 Sivivatu during a match forNew Zealand, November 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Full name | Sitiveni Waica Sivivatu | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Born | (1982-04-19)19 April 1982 (age 43) Suva, Fiji | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 185 cm (6 ft 1 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 95 kg (209 lb; 14 st 13 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| School | Ratu Kadavulevu School Wesley College, Auckland | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Sitiveni Waica Sivivatu (born 19 April 1982) is a Fijian-born New Zealand formerrugby union footballer who played as awing. He was largely successful in the2005 Super 12 season playing for theChiefs. He acquired a starting position in theAll Blacks, and scored 29tries in 45tests.
He also scored 4 tries for thePacific Islanders in 2004 – 2 against the All Blacks, and 2 againstSouth Africa. Since the Pacific Islanders team has been sanctioned by theIRB, his 4 tries for them stands.
Sivivatu attendedRatu Kadavulevu School in Fiji before moving to New Zealand when he was 15. He attendedWesley College, the school that produced All Blacks greatJonah Lomu. He first played in theNational Provincial Championship with second division sideCounties Manukau, eventually moving to the first division withWaikato. He was the only 2nd division player in NZ to win aSuper Rugby contract.[1] He regards as his heroPhilippe 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."[2]
Sivivatu played for the inauguralPacific Islanders rugby union teamagainst theAustralian Wallabies in 2004. Among his teammates wereSione Lauaki who also became an All Black. Sivivatu and fellow All Black wingJoe Rokocoko regard themselves as "cousins" as Sivivatu lived with the Rokocoko family.[3]
He was first named in a trials squad for All Black selection in 2004. He made his Test debut againstFiji 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 theBritish & Irish Lions on their2005 tour of New Zealand, scoring tries in the first two Tests.
In March 2011, he signed a two-year deal with French rugby giants,ASM Clermont Auvergne.[4] He was signed as a replacement for Fijian flyerNapolioni Nalaga, who returned to Fiji due to personal problems. He was not included in the New Zealand squad for the2011 Rugby World Cup.[5]
In June 2016, Sivivatu retired as a player for Castres and joined the staff as a technical adviser and help integrate foreign players.[6]
On 11 April 2007 Sivivatu pleaded guilty to slapping his wife in March 2007.[7] He was discharged without conviction and ordered to pay a fine.[7] On leaving court Sivivatu said "I'm clearly sorry about what I did".[7]
