One of the most popular Chiefs players, Liam Messam, will play his 150th Super Rugby match for the Chiefs against the Bulls, fittingly, at Waikato Stadium during Round 6 this weekend.
Messam has been a fixture in The Chiefs set up after he debuted in 2006 and has remarkable ability on the field. This has also seen him selected 43 times for the All Blacks.
His versatility as a loose forward has seen him play as a six, seven and eight and his durability is obvious given the record number of appearances for the franchise he has already notched up. He is reported, at 33, to be fitter than ever.
Chiefs assistant coach Andrew Strawbridge said “In our programme, I’ve talked about how wonderful it is to have Liam in our environment and what a difference he makes and what a great leader he is, particularly in helping young men understand the edge you need to cope at this level.”
Earlier this season he led his side to an incredible victory at the inaugural Brisbane Tens tournament with his performances on the final day awe inspiring after receiving news of his very good friend Sione Luaki’s passing.
Further testament to Messam’s commitment to the franchise and the greater Waikato Community will see the Chiefs take to the field looking somewhat different – they will all have their heads shaved.
This is in response to a plea from Messam to the greater rugby public to support a little two-year-old girl named Ka’iulani Forbes who is battling a rare disease called Stage 4 High Risk Neuroblastoma which can only be treated at astronomical cost.
Messam knows the family as he used to coach her mum some years previously and anyone wishing to contribute can find a link to her ‘Give a Little‘ page.
To support Messam this week, the Chiefs have named a strong side which is an indication they will be hoping he can enjoy this significant milestone with a victory.
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