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| Date of birth | 11 September 1984 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Place of birth | Napier, New Zealand | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.84 m (6 ft 1⁄2 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 95 kg (14 st 13 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Sam Giddens (born 11 September 1984, Napier, New Zealand) is a rugby union player who competed professionally in New Zealand and Europe, playing as a centre. He is affectionately known as Sam Kittens.
Giddens made his debut for Hawkes Bay during the 2007 Air New Zealand Cup, and spent three seasons for the province as a regular starter, also serving occasionally as a goal-kicker for the squad. He helped the Magpies reach the semi-finals of the Air New Zealand Cup in each of his three years for the team.
For the 2009-10 season, Giddens moved to England, signing with Bristol Rugby of the RFU Championship. After a season in Bristol, he moved to Lyons Piacenza in Italy for 2010-11. [1]
Giddens returned to New Zealand for the 2011 ITM Cup, signing with Otago. He started the first four matches of the season before being ruled out through injury.
Bradley Carnegie Thorn is a New Zealand Australian rugby union coach and former rugby league and rugby union footballer. Born in New Zealand, he represented Australia in rugby league and New Zealand in rugby union in a twenty-two year career as a player, starting at age nineteen and finishing at age forty-one. He was the head coach of the Australian Super Rugby Pacific team, the Queensland Reds. Thorn is their second longest-serving coach in history and their longest serving coach in the professional era.
Ryan Shortland is a former rugby union player who last played for the Newcastle Falcons in the Aviva Premiership. Before switching to rugby union, he previously played rugby league in the NRL.
Tasesa James Lavea is a New Zealand rugby union coach and former professional rugby league and rugby union footballer. He is of Samoan and Māori descent and heritage, and he coaches the 1st XV for Saint Kentigern College.
Thomas Simon Maling is a retired New Zealand rugby union footballer and former All Black. His usual playing position was at lock. He played for most of his rugby career in New Zealand for the Otago Highlanders and the All Blacks from 1996 - 2004 before heading overseas to London to play part of one season at Harlequins in 2004 before heading to Japan. He joined the Scarlets at the start of the 2008–09 European season, leaving Suntory Sungoliath in Japan, where he played for three years from 2005 to 2008. In mid-2009, at age 34, Maling hung up his boots and retired from rugby and returned to his native New Zealand to live.
SamuelaMoa is a former professional rugby league footballer who played as a prop, most recently for the FC Lézignan XIII in the French Elite One Championship. He is both Tonga and New Zealand international.
Tavake Lecanus Liukanasi Manu is a New Zealand rugby union player. He plays in the number 8 and occasionally flanker position for Mitre 10 Cup side, Otago. Manu also represents Tonga at international level.
Christopher King is a New Zealand rugby union player who currently plays for the Panasonic Wild Knights in Japan. His position is tighthead prop. Three years ago he returned from France with his daughters Chloe and Alexis.
Alando Soakai is a former professional rugby union player from New Zealand best known for his time with the Highlanders in Super Rugby and Otago in the ITM Cup, and as captain of Otago in their 2009 and 2010 campaigns. He currently serves on the coaching staff of the Kubota Spears in the Japan Rugby League One, the club where he finished his playing career.
Adam Thomson is a New Zealand rugby union player. He represented the New Zealand All Blacks between 2008 and 2012, playing a total of 29 tests including two during the victorious 2011 Rugby World Cup campaign. He played for the Melbourne Rebels in 2016, having also played Super Rugby with the Queensland Reds (2015) and Highlanders (2006-2012). He has also represented the Canon Eagles in Japan's Top League and New Zealand province Otago.
James Whitinui Joseph is a New Zealand-born Japanese former rugby union player and current rugby union coach. A flanker, Joseph represented Otago at a provincial level, and was a member of the New Zealand national side, the All Blacks, from 1992 to 1995, before representing Japan in 1999. Joseph, now head coach of the Japanese national side, has coached since his retirement, coming through the ranks in New Zealand before his first national stint.
Kurt Baker is a New Zealand rugby union player, who currently plays as a fullback or wing for Old Glory DC in Major League Rugby (MLR).
Benjamin Robert Smith is a retired New Zealand rugby union player, currently working for Super Rugby side Highlanders' management team. He formerly played for the Highlanders in the Super Rugby competition, Otago in the ITM Cup, Pau in the Top 14 and Kobelco Steelers in the Japan Rugby League One.
Samuel Lawrence Whitelock is a former New Zealand rugby union player.
Chris Noakes is a professional rugby union player.
Liam James Coltman is a New Zealand rugby union player who plays as a hooker for Lyon in Frances's domestic competition Top 14.
Luke Charles Whitelock is a New Zealand rugby union player who currently plays as a loose forward for Section Paloise (Pau) in France's Top 14 rugby competition.
Salesi Tu'ipulotu Piutau, often known as Charles Piutau, is a professional rugby union player who plays as a fullback for Japan Rugby League One club Shizuoka Blue Revs.
Gareth Evans is a retired New Zealand rugby union player, who played as a loose forward for Hawke's Bay in New Zealand's domestic National Provincial Championship competition and the Highlanders in Super Rugby.
Aki Seiuli is a New Zealand born rugby union player of Samoan heritage who currently plays as a prop for Dragons and the Samoan national side. He previously played for Glasgow Warriors; and the New Zealand sides Otago - in domestic Mitre 10 Cup - and the Highlanders - in the international Super Rugby competition.
Joe Latta is a New Zealand rugby union player for Suntory Sungoliath in the Top League. His regular playing position is Lock.
