The dynamism of Keven Mealamu provides the All Blacks with a superb counterpoint to the hard-nosed approach of the traditional New Zealand front-row forward.
Mealamu took on a new leadership role in 2006, captaining the Blues through a challenging Rebel Sport Super 14 campaign. During 2005, the livewire hooker delivered several stand-out performances for the All Blacks, including a match-winning try against South Africa at Dunedin and the clincher against England at Twickenham in November.
An accurate lineout thrower and strong scrummager, Mealamu is equally comfortable in the running game, where his skills and background make him almost a fourth loose forward.
Mealamu scored three tries in his first seven games for the Blues in the 2007 Rebel Sport Super 14 after scoring four in 70 previous matches.
Career Notes
• Three Test tries in 2005 more than doubled his All Blacks tally.
• Returned to the Auckland Air New Zealand NPC side late in 2005 but scored a try in each of the two matches he started: the semifinal win over North Harbour and the final win over Otago.
• Had played in every game for Auckland since his debut in 1999 until All Blacks selection intervened in 2003 and 2004.
• Played as a flanker for New Zealand Under 16 and New Zealand Schools before switching to hooker in 1998.
• His brother Luke played two Test matches as a flanker for Samoa in 2000.
• First played for the Blues in 2000, but had a stint with the Chiefs in 2002 - the same year he debuted for the All Blacks.
New Zealand Representative Teams
New Zealand U16 in 1995
New Zealand Schools in 1996
New Zealand U21 in 2000
New Zealand A in 2000
All Blacks in 2002–2008
Stats - Below figures correct as at 1 July 2008
Provincial Caps 61
Provincial Points 70 (14t)
Provincial Debut 1999 v North Harbour
Super Rugby Caps 91
Super Rugby Points 40 (8t)
Super Rugby Debut 2000 v Brumbies
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FULL NAME |
Keven Filipo Mealamu |
BORN |
Tuesday, 20 March 1979 in Tokoroa |
AGE |
31 |
PHYSICAL |
1.81m, 108kg |
POSITION |
Hooker |
LAST SCHOOL |
Aorere College |
RUGBY CLUB
(First made All Blacks from) |
Otahuhu |
PROVINCE |
Auckland |
SUPER 14 TEAM |
Blues |
ALL BLACK DEBUT |
Saturday, 23 November 2002
v Wales at Cardiff
aged 23 years, 248 days |
INTERNATIONAL DEBUT |
Saturday, 23 November 2002
v Wales at Cardiff
aged 23 years, 248 days |
LAST TEST |
Saturday, 31 July 2010
v Australia at Melbourne
aged 31 years, 133 days |
ALL BLACK TESTS |
77 (1 as Captain) |
ALL BLACK GAMES |
1 (0 as Captain) |
TOTAL ALL BLACK MATCHES |
78 (1 as Captain) |
ALL BLACK TEST POINTS |
50pts (10t, 0c, 0p, 0dg, 0m) |
ALL BLACK GAME POINTS |
0pts |
TOTAL ALL BLACK POINTS |
50pts (10t, 0c, 0p, 0dg, 0m) |
ALL BLACK NUMBER |
1026 |
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The All Black Games that Mealamu has played.
(+) = substitute; (-) = replaced |
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Click on the date to be taken to the Match Card |
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2002 |
23 Nov vs Wales at Cardiff 43-17 |
2003 |
14 Jun vs England at Wellington 13-15 (+) |
21 Jun vs Wales at Hamilton 55-3 |
28 Jun vs France at Christchurch 31-23 (+) |
19 Jul vs South Africa at Pretoria 52-16 (-) |
26 Jul vs Australia at Sydney 50-21 (-) |
9 Aug vs South Africa at Dunedin 19-11 (+) |
16 Aug vs Australia at Auckland 21-17 |
11 Oct vs Italy at Melbourne 70-7 (-) |
2 Nov vs Wales at Sydney 53-37 (-) |
8 Nov vs South Africa at Melbourne 29-9 (-) |
15 Nov vs Australia at Sydney 10-22 |
20 Nov vs France at Sydney 40-13 (-) |
2004 |
12 Jun vs England at Dunedin 36-3 |
19 Jun vs England at Auckland 36-12 (-) |
10 Jul vs Pacific Islanders at Albany 41-26 |
17 Jul vs Australia at Wellington 16-7 |
24 Jul vs South Africa at Christchurch 23-21 |
7 Aug vs Australia at Sydney 18-23 |
14 Aug vs South Africa at Johannesburg 26-40 |
20 Nov vs Wales at Cardiff 26-25 |
27 Nov vs France at Paris 45-6 (+) |
4 Dec vs Barbarians at London 47-19 (-) |
2005 |
10 Jun vs Fiji at Albany 91-0 (+) |
25 Jun vs British & Irish Lions at Christchurch 21-3 (-) |
2 Jul vs British & Irish Lions at Wellington 48-18 (-) |
9 Jul vs British & Irish Lions at Auckland 38-19 |
6 Aug vs South Africa at Capetown 16-22 (-) |
13 Aug vs Australia at Sydney 30-13 (-) |
27 Aug vs South Africa at Dunedin 31-27 |
3 Sep vs Australia at Auckland 34-24 |
12 Nov vs Ireland at Dublin 45-7 (-) |
19 Nov vs England at London 23-19 |
2006 |
10 Jun vs Ireland at Hamilton 34-23 |
17 Jun vs Ireland at Auckland 27-17 (-) |
8 Jul vs Australia at Christchurch 32-12 (-) |
29 Jul vs Australia at Brisbane 13-9 (-) |
19 Aug vs Australia at Auckland 34-27 |
26 Aug vs South Africa at Pretoria 45-26 (+) |
5 Nov vs England at London 41-20 (-) |
11 Nov vs France at Lyon 47-3 (+) |
18 Nov vs France at Paris 23-11 (-) |
2007 |
2 Jun vs France at Auckland 42-11 (-) |
9 Jun vs France at Wellington 61-10 (+) |
23 Jun vs South Africa at Durban 26-21 (+) |
30 Jun vs Australia at Melbourne 15-20 (+) |
14 Jul vs South Africa at Christchurch 33-6 (-) |
21 Jul vs Australia at Auckland 26-12 (+) |
8 Sep vs Italy at Marseille 76-14 (-) |
15 Sep vs Portugal at Lyon 108-13 (+) |
29 Sep vs Romania at Toulouse 85-8 (-) |
2008 |
7 Jun vs Ireland at Wellington 21-11 (+) |
14 Jun vs England at Auckland 37-20 (+) |
21 Jun vs England at Christchurch 44-12 (+) |
5 Jul vs South Africa at Wellington 19-8 (+) |
12 Jul vs South Africa at Dunedin 28-30 (+) |
26 Jul vs Australia at Sydney 19-34 (+) |
2 Aug vs Australia at Auckland 39-10 (+) |
16 Aug vs South Africa at Cape Town 19-0 (+) |
3 Sep vs Samoa at New Plymouth 101-14 (+) |
13 Sep vs Australia at Brisbane 28-24 (+) |
1 Nov vs Australia at Hong Kong 19-14 (+) |
8 Nov vs Scotland at Edinburgh 32-6 (-) (Captain) |
15 Nov vs Ireland at Dublin 22-3 (-) |
22 Nov vs Wales at Cardiff 29-9 |
29 Nov vs England at London 32-6 |
2009 |
13 Jun vs France at Dunedin 22-27 (+) |
20 Jun vs France at Wellington 14-10 |
27 Jun vs Italy at Christchurch 27-6 (-) |
18 Jul vs Australia at Auckland 22-16 (+) |
25 Jul vs South Africa at Bloemfontein 19-28 (+) |
1 Aug vs South Africa at Durban 19-31 (+) |
2010 |
12 Jun vs Ireland at New Plymouth 66-28 (-) |
19 Jun vs Wales at Dunedin 42-9 (-) |
26 Jun vs Wales at Hamilton 29-10 (-) |
10 Jul vs South Africa at Auckland 32-12 (-) |
17 Jul vs South Africa at Wellington 31-17 (-) |
31 Jul vs Australia at Melbourne 49-28 (-) |
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