Born: April 1, 1983 - Hamilton
Test record: 28 Tests (2002, 2005, 2007-11) - 12 tries, 8 goals (64 points)
Tours: 2002 tour of Britain and France, 2005 Tri Nations, 2007 tour of Britain and France, 2008 World Cup, 2009 Four Nations, 2010 Four Nations
'The Huntly Hurricane', Lance Hohaia, burst onto the NRL and international scene as a teenaged five-eighth and played in a victory over Australia at hooker, but the ultra-adaptable playmaker's 28-Test tenure is ultimately best remembered for starring roles at fullback in two of the Kiwis' greatest tournament final triumphs.
Hohaia played for Taniwharau as a 17-year-old in 2001 and represented Waikato that season, as well as Northern Districts against France, before linking with Bartercard Cup outfit Manurewa Marlins.
Starring alongside Stacey Jones as a rookie five-eighth for the Warriors in 2002 - scoring seven tries in his first 10 games - Hohaia came off the bench throughout the minor premiers' playoffs campaign, including the 30-8 grand final loss to Sydney Roosters.
The 19-year-old made his Test debut at five-eighth a week later in New Zealand's plucky 32-24 loss to Australia in Wellington. On the subsequent tour of Britain and France, he scored a try and kicked a goal in a big win over Wales, played in all three matches of the drawn series against Great Britain and kicked six goals from as many attempts in a one-off win over France.
Hohaia's form wavered in 2003-04, but a stint at hooker for the Warriors in 2005 underlined his value as a 'Mr. Fix-it'. He ended a three-year Kiwis hiatus in the 2005 Tri Nations opener - wearing the No.9 in a 38-28 upset of the Kangaroos in Sydney - but an ankle injury in that match ruled him out of the remainder of the victorious campaign.
Injuries plagued his 2006-07 seasons, where he played mostly in the centres at NRL level, but he resurfaced in the halves for New Zealand on the disappointing tour of Britain and France. He lined up at five-eighth in the first two Tests against Great Britain and came off the bench in the third.
An injury to the Warriors' star Australian fullback Wade McKinnon early in 2008 unlocked the most memorable chapter of Hohaia's career. Plugging the No.1 gap at club level, he starred in the Warriors' marvellous charge to a preliminary final appearance. He played five-eighth in the Centenary Test against Australia at the SCG in May but assumed the fullback role for the World Cup campaign at the end of the year.
Hohaia scored tries in the pool win and semi-final victory over England, before playing a mighty role in the Kiwis' stunning 34-20 World Cup final boilover against the Kangaroos at Suncorp Stadium. He scored a solo try early in the second half to give New Zealand a 16-12 lead, miraculously held Israel Folau up over the line 10 minutes later and was awarded a penalty try after being taken out chasing a kick in the Australian in-goal in the 70th minute.
Reverting to a bench utility role for the most part for the Warriors in 2009, Hohaia kept the Kiwis' fullback spot for the Anzac Test, the one-off clash with Tonga and all three Four Nations matches - scoring a try in the 20-all draw with Australia and a double in the 62-12 thrashing of France.
McKinnon's mid-2010 departure thrust Hohaia back into fullback for the Warriors and he was integral to the Warriors finishing fifth. He wore the No.1 throughout the Kiwis' 2010 schedule, too, firstly in the Anzac Test, then scoring tries in a one-off rout of Samoa, and Four Nations encounters with England and Papua New Guinea.
Hohaia celebrated in another memorable Suncorp Stadium victory over Australia in the Four Nations final, a gutsy 16-12 comeback win. He scored a try in what would prove his last Test appearance, at fullback in a 20-10 Anzac Test loss on the Gold Coast in 2011.
The emergence of Kevin Locke - his eventual successor in the Kiwis - at the Warriors saw Hohaia utilised predominantly at dummy-half for the high-flying club in 2011. As the only survivor of the 2002 grand final, Hohaia started at hooker as the Warriors went down 24-10 to Manly in the NRL decider.
After 185 games for the Warriors, Hohaia spent the 2012-15 seasons with St Helens, mostly playing in the halves. He was part of the Saints' 2014 Super League grand final win, though his day was overshadowed by being knocked out due to a a vicious barrage of punches from Wigan forward Ben Flower (who was sent off).
Hohaia later became a coach in the North American Rugby League competition in 2021.