Norman Ligairi
Encyclopedia
Norman Armstrong Senibici Ligairi (29 January 1976 in Nadi, Fiji
) is a Fiji
an rugby union
player who usually plays as a fullback. He represents Fiji
at international level in both the 15-a-side and 7-a-side
game. Ligairi is to date the only Fijian to have scored two tries against the All Blacks
in a game.
at Nukualofa
, and went on to feature in four other internationals that season. In 2001 he was capped five times for Fiji, and following further Tests in June 2002 he toured the northern hemisphere in November and played in matches against Wales
, Ireland
and Scotland
.
Following games against Argentina
and Chile
, Ligairi was included in the Fiji squad for the 2003 Rugby World Cup
which was hosted by Australia. He scored two tries in the pool match against Japan
.
Ligairi was capped twice the following year, and went on to play for the Pacific Islanders
in the matches against Australia
and South Africa
. He was capped eight times in 2005, including touring in November. In 2006 he was a part of the Fiji sevens team which won bronze at the rugby event at the 2006 Commonwealth Games
. He went onto feature in the inaugural Pacific 5 Nations for Fiji. He is currently playing for La Rochelle
in the Pro D2 Competition.
He was Fiji's first choice fullback between 2000 and 2007 and he is third in Fiji's all time try scorers list with 18.
Fiji
Fiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...
) is a Fiji
Fiji
Fiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...
an rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
player who usually plays as a fullback. He represents Fiji
Fiji national rugby union team
The Fiji national rugby union team is a member of the Pacific Islands Rugby Alliance formerly along with Samoa and Tonga. In 2009, Samoa announced their departure from the Pacific Islands Rugby Alliance, leaving just Fiji and Tonga. Fiji are ranked sixteenth in the world by the IRB as of 26...
at international level in both the 15-a-side and 7-a-side
Rugby sevens
Rugby sevens, also known as seven-a-side or VIIs, is a variant of rugby union in which teams are made up of seven players, instead of the usual 15, with shorter matches. Rugby sevens is administered by the International Rugby Board , the body responsible for rugby union worldwide...
game. Ligairi is to date the only Fijian to have scored two tries against the All Blacks
All Blacks
The New Zealand men's national rugby union team, known as the All Blacks, represent New Zealand in what is regarded as its national sport....
in a game.
Biography
The youngest son of Abundant Life Assemblies of God evangelist the late Rev, Epi Qaidamu Ligairi and grandnephew of coup security chief and former SAS officer Major Ilisoni Ligairi.Personal life
He is married to Dr.Lelea Naikatini Ligairi who is an ophthalmologist at the CWM hospital in Suva. They have one child, a baby boy. She was crowned Miss Bula - 2003 (A beauty Queen Contest) in Nadi. She met 'Storming Norman' in 2003 while she was the resident doctor at the Nadi Hospital. Norman was in camp in Nadi preparing for the 2003 Rugby World Cup at that time.Career
Ligairi made his international debut in May 2000 against TongaTonga national rugby union team
The Tonga national rugby union team is nicknamed Ikale Tahi . Like their Polynesian neighbours, the Tongans start their matches with a war dance – the Kailao . They are members of the Pacific Islands Rugby Alliance along with Fiji and Samoa...
at Nukualofa
Nukuʻalofa
Nukualofa is the capital of the Kingdom of Tonga. It is located on the north coast of the island of Tongatapu, in the southern most island group of Tonga.-Mythological origins:...
, and went on to feature in four other internationals that season. In 2001 he was capped five times for Fiji, and following further Tests in June 2002 he toured the northern hemisphere in November and played in matches against Wales
Wales national rugby union team
The Wales national rugby union team represent Wales in international rugby union tournaments. They compete annually in the Six Nations Championship with England, France, Ireland, Italy and Scotland. Wales have won the Six Nations and its predecessors 24 times outright, second only to England with...
, Ireland
Ireland national rugby union team
The Ireland national rugby union team represents the island of Ireland in rugby union. The team competes annually in the Six Nations Championship and every four years in the Rugby World Cup, where they reached the quarter-final stage in all but two competitions The Ireland national rugby union...
and Scotland
Scotland national rugby union team
The Scotland national rugby union team represent Scotland in international rugby union. Rugby union in Scotland is administered by the Scottish Rugby Union. The Scotland rugby union team is currently ranked eighth in the IRB World Rankings as of 19 September 2011...
.
Following games against Argentina
Argentina national rugby union team
The Argentina national rugby team, nicknamed Los Pumas, represents Argentina in international rugby union matches. The team, which plays in sky blue and white jerseys, is organised by the Argentine Rugby Union .Argentina played its first international rugby match in 1910 against a touring British...
and Chile
Chile national rugby union team
The Chile national rugby union team is a rugby union nation representing Chile. They first played in 1935 and have yet to qualify for the Rugby World Cup. Rugby union in Chile is administered by the Federación de Rugby de Chile...
, Ligairi was included in the Fiji squad for the 2003 Rugby World Cup
2003 Rugby World Cup
The 2003 Rugby World Cup was the fifth Rugby World Cup and was won by England. Originally planned to be co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand, all games were shifted to Australia following a contractual dispute over ground signage rights between the New Zealand Rugby Football Union and Rugby World...
which was hosted by Australia. He scored two tries in the pool match against Japan
Japan national rugby union team
The Japan national rugby union team represent Japan in international rugby union competitions. Japan is traditionally the strongest rugby union power in Asia but has both enjoyed and endured mixed results against non-Asian teams over the years...
.
Ligairi was capped twice the following year, and went on to play for the Pacific Islanders
Pacific Islanders rugby union team
The Pacific Islanders rugby union team is an international rugby union team, started in 2004, that represents Fiji, Samoa and Tonga. While Niue and the Cook Islands are not members of the Pacific Tri-Nations competition, they did supply players to the squad for the Pacific Islanders' tour in 2004...
in the matches against Australia
Australia national rugby union team
The Australian national rugby union team is the representative side of Australia in rugby union. The national team is nicknamed the Wallabies and competes annually with New Zealand and South Africa in the Tri-Nations Series, in which they also contest the Bledisloe Cup with New Zealand and the...
and South Africa
South Africa national rugby union team
The South African national rugby union team are 2009 British and Irish Lions Series winners. They are currently ranked as the fourth best team in the IRB World Rankings and were named 2008 World Team of the Year at the prestigious Laureus World Sports Awards.Although South Africa was instrumental...
. He was capped eight times in 2005, including touring in November. In 2006 he was a part of the Fiji sevens team which won bronze at the rugby event at the 2006 Commonwealth Games
Rugby Sevens at the 2006 Commonwealth Games
The 2006 Commonwealth Games were the third Games at which Rugby sevens was played. It is one of the male-only sports at the Commonwealth Games, the other being Boxing. The venue for the Rugby Sevens was the Telstra Dome, on the western edge of Melbourne's Central Business District...
. He went onto feature in the inaugural Pacific 5 Nations for Fiji. He is currently playing for La Rochelle
Atlantique Stade Rochelais
Stade Rochelais is a French rugby union club who compete in the Pro D2. They are often known simply as La Rochelle.They were founded in 1898 and play at Stade Marcel-Deflandre . They wear yellow and black...
in the Pro D2 Competition.
He was Fiji's first choice fullback between 2000 and 2007 and he is third in Fiji's all time try scorers list with 18.