Name Norman Ligairi Height 1.84 m | Weight 95 kg | |
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Norman Armstrong Senibici Ligairi (29 January 1976 in Nadi) is a Fijian 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.
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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 Tonga at Nukuʻalofa, 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 on to 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.
He is also the only Fijian ever to score 2 tries against New Zealand.