Pita Alatini
Encyclopedia
Pita Faiva-ki-moana Alatini (born 11 March 1976 in Nukualofa
) is a Tonga
n-born New Zealand
rugby union
footballer. Alatini is a midfield back who played in 17 tests for the All Blacks
between 1999 and 2001, scoring 6 test tries
.
Alatini played 81 NPC
matches for four different provinces (Counties-Manukau
, Southland
, Otago
, and Wellington), and 72 Super 12
matches for four different franchises (Crusaders, Chiefs, Highlanders, and Hurricanes).
He has also played professionally in Japan for Suntory Sungoliath
and Kamaishi Seawaves.
Alatini is married to pop singer and actress Megan Alatini
. His brothers Tevita, Anthony and Sam Alatini have played for the Tonga national rugby union team
.
from Tonga as a child. He attended King's College, and played for the national secondary school side in 1993-94 and the national under-19 team in 1995. He played 30 matches for the Counties-Manukau NPC team in 1995-96, and five matches for the Crusaders in the Super 12 in 1996. He represented the New Zealand Colts and played three Super 12 matches for the Chiefs in 1997.
In 1997-98, Alatini played for Southland in the NPC, and began to specialise as a midfielder (up until then, he had often played as a fullback). Alatini played for the Highlanders in the Super 12 from 1998 to 2001, and it was during this time that he became a regular selection for the All Blacks.
In 2002 and 2003, Alatini played for the Hurricanes in the Super 12 and Wellington in the NPC. By this time, he had fallen out of favor with the All Black selectors, and in 2004 he moved to Japan to play for Suntory Sungoliath. In 2006, he left Suntory to play for Kamaishi Seawaves.
. He played his first test on 26 June 1999, in a 54-7 victory over France
at Athletic Park
. He was selected for the 1999 Rugby World Cup
squad, playing in a pool match against Italy
which the All Blacks won 101-3, and coming on as a replacement for Tana Umaga
in the third-place playoff against South Africa
, which South Africa won 22-18.
Alatini was the All Blacks' first choice second five-eighth during the 2000 Tri Nations
, and was selected for the All Blacks' end-of-year tour to France and Italy. He was dropped from the starting line-up for the tests against France, with the selectors preferring Daryl Gibson
at second five-eighth due to his more physical defense. He played as an unused reserve in the second test against France, and started the test against Italy. He regained his place as the All Blacks' first choice second five-eighth for the 2001 domestic tests and Tri Nations
. Alatini played his last test for the All Blacks on 1 September 2001, in a 29-26 loss to Australia at Stadium Australia
.
After the 2001 Tri Nations, the All Blacks coaches Wayne Smith
and Tony Gilbert were replaced by John Mitchell
and Robbie Deans
. Alatini was selected for the All Blacks for the last time on the 2001 tour of Ireland and Argentina. He was relegated to the mid-week team, with the new coaches preferring Aaron Mauger
at second five-eighth for the test matches due to his superior distribution skills.
in 2000, they met in 1994. He has 3 children. Two daughters, Tonica, born 13 May 1995 and Tiara born 2002, and 1 son, Trey born 2005
Nukuʻalofa
Nukualofa is the capital of the Kingdom of Tonga. It is located on the north coast of the island of Tongatapu, in the southern most island group of Tonga.-Mythological origins:...
) is a Tonga
Tonga
Tonga, officially the Kingdom of Tonga , is a state and an archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, comprising 176 islands scattered over of ocean in the South Pacific...
n-born 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. Alatini is a midfield back who played in 17 tests for 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....
between 1999 and 2001, scoring 6 test 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...
.
Alatini played 81 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...
matches for four different provinces (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...
, Southland
Southland Rugby
The Southland Rugby Football Union is a provincial rugby union who govern the Southland Region founded in 1886. The headquarters of Southland Rugby are in Invercargill, New Zealand however the Southland Union also covers country teams such as Midlands of Winton and Excelsior Rugby Club of Gore.The...
, 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...
, and Wellington), and 72 Super 12
Super 14
Super Rugby is the largest and pre-eminent professional Rugby union competition in the Southern Hemisphere...
matches for four different franchises (Crusaders, Chiefs, Highlanders, and Hurricanes).
He has also played professionally in Japan for Suntory Sungoliath
Suntory Sungoliath
Suntory Sungoliath is owned by the Suntory beverage company and is one of the Japanese rugby union teams in the Top League. The team is based in Fuchū, Tokyo, as is their local rival Toshiba Brave Lupus...
and Kamaishi Seawaves.
Alatini is married to pop singer and actress Megan Alatini
Megan Alatini
Megan Bronwinne Alatini is a South African born New Zealand pop singer, actress and television personality. She rose to fame in New Zealand on the reality television series Popstars. She went on to become a member in the girl group TrueBliss. She is also known for portraying the part of Java in...
. His brothers Tevita, Anthony and Sam Alatini have played for the Tonga national rugby union team
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...
.
Career overview
Alatini moved to AucklandAuckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
from Tonga as a child. He attended King's College, and played for the national secondary school side in 1993-94 and the national under-19 team in 1995. He played 30 matches for the Counties-Manukau NPC team in 1995-96, and five matches for the Crusaders in the Super 12 in 1996. He represented the New Zealand Colts and played three Super 12 matches for the Chiefs in 1997.
In 1997-98, Alatini played for Southland in the NPC, and began to specialise as a midfielder (up until then, he had often played as a fullback). Alatini played for the Highlanders in the Super 12 from 1998 to 2001, and it was during this time that he became a regular selection for the All Blacks.
In 2002 and 2003, Alatini played for the Hurricanes in the Super 12 and Wellington in the NPC. By this time, he had fallen out of favor with the All Black selectors, and in 2004 he moved to Japan to play for Suntory Sungoliath. In 2006, he left Suntory to play for Kamaishi Seawaves.
All Black career
Alatini made his debut for the All Blacks on 11 June 1999, in a 22-11 victory over New Zealand A at Jade StadiumJade Stadium
Lancaster Park, formerly Jade Stadium and currently known as AMI Stadium through sponsorship rights, is a sports stadium situated in Waltham, a suburb of Christchurch in New Zealand....
. He played his first test on 26 June 1999, in a 54-7 victory over France
France national rugby union team
The France national rugby union team represents France in rugby union. They compete annually against England, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales in the Six Nations Championship. They have won the championship outright sixteen times, shared it a further eight times, and have completed nine grand slams...
at Athletic Park
Athletic Park (Wellington)
Athletic Park was a well-known ground used mostly for rugby matches in Wellington, New Zealand. The ground was also the inaugural home of New Zealand's principal knockout football tournament, the Chatham Cup ....
. He was selected for the 1999 Rugby World Cup
1999 Rugby World Cup
The 1999 Rugby World Cup was the fourth Rugby World Cup, and the first to be held in rugby union's professional era. The principal host nation was Wales, although the majority of matches were played outside the country, shared between England, France, Scotland and Ireland...
squad, playing in a pool match against Italy
Italy national rugby union team
The Italy national rugby union team represent the nation of Italy in the sport of rugby union. The team is also known as the Azzurri . Italy have been playing international rugby since the late 1920s, and since 2000 compete annually in the Six Nations Championship with England, France, Ireland,...
which the All Blacks won 101-3, and coming on as a replacement for Tana Umaga
Tana Umaga
Jonathan Ionatana Falefasa "Tana" Umaga, ONZM is a New Zealand rugby union footballer and former captain of the national team, the All Blacks. He played for the Hurricanes starting with the Super 12's inception in 1996 and took over the captaincy in 2003...
in the third-place playoff 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...
, which South Africa won 22-18.
Alatini was the All Blacks' first choice second five-eighth during the 2000 Tri Nations
2000 Tri Nations Series
The 2000 Tri Nations Series was contested from 15 July to 26 August between the Australia, New Zealand and South Africa national rugby union teams...
, and was selected for the All Blacks' end-of-year tour to France and Italy. He was dropped from the starting line-up for the tests against France, with the selectors preferring Daryl Gibson
Daryl Gibson
Daryl Peter Earl Gibson is a former New Zealand rugby union footballer who played inside centre for Canterbury Crusaders in the southern hemisphere and Bristol Shoguns, Leicester Tigers and Glasgow Warriors in the northern hemisphere...
at second five-eighth due to his more physical defense. He played as an unused reserve in the second test against France, and started the test against Italy. He regained his place as the All Blacks' first choice second five-eighth for the 2001 domestic tests and Tri Nations
2001 Tri Nations Series
The 2001 Tri Nations Series was contested from 21 July to 1 September between the Australia, New Zealand and South Africa national rugby union teams...
. Alatini played his last test for the All Blacks on 1 September 2001, in a 29-26 loss to Australia at Stadium Australia
Telstra Stadium
Stadium Australia, currently also known as ANZ Stadium due to naming rights, formerly known as Telstra Stadium, is a multi-purpose stadium located in the Sydney Olympic Park precinct of Homebush Bay...
.
After the 2001 Tri Nations, the All Blacks coaches Wayne Smith
Wayne Smith (rugby player)
Wayne Ross Smith is a former rugby union footballer, and currently a rugby union coach. He is currently the backs coach for New Zealand's national rugby union team the All Blacks. He played provincial rugby for Canterbury and became an All Black in 1980. He played first five-eighth, gaining 35...
and Tony Gilbert were replaced by John Mitchell
John Mitchell (rugby player)
John Eric Paul Mitchell, is a noted former rugby union player and former coach for the New Zealand All Blacks. Mitchell's rugby career blossomed with the club side Fraser-Tech after he moved from King Country in 1984 and was soon elected Waikato Colts captain...
and Robbie Deans
Robbie Deans
Robert Maxwell Deans is the current coach of the Wallabies and former All Black. He is the former coach of the Crusaders. He also served as assistant to former All Blacks coach John Mitchell between late 2001 and 2003...
. Alatini was selected for the All Blacks for the last time on the 2001 tour of Ireland and Argentina. He was relegated to the mid-week team, with the new coaches preferring Aaron Mauger
Aaron Mauger
Aaron Joseph Douglas Mauger is a former rugby union player who played at centre for Leicester Tigers. He previously played first five-eighths and second five-eighths for Canterbury , the Crusaders and the New Zealand All Blacks...
at second five-eighth for the test matches due to his superior distribution skills.
Personal life
Pita married Megan AlatiniMegan Alatini
Megan Bronwinne Alatini is a South African born New Zealand pop singer, actress and television personality. She rose to fame in New Zealand on the reality television series Popstars. She went on to become a member in the girl group TrueBliss. She is also known for portraying the part of Java in...
in 2000, they met in 1994. He has 3 children. Two daughters, Tonica, born 13 May 1995 and Tiara born 2002, and 1 son, Trey born 2005