The dynamism of Keven Mealamu provides the All Blacks with a superb counterpoint to the hard-nosed approach of the traditional New Zealand front-row forward.

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The dynamism of Keven Mealamu provides the All Blacks with a superb counterpoint to the hard-nosed approach of the traditional New Zealand front-row forward.

Mealamu took on a new leadership role in 2006, captaining the Blues through a challenging Rebel Sport Super 14 campaign. During 2005, the livewire hooker delivered several stand-out performances for the All Blacks, including a match-winning try against South Africa at Dunedin and the clincher against England at Twickenham in November.

An accurate lineout thrower and strong scrummager, Mealamu is equally comfortable in the running game, where his skills and background make him almost a fourth loose forward.

Mealamu scored three tries in his first seven games for the Blues in the 2007 Rebel Sport Super 14 after scoring four in 70 previous matches.

In 2008 Mealamu would continue to feature heavily in the All Blacks, featuring in every test match one way or another.  He would battle with Wellington hooker Andrew Hore over this time, often coming off the bench as the ultimate impact forward.

That same year Mealamu would captain the All Blacks against Scotland in their Grand Slam tour, becoming the first hooker since Sean Fitzpatrick to lead the national side in a test match.

In 2009 and 2010 Mealamu would continue to grow within the New Zealand rugby ranks, being the Blues captain in the Rebel Sport Super 14, also achieving the notable milestone of 100 Super rugby caps.  His appearances in 2009 would be interupted by injury.

Career Comments:

• Three Test tries in 2005 more than doubled his All Blacks tally.

• Returned to the Auckland Air New Zealand NPC side late in 2005 but scored a try in each of the two matches he started: the semifinal win over North Harbour and the final win over Otago.

• Had played in every game for Auckland since his debut in 1999 until All Blacks selection intervened in 2003 and 2004.

• Played as a flanker for New Zealand Under 16 and New Zealand Schools before switching to hooker in 1998.

• His brother Luke played two Test matches as a flanker for Samoa in 2000.

• First played for the Blues in 2000, but had a stint with the Chiefs in 2002 - the same year he debuted for the All Blacks.

New Zealand Representative Teams:

New Zealand Under 16 in 1995
New Zealand Schools in 1996
New Zealand Under 21 in 2000
New Zealand A in 2000
All Blacks in 2002–2010

Test match Record by Year:
(+) = substitute  (-) = replaced

(+) = substitute; (-) = replaced

2002
Nov 23 v Wales at Cardiff 43-17

2003
Jun 14 v England at Wellington 13-15 (+)
Jun 21 v Wales at Hamilton 55-3
Jun 28 v France at Christchurch 31-23 (+)
Jul 19 v South Africa at Pretoria 52-16 (-)
Jul 26 v Australia at Sydney 50-21 (-)
Aug 9 v South Africa at Dunedin 19-11 (+)
Aug 16 v Australia at Auckland 21-17
Oct 11 v Italy at Melbourne 70-7 (-)
Nov 2 v Wales at Sydney 53-37 (-)
Nov 8 v South Africa at Melbourne 29-9 (-)
Nov 15 v Australia at Sydney 10-22
Nov 20 v France at Sydney 40-13 (-)

2004
Jun 12 v England at Dunedin 36-3
Jun 19 v England at Auckland 36-12 (-)
Jul 10 v Pacific Islanders at Albany 41-26
Jul 17 v Australia at Wellington 16-7
Jul 24 v South Africa at Christchurch 23-21
Aug 7 v Australia at Sydney 18-23
Aug 14 v South Africa at Johannesburg 26-40
Nov 20 v Wales at Cardiff 26-25
Nov 27 v France at Paris 45-6 (+)

2005
Jun 10 v Fiji at Albany 91-0 (+)
Jun 25 v British & Irish Lions at Christchurch 21-3(-)
Jul 2 v British & Irish Lions at Wellington 48-18 (-)
Jul 9 v British & Irish Lions at Auckland 38-19
Aug 7 v South Africa at Cape Town 16-22 (-)
Aug 13 v Australia at Sydney 30-13 (-)
Aug 27 v South Africa at Dunedin 31-27
Sep 3 v Australia at Auckland 34-24
Nov 12 v Ireland at Dublin 45-7 (-)
Nov 19 v England at London 23-19

2006
Jun 10 v Ireland at Hamilton 34-23
Jun 17 v Ireland at Auckland 27-17 (-)
Jul 8 v Australia at Christchurch 32-12 (-)
Jul 29 v Australia at Brisbane 13-9 (-)
Aug 19 v Australia at Auckland 34-27
Aug 26 v South Africa at Pretoria 45-26 (+)
Nov 6 v England at London 41-20 (-)
Nov 12 v France at Lyon 47-3 (+)
Nov 19 v France at Paris 23-11 (-)

2007
2 Jun v France at Auckland 42-11 (-)
9 Jun v France at Wellington 61-10 (+)
23 June v South Africa at Durban 26-21 (+)
30 June v Australia at Melbourne 15-20 (+)
14 July v South Africa at Christchurch 33-6 (-)
21 July v Australia at Auckland 26-12 (+)
8 Sept v Italy (RWC) at Marseille 76-14 (-)
15 Sept v Portugal (RWC) at Lyon 108-13 (+)
30 Sept v Romania (RWC) at Toulouse 85-8 (-)

2008
7 June v Ireland at Wellington 21-11 (+)
14 June v England at Auckland 37-20 (+)
21 June v England at Christchurch 44-12 (+)
5 July v South Africa at Wellington 19-8 (+)
12 July v South Africa at Dunedin 28-30 (+)
26 July v Australia at Sydney 19-34 (+)
2 Aug v Australia at Auckland 39-10 (+)
17 Aug v South Africa at Capetown 19-0 (+)
3 Sept v Samoa at New Plymouth 101-14 (+)
13 Sept v Australia at Brisbane 28-24 (+)
1 Nov v Australia at Hong Kong 19-14 (+)
9 Nov v Scotland at Edinburgh 32-6 (-)
16 Nov v Ireland at Dublin 22-3 (-)
23 Nov v Wales at Cardiff 29-9
30 Nov v England at London 32-6

2009
13 June v France at Dunedin 22-27 (+)
20 June v France at Wellington 14-10
27 June v Italy at Christchurch 27-6 (-)
18 July v Australia at Auckland 22-16 (+)
26 July v South Africa at Bloemfontain 19-28 (+)
2 Aug v South Africa at Durban 19-31 (+)

2010
12 June v Ireland at New Plymouth 66-28 (-)
19 June v Wales at Dunedin 42-9 (-)
26 Jun v Wales at Hamilton 29-10 (-)
10 July v South Africa at Auckland 32-12 (-)
17 July v South Africa at Wellington 31-17 (-)
31 July v Australia at Melbourne 49-28 (-)
7 Aug v Australia at Christchurch 20-10 (-)
22 Aug v South Africa at Johannesburg 29-22