| Birth name | Kurtis Taniela Haiu | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | (1984-07-14)14 July 1984 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Whangārei, New Zealand | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of death | 13 April 2016(2016-04-13) (aged 31) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of death | Manurewa, New Zealand | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.96 m (6 ft 5 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 108 kg (238 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| School | Sacred Heart College | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Kurtis Taniela Haiu (14 July 1984 – 13 April 2016) was a New Zealandrugby union player who played forBlues inSuper Rugby and representedAuckland in theAir New Zealand Cup.
Haiu represented New Zealand atSecondary Schools,under 19 andunder 21 level[1] before beginning his professional rugby career.
Haiu made his debut forAuckland in 2005 against the touringBritish and Irish Lions,[1] a gameAuckland lost 13–17. He has continued to representAuckland, and was given captaincy duties on occasion.
2006 saw Haiu make hisSuper 14 debut off the bench for theBlues in their season opening 19–37 loss to theHurricanes atEden Park. His first start for the Blues came in the Round 7 loss to theNew South Wales Waratahs where he was given the task of markingWycliff Palu. That same season Haiu scored his first try inSuper Rugby when he dotted down against theCats atEllis Park. He made 53 appearances until his retirement from the game in 2011.
2011 saw Haiu take an indefinite leave from rugby after the discovery of a lesion on a rib.[2] Located in his T8 rib, the lesion was found by CT imaging taken in mid April. Haiu had noticed rib pain for several months but attributed this to the contact involved in rugby. However the pain became more frequent needing the initiation of further tests, including bone tests, with the diagnosis being a rare form of bone cancer calledEwing's sarcoma.[3]
Haiu died from Ewing's sarcoma inManurewa on 13 April 2016.[3]