Jackson Nikora Hemopo (born 14 November 1993) is a New Zealand All Black and

rugby union Rugby union, commonly known simply as rugby, is a close-contact team sport that originated at Rugby School in the first half of the 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand. In it ...

player who currently plays as a

lock Lock(s) may refer to: Common meanings *Lock and key, a mechanical device used to secure items of importance *Lock (water navigation), a device for boats to transit between different levels of water, as in a canal Arts and entertainment * ''Lock ...

or loose forward for in New Zealand's domestic

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and the in the international Super Rugby competition. He was called into New Zealand's international rugby team, the

All Blacks The New Zealand national rugby union team, commonly known as the All Blacks ( mi, Ōpango), represents New Zealand in men's international rugby union, which is considered the country's national sport. The team won the Rugby World Cup in 1987, ...

, in 2018 and played three tests that year. Hemopo signed a one-year deal with Japan-based club Mitsubishi Sagamihara DynaBoars at the start of 2019, with the deal becoming effective from the end of the

2019 Rugby World Cup The 2019 Rugby World Cup was the ninth edition of the Rugby World Cup, the quadrennial world championship for men's rugby union teams. It was hosted in Japan from 20 September to 2 November in 12 venues all across the country. The opening match ...

Early career

Born in Whanganui in New Zealand's Manawatū-Whanganui region, Hemopo was educated at

Palmerston North Boys' High School Palmerston North Boys' High School is a traditional boys school located in Palmerston North, New Zealand. Location Palmerston North Boys' High School has a campus located on Featherston Street between Rangitikei and North Streets in the central ...

, in

Palmerston North Palmerston North (; mi, Te Papa-i-Oea, known colloquially as Palmy) is a city in the North Island of New Zealand and the seat of the Manawatū-Whanganui region. Located in the eastern Manawatu Plains, the city is near the north bank of the ...

, the biggest town in his home region. Of

Māori Māori or Maori can refer to: Relating to the Māori people * Māori people of New Zealand, or members of that group * Māori language, the language of the Māori people of New Zealand * Māori culture * Cook Islanders, the Māori people of the C ...

descent, Hemopo affiliates to the Tuhourangi, Ngāti Rangi,

Ngāi Tahu Ngāi Tahu, or Kāi Tahu, is the principal Māori (tribe) of the South Island. Its (tribal area) is the largest in New Zealand, and extends from the White Bluffs / Te Parinui o Whiti (southeast of Blenheim), Mount Mahanga and Kahurangi Point ...

Ngāti Apa ki te Rā Tō Ngāti Apa ki te Rā Tō is a Māori iwi (tribe) in the upper South Island of New Zealand. Its rohe (tribal lands) include the areas around Golden Bay, Tākaka, Tasman Bay / Te Tai-o-Aorere, Motueka, Nelson and Saint Arnaud, including Taita ...

, and Ngāti Wahiao

iwi Iwi () are the largest social units in New Zealand Māori society. In Māori roughly means "people" or "nation", and is often translated as "tribe", or "a confederation of tribes". The word is both singular and plural in the Māori language, ...

. He played first XV rugby while at school and after graduating headed south to

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where he began playing for the Green Island rugby club in Otago's Premier club rugby competition. He had one season with the Southern club before transferring back to Green Island and winning the Dunedin club player of the year award in 2016.

Senior career

Hemopo first made the squad ahead of the

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and went on to play all 10 of their games during what proved to be a difficult year, with an inexperienced side finishing 6th on the Championship log, comfortably outside the playoff places. The Razorbacks were in better form in 2015, ending up 3rd in the championship table before being comprehensively defeated by in the semi-finals. Hemopo managed just 6 appearances and 1 try in his second campaign of domestic rugby in Dunedin. At the end of 2015, it was announced that Hemopo would be heading home to join Manawatu for the 2016 Mitre 10 Cup. The Turbos, in their first season back in the Championship following a disappointing 1-year stay in the Premership, could only finish in 5th place which saw them miss out on the promotion playoffs, however, Hemopo himself was in good form, playing in all 10 of their regular season matches and scoring 1 try.

Super Rugby

Although not initially named in the squad for the

2015 Super Rugby season The 2015 Super Rugby season was the 20th season of Super Rugby and the fifth season featuring an expanded 15-team format. For sponsorship reasons, this competition was known as Asteron Life Super Rugby in Australia, Investec Super Rugby in New ...

, injuries among the franchise's forward pack saw the versatile Hemopo called up to provide short-term cover midway through the year. He debuted in a 44-7 victory away to the on 12 June 2015 and that was to prove to be his only appearance during what was the Highlanders maiden Super Rugby winning season. However, he had done enough to earn a spot in the wider training group for the 2016 season where strong competition for places among the Highlanders forwards meant that he had to spend the season on the sidelines kicking his heels as the men from Dunedin reached the tournament semi-finals before being downed by the in

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. Despite not making any appearances through 2016, it was announced in October of that year that Hemopo had signed a new 3-year deal with the Highlanders that would see him remain a member of the wider training group in 2017 before becoming a full squad member for 2018 and 2019.

International

Hemopo was a member of the New Zealand Development Under-17 squad in 2010 and later went on to represent his country at under-20 level. He was selected in the squad for the

2013 IRB Junior World Championship The 2013 IRB Junior World Championship was the sixth annual international rugby union competition for Under 20 national teams. The event was organised in France by rugby's governing body, the IRB. A total of twelve nations played in the tournament ...

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, however he did not make any appearances. He was a member of the

Māori All Blacks The Māori All Blacks, previously called the New Zealand Maori, New Zealand Maoris and New Zealand Natives, are a rugby union team from New Zealand. They are a representative team of the New Zealand Rugby Union, and a prerequisite for playing i ...

on their 2017 end-of-year tour to Canada and France. During the 2018 three-test series against France, Hemopo was called into the

New Zealand national rugby union team The New Zealand national rugby union team, commonly known as the All Blacks ( mi, Ōpango), represents New Zealand in men's international rugby union, which is considered the country's national sport. The team won the Rugby World Cup in 1987 ...

, the All Blacks, as injury cover alongside Highlanders teammate Tom Franklin. After proving himself as a promising player during training, Hemopo was named to make his All Black debut in the third and final test of the series, on 23 June 2018. Hemopo made a short cameo off the bench during the first half of the test while Highlanders teammate Shannon Frizell, who was also on debut, was in the blood bin. Hemopo was bought back onto the field in the 69th minute for All Blacks captain Sam Whitelock, with the All Blacks beating France 49–14. Hemopo was re-selected for New Zealand, for 2018 Rugby Championship, being chosen over established utility forward, Vaea Fifita. Hemopo made one appearance off the bench in the competition, replacing Shannon Frizell in a win over Argentina. On the 2018 end-of-year tour, Hemopo was named in the wider training group for the All Blacks' 51-man squad. He made his first start for New Zealand, at lock, on 3 November 2018, during a test against Japan. Hemopo was not replaced during the test. After earning a spot in New Zealand's 39-man squad for the

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, Hemopo made two appearances off the bench in the competition, one in a win against Argentina and another in a record 36-0 win against Australia. However, after outstanding performances by Ardie Savea and Patrick Tuipulotu, Hemopo missed out on the All Blacks' 31-man squad for the

Career honours

Highlanders * Super Rugby - 2015

Super Rugby statistics

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hemopo, Jackson 1993 births Living people New Zealand rugby union players Rugby union locks Rugby union flankers Rugby union number eights Otago rugby union players Highlanders (rugby union) players Rugby union players from Whanganui People educated at Palmerston North Boys' High School Manawatu rugby union players Ngāti Apa ki te Rā Tō people Ngāi Tahu people Ngāti Rangi people Tuhourangi people Māori All Blacks players New Zealand international rugby union players Mitsubishi Sagamihara DynaBoars players