Hurricanes

Bio

The Hurricanes' most capped prop, Neemia Tialata packed down for his final season in Hurricanes colours in 2011. After reaching the milestone of 100 games during the season, Tialata announced his departure to play in Bayonne in France. Loyal and well-liked, Tialata played one more campaign with the Vodafone Wellington Lions in 2011, finishing with 73 Lions caps as well as 43 for the All Blacks.

Previously,  Tialata  didn’t miss a game for the Hurricanes from the start of his second season in 2005 to the end of 2007,  and has so far racking up an impressive 86 total appearances in seven seasons for Super Rugby.

He started at tighthead prop in all 13 matches in 2010, one of three players, alongside hooker and skipper Andrew Hore and second five-eighth Ma’a Nonu to run on in every game. He duly received an All Blacks call-up for the winter Tests that followed and made the All Blacks end of year tour squad as an injury replacement.

Tialata was a Wellington success story, making his Vodafone Wellington Lions NPC debut in 2003 after spending two years in the Wellington U21 side. He made the Hurricanes in 2004 and has since gone from strength to strength, although is still searching for his first try for the Hurricanes.

Apart from his obvious physical attributes, where he weighs in at more than 125 kg, Tialata’s other great strength is his ability to play both sides of the scrum to a high standard, making him one the most valuable members of any squad.   

He was predominantly a loosehead prop in his formative years, but now generally packs down on the tighthead side.  Not just a powerful scrummager, Tialata also has the game to equip to himself in the open, combining powerful set-piece play with powerful surges in the loose.

As such, Tialata quickly impressed the All Black selectors and he was included in the spring tour to the UK and Ireland, playing in tests against Wales, Scotland and England. In 2006 he played another nine tests, including all three Tri-nations tests against the Springboks, and went on to play at the World Cup and make the All Blacks again in 2008 and in 2009, emerging as a leading international tighthead prop on the end of year tour. He featured in the June 2010 internationals against Ireland and Wales but missed out on the Tri Nations squad.

Away from rugby, Tialata lives in Wellington with his extended family in Wainuiomata and is a keen guitar player and has a flair for artistry and designed a range of relief tee-shirts following the devastating Tsunami that struck Samoa and wiped out his home village of Lalomanu in 2009. He visited Lalomanu in September 2011 on a relief trip before linking up wit Bayonne.

Stats

Provincial Teams

Wellington

Provincial Points

25 (5 tries)

Provincial Caps

65

Provincial Debut

2003 v Otago

Super Rugby Caps

86

Super Rugby Points

15 (3 tries)

Super Rugby Debut

2004 v Chiefs

Test Caps

43

Test Points

10 (2 tries)

Test Debut

2005 v Wales

All Blacks Career

2005 – present, 21 tests, 5 points (1 try).

Appearances

86

Rugby facts

Earliest Rugby Memory

Playing league for Wainui Lions

Position When Younger

No. 8

Most Admired Rugby Player

Richie McCaw, Tana Umaga

Biggest Rugby Influence

Uncle, Family, God

Most Memorable Rugby Moment

Playing in the black jersey along side my two good buddies Ma'a and Piri