Ruben Wiki
Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Full name | Ruben James Wiki | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Born | Auckland, New Zealand | 21 January 1973|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Playing information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Height | 186 cm (6 ft 1 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Weight | 104 kg (16 st 5 lb) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Position | Prop, Centre, Second-row | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Ruben James Wiki
Background
Of
Professional playing career
1990s
Wiki commenced playing in Australia's
In 1994, he teamed up with
2000s
In 2001 Wiki was banned for two matches after pleading guilty to a dangerous throw charge on Sydney prop Scott Logan.[8] Wiki played for Canberra until 2004 before moving to the Warriors.
Wiki joined the
In 2009 Wiki came out of retirement to play for the Samoan Residents,[13] a team representing his Mother's homeland,[14] in a one-off match which raised money for the Samoan tsunami relief fund.[15]
Highlights
- 2017 - Played for the New Zealand Warriors in the Auckland Nines Tournament at the age of 44 [16]
- 2008 – New Zealand Warriors upsetting minor premiers the Melbourne Storm 18–15 in what was the first time an 8th placed team had defeated the 1st placed since 1999.
- 2008 – First New Zealander to reach 300 first grade NRL games
- 2008 – The oldest player in the NRL at 35 years and 250 days.[17]
- 55 test caps for Kiwis 1994–2006 before retiring from representative football
- 18 tests as Kiwi captain 2003–2006
- 2006 – Set a record for the most first grade NRL games by a New Zealander, surpassing Stephen Kearney's mark of 264 games.
- 2005 – Was awarded man of the match in his 50th test for the Kiwis. In the same match he also became the first player ever to receive 50 test caps for their country. New Zealand won this historic test against Australia 24–0 and consequently beat Australia for the first time in a series since 1953.
- 1994 – Won a premiership with the Canberra Raiders club.
- First Grade Debut: Round 11, Canberra v South Sydney at Canberra Stadium, 13 June 1993
Post playing
In August 2009, Wiki appeared on the New Zealand travel programme Intrepid Journeys with a trip to Laos.[18] In 2010 Wiki took up a role as a High Performance Assistant with the Warriors.[19] On 22 January Wiki was named the New Zealand Rugby League's national High Performance Manager, a role which will ensure he is involved with the New Zealand national rugby league team.[20] Since 2008, he opened a youth gym back in Otahuhu, Auckland.[4]
In 2023, Wiki participated in season 3 of Match Fit, where former rugby players return to play against the Australian counterparts. He joined in the first season that featured former rugby league stars.[21] He was the assistant coach for the team, and became an emergency substitute player against NZ Women's Open Tag team. He was also named on the bench and played as a substitute against Kangaroos due to Shontayne Hape and Henry Fa'afili deemed medically ineligible to play contact rugby.
Honours
In 2002 and 2003 Wiki was named the Canberra Raiders' player of the year. In 2006, he was named in a Kiwi All Time XIII at a gala awards dinner celebrating New Zealand's centenary of rugby league alongside his good friend Stacey Jones. Wiki and Jones are the only recent players to be named in the side with the majority of the players being from the "immortal" 1950-60s side and the destructive 1980s team.
Wiki was appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to rugby league, in the 2007 Queen's Birthday Honours.[22][23]
Personal life
Wiki drank a bowl of the Pacific island drink kava after each match, which he credits for his longevity in the game. This became not only a personal ritual but was embraced by the team as a post match tradition.[24]
His sister, Germaine Wiki, has represented the
He is married with two children, including daughter Mackenzie who represents Cook Islands in rugby league and from 2023 plays for the Canberra Raiders NRLW team.
References
- ^ Yesterday's Hero
- ^ a b "Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org". rugbyleagueproject.org. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
- ^ Ritchie, Dean (22 April 2010). "Test record holder Ruben Wiki says Darren Lockyer deserves to have Super League Tests recognised". The Daily Telegraph. Australia. Retrieved 22 April 2010.
- ^ a b "Match Fit Season 3 Ep 4 | SPORT | ThreeNow". www.threenow.co.nz. Retrieved 6 May 2023.
- ^ "Apia Park to add Samoa Flavour to Sevens". No. 432. Cook Islands Herald. 5 November 2008. Retrieved 19 October 2013.
- ISBN 1-86950-154-3. p.184
- New Zealand Rugby Football League, 1994. p.142
- ^ Jessup, Peter (14 March 2001). "Bartercard Cup starts off friendly". nzherald.co.nz. APN Holdings NZ Limited. Retrieved 6 October 2009.
- ^ a b c Jessup, Peter; Aldworth, Winston (2 May 2008). "Wiki-Pedia". New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 2 May 2008.
- ^ Richards, Huw (27 November 2005). "New Zealand dismantles Australia's dynasty, 24–0". The New York Times. USA. Retrieved 6 March 2011.
- ^ "Wiki snubs UK offers and retires". BBC. 14 October 2008. Retrieved 14 October 2008.
- ^ "2009 NRL Player Movements". NRL Live. 4 October 2008. Archived from the original on 5 October 2008. Retrieved 4 October 2008.
- ^ Wiki, Ruben (11 October 2009). "League: It's just like riding a bike..." The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 6 November 2011.
- ^ Tahana, Yvonne (9 October 2009). "Wiki on side for Samoa". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 6 November 2011.
- NZPA. 4 October 2009. Retrieved 6 November 2011.
- ^ "Warriors great Ruben Wiki to play in NRL Auckland Nines". NZ Herald. Retrieved 4 August 2021.
- News Limited. Retrieved 2 February 2011.
- ^ "trips featured in series six". Retrieved 15 August 2009.
- NZPA. Retrieved 6 November 2011.
- NZPA. 22 January 2010. Retrieved 6 November 2011.
- ^ "Match Fit Season 3 Ep 1 | SPORT | ThreeNow". www.threenow.co.nz. Retrieved 13 April 2023.
- ^ "Wiki stunned and humbled by Queen's Birthday honour". Rleague.com. 4 June 2007. Archived from the original on 1 October 2007. Retrieved 4 June 2007.
- ^ "Queen's Birthday honours list 2007". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 4 June 2007. Retrieved 28 February 2020.
- ^ Tony Durkin (29 February 2008). "NZ Warriors: After the game, it's kava time". Sunshine Coast Daily. Retrieved 19 October 2013.
- ISBN 1-86971-090-8