Byron Kelleher
Encyclopedia
Byron Terrance Kelleher (born 3 December 1976 in Dunedin
, New Zealand
) is a rugby union
half-back who currently plays for Stade Francais in the French Top 14 competition, and has played over 57 tests with the New Zealand All Blacks
. He went to Otago Boys' High School
, and originally played for Otago
in the NPC
and the Highlanders in the Super 14
, moving north in 2004 to play for Waikato
and the Chiefs
. He is 1.75m tall and weighs 95 kg. He was New Zealand's Super 12 Player of the Year in 1999. After meeting in 2005 Kelleher began a high profile relationship with pornography star Kaylani Lei
, which ended in June 2006.
Kelleher had signed a contract to play for Agen
in the French Top 14 after the 2007 Rugby World Cup
; however, the club's relegation to the second-level Rugby Pro D2
after the 2006–07 season caused the contract to be cancelled. Kelleher went on to sign with traditional Top 14 powers Toulouse
, effective with the end of the Rugby World Cup.
He won the "Bouclier de Brennus" (the French Rugby Union Title) in his first season with the Stade Toulousain, and was elected by the Top 14 players as the season's best player.
In 2010, he was selected in the French Barbarians squad to play Tonga
on November 26.
He is known as an unpredictable and unorthodox halfback, with his speed and strength, sometimes preferring to run with the ball and make line-breaks rather than passing the ball after rucks and mauls.
Dunedin
Dunedin is the second-largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the principal city of the Otago Region. It is considered to be one of the four main urban centres of New Zealand for historic, cultural, and geographic reasons. Dunedin was the largest city by territorial land area until...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
) is a rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
half-back who currently plays for Stade Francais in the French Top 14 competition, and has played over 57 tests with the New Zealand All Blacks
All Blacks
The New Zealand men's national rugby union team, known as the All Blacks, represent New Zealand in what is regarded as its national sport....
. He went to Otago Boys' High School
Otago Boys' High School
Otago Boys' High School is one of New Zealand's oldest boys' secondary schools, located in Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand. It was founded on 3 August 1863 and moved to its present site in 1885. The main building was designed by Robert Lawson and is regarded as one of the finest Gothic revival...
, and originally played for Otago
Otago Rugby Football Union
The Otago Rugby Football Union is the official governing body of rugby union for the Otago Region of New Zealand. The union is based in the city of Dunedin, and its home ground is Forsyth Barr Stadium. The top representative team competes in the ITM Cup, New Zealand's top provincial...
in the NPC
National Provincial Championship
The National Provincial Championship, or NPC, is the major domestic rugby competition in New Zealand. The NPC has seen many alterations to its format and brand. Since 2006 the National Championship has been split into 2 competitions, the ITM Cup and the Heartland Championship...
and the Highlanders in the Super 14
Super 14
Super Rugby is the largest and pre-eminent professional Rugby union competition in the Southern Hemisphere...
, moving north in 2004 to play for Waikato
Waikato Rugby Union
The Waikato Rugby Union is the official governing body of rugby union in the Waikato area in the North Island of New Zealand. Its senior representative team competes in the ITM Cup , and won the inaugural Air New Zealand Cup in 2006.Waikato Rugby Union was founded in 1921...
and the Chiefs
Chiefs (Super rugby franchise)
The Chiefs are a professional Rugby union team based in Hamilton, New Zealand. Their home ground is Waikato Stadium. The Chiefs play in black, red and yellow coloured jerseys...
. He is 1.75m tall and weighs 95 kg. He was New Zealand's Super 12 Player of the Year in 1999. After meeting in 2005 Kelleher began a high profile relationship with pornography star Kaylani Lei
Kaylani Lei
Ashley Spalding , better known by the pseudonym Kaylani Lei, is an exotic dancer and a porn star currently working for Wicked Pictures....
, which ended in June 2006.
Kelleher had signed a contract to play for Agen
SU Agen Lot-et-Garonne
Sporting Union Agen Lot-et-Garonne is a French rugby union club based in Agen in the department of Lot-et-Garonne. They currently play in the top flight of French professional rugby, Top 14; they were most recently promoted after winning the 2010 title in the second-level Pro D2. Agen also...
in the French Top 14 after the 2007 Rugby World Cup
2007 Rugby World Cup
The 2007 Rugby World Cup was the sixth Rugby World Cup, a quadrennial international rugby union competition inaugurated in 1987. Twenty nations competed for the Webb Ellis Cup in the tournament, which was hosted by France from 7 September to 20 October. France won the hosting rights in 2003,...
; however, the club's relegation to the second-level Rugby Pro D2
Rugby Pro D2
Rugby Pro D2, also known as Pro D2 is the second level of domestic club rugby union in France, below the first division, Top 14. The competition was introduced in 2000. There is relegation and promotion between both the Top 14 and Fédérale 1, the third-level competition...
after the 2006–07 season caused the contract to be cancelled. Kelleher went on to sign with traditional Top 14 powers Toulouse
Stade Toulousain
Stade Toulousain, also referred to as Toulouse, is a French rugby union club from Toulouse in Midi-Pyrénées. Toulouse is one of the finest rugby clubs in Europe, having won the Heineken Cup four times – in 1996, 2003, 2005 and 2010. They were also runners-up in 2004 and 2008 against London Wasps...
, effective with the end of the Rugby World Cup.
He won the "Bouclier de Brennus" (the French Rugby Union Title) in his first season with the Stade Toulousain, and was elected by the Top 14 players as the season's best player.
In 2010, he was selected in the French Barbarians squad to play Tonga
Tonga national rugby union team
The Tonga national rugby union team is nicknamed Ikale Tahi . Like their Polynesian neighbours, the Tongans start their matches with a war dance – the Kailao . They are members of the Pacific Islands Rugby Alliance along with Fiji and Samoa...
on November 26.
He is known as an unpredictable and unorthodox halfback, with his speed and strength, sometimes preferring to run with the ball and make line-breaks rather than passing the ball after rucks and mauls.