Joeli Vidiri

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Joeli Vidiri
Full nameJoeli Vidiri Natabua Nadriubalavu Nalewavada
Date of birth(1973-11-23)23 November 1973
Place of birthNausori Highlands, Fiji
Date of death23 February 2022(2022-02-23) (aged 48)
Place of deathSacramento, California, U.S.
Height190 cm (6 ft 3 in)
Weight100 kg (220 lb; 15 st 10 lb)
SchoolQueen Victoria School
Rugby union career
Position(s)
Wing
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
1994–2000 Counties Manukau 71 (280)
1996–2001 Blues 64 (235)
2001 Auckland 2 (0)
Correct as of 11 June 2020
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
1994–1995 Fiji 7 (25)
1996–1998 New Zealand Barbarians 3 (20)
1998 New Zealand 2 (5)
1999
New Zealand A
 5 (5)
2000–2001 Barbarian F.C. 4 (35)
Correct as of 11 June 2020
Medal record
Men's rugby sevens
Representing  New Zealand
Commonwealth Games
Gold medal – first place 1998 Kuala Lumpur Team competition

Joeli Vidiri (23 November 1973 – 23 February 2022) was a professional

wing. Born in Fiji, he earned seven caps for the Fiji national team before switching his allegiance to New Zealand, for whom he earned two more caps.[1]

Career

Vidiri studied at

New Zealand in 1998.[3] In 2001 he was diagnosed with a kidney illness and placed on dialysis treatment like his fellow Auckland Blues winger Jonah Lomu.[4]

Vidiri played in the Super 12 for the Auckland Blues from 1996 until 2001, where he scored 43 tries in 61 games, at the time an individual record.

Counties, for whom Vidiri scored 56 tries. After two early matches with Auckland
in the 2001 NPC, he ended his career.

Post career

After his career was cut short, it was revealed that Vidiri had been waiting on a transplant for over a decade (accurate to 2013), and on 8 April 2013 episode of Campbell Live, it had been revealed he was talked out of a kidney transplant in 2008, and had taken himself out of the waiting list due to his mother's scepticism and traditional views against transplants and surgery. He worked in Pukekohe.[6]

Vidiri died on 23 February 2022, at the age of 48, in Sacramento, California, from complications of COVID-19 during the COVID-19 pandemic in California,[7][8] shortly after getting married. He was unvaccinated.[9] Tributes from the Rugby community were shared through the New Zealand media.[10]

References

  1. ^ a b Union, Counties Manukau Rugby Football. "RIL to a legend of the game, Joeli Vidiri". Counties Manukau Rugby Football Union. Retrieved 27 February 2024.
  2. ^ "Rest in Love Joeli Vidiri – Moana Pasifika". moanapasifika.co.nz. Retrieved 27 February 2024.
  3. ^ "New Zealand Rugby mourns the loss of iconic winger Joeli Vidiri". NZ Rugby. Retrieved 27 February 2024.
  4. ^ Stevenson, Scotty (29 July 2020). "Joeli Vidiri was as good as you remember". The Spinoff. Retrieved 27 February 2024.
  5. ^ "All Time Super Rugby Records – Super14.com". Sports Digital Media.com. 20 February 2008. Archived from the original on 7 April 2009. Retrieved 5 April 2009.
  6. ^ "Joeli Vidiri on backing out of kidney transplant". Archived from the original on 20 December 2013. Retrieved 8 April 2013.
  7. ^ "All Black died 'in wife's arms' in US after catching Covid-19 on wedding trip". NZ Herald. Retrieved 26 February 2022.
  8. ^ "Former All Black and Blues great Joeli Vidiri dies on tragic day for rugby". Stuff. 25 February 2022.
  9. ^ Reid, Neil (27 February 2022). "Joeli Vidiri tragedy: All Black dies in US after catching Covid-19 on wedding trip". NZ Herald.
  10. ^ "'Joeli gave us hope': Tributes flow for rugby legend Joeli Vidiri". NZ Herald. Retrieved 26 February 2022.

External links

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