Jackson Hemopo

Jackson Nikora Hemopo (born 14 November 1993) is a New Zealand rugby union player who played as a lock or loose forward for in New Zealand's domestic Mitre 10 Cup and the in the international Super Rugby competition.

He was called into New Zealand's international rugby team, the All Blacks, 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.

Early career

Born in Whanganui in New Zealand's Manawatū-Whanganui region, Hemopo was educated at Palmerston North Boys' High School, in Palmerston North, the biggest town in his home region. Of Māori descent, Hemopo affiliates to the Tuhourangi, Ngāti Rangi, Ngāi Tahu, Ngāti Apa ki te Rā Tō, and Ngāti Wahiao iwi.

He played first XV rugby while at school and after graduating headed south to Dunedin where he began playing for the Green Island rugby club in Otago's Premier club rugby competition.

Senior career

Hemopo first made the squad ahead of the 2014 ITM Cup 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. The Turbos, in their first season back in the Championship following a disappointing 1-year stay in the Premiership, 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.

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 Johannesburg.

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

He was selected in the squad for the 2013 IRB Junior World Championship in France, however he sustained an injury during a club rugby match one week before the team departed New Zealand, which ruled him out of the tournament. He was a member of the Māori All Blacks on their 2017 end-of-year tour to Canada and France. 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 2019 Rugby Championship, 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 2019 Rugby World Cup.

Career honours

Highlanders

Super Rugby - 2015

Super Rugby statistics

Season Team Games Starts Sub Mins Tries Cons Pens Drops Points Yel Red 2015 1 0 1 23 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2016 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0Total 1 0 1 23 0 0 0 0 0 0 0