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.

Willis Halaholo
Date of birth (1990-07-06) 6 July 1990
Place of birthAuckland, New Zealand
Height1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Weight105 kg (231 lb)
SchoolMount Albert Grammar School
Rugby union career
Position(s) Inside/Outside Centre
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2016− Cardiff Blues 69 65
Provincial / State sides
Years Team Apps (Points)
2013–15
2016		 Southland
Waikato		 33
10		 (50)
(10)
Correct as of 16 October 2016
Super Rugby
Years Team Apps (Points)
2015–16 Hurricanes 18 (10)
Correct as of 6 August 2016

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 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]

gollark: These people are INSANE.
gollark: > A TLV variable name is a random pronounceable three-letter string, sometimes with some vague relationship to its meaning, but usually not. Usually CVC (consonant-vowel-consonant) is a good choice.WHY WOULD YOU DO THIS
gollark: Isn't a u16 a "word" anyway?
gollark: What was wrong with `u64` or something?
gollark: ```c typedef uint64_t c3_d; // double-word typedef int64_t c3_ds; // signed double-word typedef uint32_t c3_w; // word typedef int32_t c3_ws; // signed word typedef uint16_t c3_s; // short typedef int16_t c3_ss; // signed short typedef uint8_t c3_y; // byte typedef int8_t c3_ys; // signed byte typedef uint8_t c3_b; // bit```Wow, this is HIGHLY readable.

References
  1. "Coach's faith launches Halaholo". All Blacks.com. 10 October 2013. Retrieved 3 November 2014.
  2. "Reinforced midfield an asset for 2015". Hurricanes Rugby. 29 October 2014. Retrieved 3 November 2014.
  3. Wales v Barbarians
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