of three Grand Slam tours of the northern hemisphere with the All Blacks later that year. His second would come in 2008 when he also led his country for the first time - against Scotland at Murrayfield.

He remained an integral part of the All Blacks' set-up throughout 2009 and he made the No.2 jersey his own in 2010 when Hore was sidelined with a shoulder injury. That spell included New Zealand's Tri-Nations triumph but a four-week suspension for headbutting England captain Lewis Moody during their clash at Twickenham later that year brought an abrupt end to his run in the side.

Despite the setback, Mealamu impressed throughout the 2011 Super Rugby campaign and coach Graham Henry is favoured the Blues man as the Kiwi's first choice hooker in the 2011 World Cup. Mealamu played a central role in the All Blacks triumphant campaign, despite a shaky performance against France in the final.

Born in the Waikato town of Tokoroa, he came through South Auckland's Aorere College into New Zealand's age-grade sides before making his provincial debut for Auckland in 1999. He made his Super Rugby debut the following year and last year deservedly became the first Blues player to play 100 games for the franchise.