Ben Atiga

Ben Atiga

Full name	Benjamin Alo Charles Atiga
Date of birth	(1983-05-05) 5 May 1983
Place of birth	Auckland, New Zealand
Height	1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Weight	100 kg (15 st 10 lb)
School	Auckland Grammar School
Notable relative(s)	Charles Riechelmann Nehe Milner-Skudder Semi Taupeaafe Sosene Anesi
Rugby union career
Playing career
Position	Centre, Fullback
New Zealand No.	1037
Professional / senior clubs
Years	Club / team	Caps	(points)
2012–15	Edinburgh	24	(5)
correct as of 20 December 2013.
Provincial/State sides
Years	Club / team	Caps	(points)
2002–08, 2010 2011	Auckland Otago	82 10	(190) (5)
Super Rugby
Years	Club / team	Caps	(points)
2004–2008 2011	Blues Highlanders	44 1	(75) (0)
National team(s)
Years	Club / team	Caps	(points)
2003 2007 2002–04 2001–02 2005–06	NewZealand NZ Sevens NZ U-21 NZ U-19 Junior All Blacks	1 1 3	(0) (0) (5)

Benjamin Alo Charles Atiga (born 5 May 1983 in Auckland) is a former New Zealand rugby union footballer who plays centre and fullback. Atiga is a product of Auckland Grammar School and became the 50th All Black that the school has produced. Atiga has won world titles for New Zealand at Under-19 (2001 and 2002) and Under-21 level in 2003 and as captain in 2004, during his junior career. He was also part of the Under-21 team in 2002 where they placed 3rd in the tournament. He has played one test for the All Blacks, against Tonga in the 2003 Rugby World Cup after being called into the squad as an injury replacement for Ben Blair. He played for the Junior All Blacks in 2005 against Australia 'A' and in 2006 in the inaugural Pacific Nations Cup.

Atiga played for Auckland in the NPC, winning 3 national titles and 1 title in the 2007 Air New Zealand Cup where Auckland went through an undefeated season, claiming the Ranfurly Shield in the same year. Atiga played for the Blues in Super Rugby, and in 2007 he joined the All Blacks Sevens team at the end of the Blues season. After captaining Auckland in the 2008 ITM Cup season, Atiga made the decision to take a break from professional rugby.

After his break from rugby, in April 2010 it was announced that he would rejoin the Auckland Rugby Union and the Auckland Blues. After a season in Auckland, Atiga was signed by the Highlanders for the 2011 season, following numerous injuries in the squad. He started from the bench against Hurricanes in his return to top tier rugby. He subsequently played the 2011 ITM Cup with Otago.

In April 2012 he signed with Edinburgh Rugby for two seasons. At the beginning of the Edinburgh season Atiga was diagnosed with degenerative arthritis in his hip. He played both seasons with Edinburgh and retired from professional rugby at the end of the 2013-2014 season due to the joint disease.

External links

• Blues profile
• Ben Atiga at AllBlacks.com

Awards
Preceded by Pat Barnard	IRB International U21 Player of the Year 2003	Succeeded by Jerome Kaino