Former All Black Sione Lauaki farewelled

Former All Black Sione Lauaki has been farewelled by hundreds of family, friends, fans and rugby dignitaries in Auckland.

Sione Lauaki in 2008. Photo: Getty
Sione Lauaki in 2008. Photo: Getty

Lauaki, who played 17 All Blacks tests between 2005 and 2008, died in Waitakere Hospital on Sunday surrounded by family, having apparently suffered kidney failure. He was 35.

He was farewelled at Church Unlimited in Te Atatu on Saturday, where at least 1500 people gathered.

Lauaki's wife Stephanie spoke about the huge amount of love her husband put into the world.

"I feel honoured to have been his wife and the mother of his children," she said.

"I'm just really blessed that I can look at my sons and see the love of their father every day."

All Blacks assistant coach Ian Foster, who was Lauaki's coach at the Waikato Chiefs, spoke on behalf of the rugby world.

He talked of Lauaki's "childlike giggle that didn't seem appropriate coming from that big body."

He said Lauaki was wary when you first met him and slow to trust, but when you had earned his trust "he would give you everything".

Lauaki's former All Blacks coach Sir Graham Henry also attended the funeral.

Born in Tonga, Lauaki emerged out of Kelston Boys' High and debuted for Auckland in 2002, before switching to Waikato and making his maiden Super Rugby appearance for the Chiefs in 2004.

He made his debut for the All Blacks a year later in a victory over Fiji and was eventually part of the squad that fell short at the 2007 World Cup, but found his path at the top level blocked by Rodney So'oalio and Jerry Collins.

Lauaki also played for the one-off Pacific Islanders combination and, within a 15-day period in 2004, scored tries for them against Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.

An enormously destructive loose forward, Lauaki's career never quite reached its potential, having struggled with his fitness and off-field issues.

The son of Kepu and Melefale Lauaki, he is also survived by wife Stephanie and his five children.

He will be laid to rest at Waikumete Cemetery - just a few roads down from his former college, Kelston Boys' High School.

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