Willis Halaholo
Willis Halaholo (born 6 July 1990) is a New Zealand born rugby union player who currently plays as a centre for the Cardiff Blues. He was also part of the Hurricanes team that won its first ever Super Rugby title in 2016.
| Date of birth | 6 July 1990 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Place of birth | Auckland, New Zealand | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 105 kg (231 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| School | Mount Albert Grammar School | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Career
After winning the Auckland Secondary Schools title with Mount Albert Grammar School, Halaholo was named in the 2007 New Zealand Secondary Schools team alongside All Blacks Tawera Kerr-Barlow, Elliot Dixon and Charlie Ngatai for their tour of Australia.
He also played for Tonga U20 at the 2009 IRB Junior World Championship in Japan.
Halaholo began his senior club rugby career with Grammar Carlton before moving to Silverdale to reunite with MAGS coach Charlie McAlister.
After a move back to his junior club, Suburbs, in Auckland, Halaholo caught the attention of Southland selectors and headed to New Zealand's far south to gain his ITM Cup break with the Stags in 2013.[1] He made a big impact in Invercargill and after two seasons with the Stags, he was named in the Hurricanes squad for the 2015 Super Rugby season.[2]
Behind the All Blacks midfield combination of Ma'a Nonu and Conrad Smith, Halaholo managed only a handful of appearances off the bench.
In 2016 he was offered a downgraded wider training squad contract and, after starting the season on the bench, earned a place in the starting team which won the Hurricanes' first Super Rugby title, defeating the Lions 20-3 in the final at Westpac Stadium.
At the conclusion of the 2016 Mitre 10 Cup he joined the Cardiff Blues on a three-year contract.
International
He was named in the Wales squad for the first time for the uncapped international versus the Barbarians on 30 November 2019 after qualifying for Wales through the residency rule.[3]
References
- "Coach's faith launches Halaholo". All Blacks.com. 10 October 2013. Retrieved 3 November 2014.
- "Reinforced midfield an asset for 2015". Hurricanes Rugby. 29 October 2014. Retrieved 3 November 2014.
- Wales v Barbarians