Sitiveni Sivivatu
Encyclopedia
Sitiveni Waica Sivivatu (born 19 April 1982 in Suva
, Fiji
) is a New Zealand
rugby union
footballer, playing on the position of a wing. He was largely successful in the 2005 Super 12
season playing for the Chiefs, and acquired a starting position in the All Blacks
. He has scored 29 tries
in 45 tests
. He also scored 4 tries for the Pacific Islanders in 2004, 2 of which he scored against his current team, the All Blacks and 2 against South Africa
. Since the Pacific Islanders team has been sanctioned by the IRB
, his 4 tries for them stands.
in Fiji before moving to New Zealand when he was 17. He attended Wesley College
, the school that produced All Blacks great Jonah Lomu
. He first played in the NPC
with second division side Counties Manukau
, eventually moving to the first division with Waikato
. He was the only 2nd division player in NZ to win a Super Rugby contract. He regards as his hero Philippe 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."
against the Australian Wallabies
in 2004. Among his teammates were Sione Lauaki
who also became an All Black. Sivivatu and fellow All Black wing Joe Rokocoko
regard themselves as "cousins" as Sivivatu lived with the Rokocoko family.
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 the British and Irish Lions
on their 2005 tour of New Zealand
, scoring tries in the first two Tests.
. He was signed as a replacement for Fijian flyer Napolioni Nalaga
, who returned to Fiji due to personal problems. He was not included in the New Zealand squad for the 2011 Rugby World Cup
.
Suva
Suva features a tropical rainforest climate under the Koppen climate classification. The city sees a copious amount of precipitation during the course of the year. Suva averages 3,000 mm of precipitation annually with its driest month, July averaging 125 mm of rain per year. In fact,...
, Fiji
Fiji
Fiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...
) is a 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...
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...
footballer, playing on the position of a wing. He was largely successful in the 2005 Super 12
Super 14
Super Rugby is the largest and pre-eminent professional Rugby union competition in the Southern Hemisphere...
season playing for the Chiefs, and acquired a starting position in the 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 has scored 29 tries
Try
A try is the major way of scoring points in rugby league and rugby union football. A try is scored by grounding the ball in the opposition's in-goal area...
in 45 tests
Test match (rugby union)
Test match in rugby union is a match recognised as being a full international match by at least one of the participating teams' governing bodies. It is an unofficial but widely used term in the sport....
. He also scored 4 tries for the Pacific Islanders in 2004, 2 of which he scored against his current team, the All Blacks and 2 against South Africa
South Africa national rugby union team
The South African national rugby union team are 2009 British and Irish Lions Series winners. They are currently ranked as the fourth best team in the IRB World Rankings and were named 2008 World Team of the Year at the prestigious Laureus World Sports Awards.Although South Africa was instrumental...
. Since the Pacific Islanders team has been sanctioned by the IRB
International Rugby Board
The International Rugby Board is the governing body for the sport of rugby union. It was founded in 1886 as the International Rugby Football Board by the unions of Scotland, Wales and Ireland. England refused to join until 1890. The International Rugby Football Board changed its name to the...
, his 4 tries for them stands.
Early life
Sivivatu attended Ratu Kadavulevu SchoolRatu Kadavulevu School
Ratu Kadavulevu School is a school in Lodoni, Fiji. It has some 625 students and claims to be the largest boarding school in the country. Its students are multiracial, but predominantly Fijian....
in Fiji before moving to New Zealand when he was 17. He attended Wesley College
Wesley College, Auckland
Wesley College is a secondary school in Pukekohe, New Zealand. The school provides education from year 9 to 13.The school was founded by members of the Methodist Church in 1844, making it one of the country's oldest schools. Initially located in Grafton and then the Three Kings area of Auckland, it...
, the school that produced All Blacks great Jonah Lomu
Jonah Lomu
Jonah Tali Lomu, MNZM is a New Zealand rugby union player. He had sixty-three caps as an All Black after debuting in 1994. He is generally regarded as the first true global superstar of rugby union. He has had a huge impact on the game...
. He first played 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...
with second division side Counties Manukau
Counties Manukau Rugby Union
The Counties Manukau Rugby Football Union is the governing body of rugby union in the Franklin district of New Zealand. The Steelers colours are red, white, and black horizontal bands. The 'Steelers' moniker is a reference to the nearby Glenbrook steel factory...
, eventually moving to the first division with 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...
. He was the only 2nd division player in NZ to win a Super Rugby contract. He regards as his hero Philippe Sella
Philippe Sella
Philippe Sella is a French former rugby union player, who held the record for most international appearances until beaten by Jason Leonard. He became a member of the International Rugby Hall of Fame in 1999, and the IRB Hall of Fame in 2008.Sella joined Saracens in 1996 from French side Agen...
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."
Pacific Islanders
Sivivatu played for the inaugural Pacific Islanders rugby union teamPacific Islanders rugby union team
The Pacific Islanders rugby union team is an international rugby union team, started in 2004, that represents Fiji, Samoa and Tonga. While Niue and the Cook Islands are not members of the Pacific Tri-Nations competition, they did supply players to the squad for the Pacific Islanders' tour in 2004...
against the Australian Wallabies
Australia national rugby union team
The Australian national rugby union team is the representative side of Australia in rugby union. The national team is nicknamed the Wallabies and competes annually with New Zealand and South Africa in the Tri-Nations Series, in which they also contest the Bledisloe Cup with New Zealand and the...
in 2004. Among his teammates were Sione Lauaki
Sione Lauaki
Sione Tuitupu Lauaki is a New Zealand rugby union footballer. His brother, Epalahame Lauaki, is a 2nd rower for Hull in the Super League competition and also a New Zealand international.-Early career:...
who also became an All Black. Sivivatu and fellow All Black wing Joe Rokocoko
Joe Rokocoko
Josevata Taliga "Joe" Rokocoko is a professional New Zealand rugby union player. Rokocoko is known for his speed and strength which has accounted for his prolific try strike rate...
regard themselves as "cousins" as Sivivatu lived with the Rokocoko family.
All Blacks
He was first named in a trials squad for All Black selection in 2004, despite the fact that he had not yet completed his required three years of residence to qualify as a New Zealand rugby representative. He made his Test debut against FijiFiji national rugby union team
The Fiji national rugby union team is a member of the Pacific Islands Rugby Alliance formerly along with Samoa and Tonga. In 2009, Samoa announced their departure from the Pacific Islands Rugby Alliance, leaving just Fiji and Tonga. Fiji are ranked sixteenth in the world by the IRB as of 26...
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 the British and Irish Lions
British and Irish Lions
The British and Irish Lions is a rugby union team made up of players from England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales...
on their 2005 tour of New Zealand
2005 British and Irish Lions tour to New Zealand
In 2005 the British and Irish Lions rugby union team toured New Zealand for the first time since 1993, playing 7 tour matches against first and second division clubs from the National Provincial Championship series, 1 tour match against the national New Zealand all Māori club, and 3 official test...
, scoring tries in the first two Tests.
Move to France
In March 2011, he signed a 2-year deal with French rugby giants, ASM Clermont AuvergneASM Clermont Auvergne
Association Sportive Montferrandaise Clermont Auvergne are a French rugby union club from Clermont-Ferrand in Auvergne that currently competes in Top 14, the top level of the French league system, ASMCA are the were the 2010 France Top 14 Champions. It is the rugby section of the multi-sport club...
. He was signed as a replacement for Fijian flyer Napolioni Nalaga
Napolioni Nalaga
Napolioni Vonowale Nalaga is a Fijian rugby union footballer. He plays as a wing, flanker and Centre. He is nicknamed Napoleon or Naps or Napo...
, who returned to Fiji due to personal problems. He was not included in the New Zealand squad for the 2011 Rugby World Cup
2011 Rugby World Cup
The 2011 Rugby World Cup was the seventh Rugby World Cup, a quadrennial international rugby union competition inaugurated in 1987. The International Rugby Board selected New Zealand as the host country in preference to Japan and South Africa at a meeting in Dublin on 17 November 2005...
.