| Birth name | Hoani Meihana Matenga | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Date of birth | 13 April 1987 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Christchurch, New Zealand | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 115 kg (254 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Hoani Matenga is a professional rugby player and musician for Six60. He has represented New Zealand in the Maori All Blacks, and has played professionally in France, Japan, Spain and New Zealand. Matenga is also known as a musician, as an early member of the band Six60. He can play electric bass, and in the position of either lock or loose forward.
Born in Christchurch, he attended Christchurch Boys' High School and played for their first XV. In 2009, Matenga graduated from the University of Otago with degrees in marketing and tourism.[1]
Matenga made his starting debut for Otago in their Ranfurly Shield challenge against Canterbury on 12 September 2009.[1] He was a part of the Highlanders' wider training squad for the 2010 Super Rugby season. In 2011 he signed with Stade Montois in France. Looking for a better salary and easier rugby Matenga signed with the Kubota Spears in the Top League in Japan for the 2012–13 season.[citation needed]
On the 28 October 2015 Matenga was named in the Blues squad for the 2016 Super Rugby Season.[2]
Matenga was an original member of the New Zealand band, Six60, playing as a Bass guitarist.[3]