Dylan Mika

Dylan Mika

Birth name	Dylan Gabriel Mika
Date of birth	(1972-04-17)17 April 1972
Place of birth	Auckland, New Zealand
Date of death	20 March 2018(2018-03-20) (aged 45)
Place of death	Auckland, New Zealand
Height	1.94 m (6 ft 4+1⁄2 in)
Weight	108 kg (17 st 0 lb)
School	St Peter's College
Notable relative(s)	Pat Lam (cousin)
Rugby union career
Position(s) Flanker Provincial / State sides Years Team Apps (Points) 1994–2000 Auckland 55 () Super Rugby Years Team Apps (Points) 1996–1998, 2000 1999 Blues Chiefs 23 () International career Years Team Apps (Points) 1994 1999 Samoa New Zealand 2 7 (0) (5)

Dylan Gabriel Mika (17 April 1972 – 20 March 2018) was a New Zealand-born rugby union player who represented both Samoa national rugby union team and New Zealand.

He was initially educated at Marcellin College, Auckland before moving to St Peter's College. Mika played mainly at flanker during his career. He first played internationally for Samoa despite being born in New Zealand. Playing two Tests in 1994, he then stood down internationally for three years to enable him to play for the All Blacks. He played provincially for Auckland between 1994 and 2000, and for the Blues in the Super 12. He was drafted into the Chiefs in 1999, and his performances there helped earn him All Blacks selection.

He played a total of seven All Blacks Tests and one game—all in 1999. His first All Blacks match was against his old side Samoa, who were also captained by his first cousin Pat Lam. He played in several of that year's Tri-Nations matches before being selected for the squad in the 1999 Rugby World Cup. In that tournament he started only one match; against Italy in Huddersfield. In 2000 he returned to the Blues before playing for Auckland in the National Provincial Championship. Following that season he moved to Japan. On his retirement from rugby he returned to New Zealand.

He died in Auckland on 20 March 2018 as the result of a heart attack.

References

• Dylan Mika at the All Blacks (archived)
• "Blues flanker dilemma". scrum.com. 27 April 2000. Retrieved 24 April 2008.
• "Ton-up All Blacks rout Italy". bbc.co.uk. 14 October 1999. Retrieved 24 April 2008.
• Long, David. "Former player says Blues need a powwow". Sunday News. Retrieved 24 April 2008.
• "Sporting Digest: Rugby Union". The Independent. 18 June 1999. Retrieved 24 April 2008.
• "New Zealand Player Biographies". sportsillustrated.cnn.com. 1999. Retrieved 24 April 2008.
• "Physical Activity Guide" (pdf). Ministry of Health. Retrieved 24 April 2008.
• "Dylan Mika". scrum.com. Retrieved 24 April 2008.

[[category:2018 deaths