| John Akurangi | |
| Full Name: | John Francis Akurangi |
| Birth Date: | 24 April 1970 |
| Birth Place: | Hastings, New Zealand |
| Height: | 6 ft 2 in |
| Weight: | 246 lb |
| Position: | Hooker / Prop |
| Years1: | 1991–93 |
| Clubs1: | Stade Français |
| Years2: | 1997–98 |
| Clubs2: | SU Agen |
| Years3: | 1999–00 |
| Clubs3: | Leicester Tigers |
| Provinceyears1: | 1994–97 |
| Provinceapps1: | 27 |
| Provincepoints1: | 45 |
| Provinceyears2: | 1998–01 |
| Provinceapps2: | 39 |
| Provincepoints2: | 25 |
| Superyears1: | 1996 |
| Superapps1: | 0 |
| Superpoints1: | 0 |
| Superyears2: | 1997 |
| Superapps2: | 2 |
| Superpoints2: | 0 |
| Superyears3: | 1999 |
| Superapps3: | 8 |
| Superpoints3: | 5 |
John Francis Akurangi (born 24 April 1970) is a New Zealand former professional rugby union player.[1]
Akurangi was born in Hastings and is an old boy of St Peter's College, Auckland.[2]
A NZ Maori representative front-rower, Akurangi was in the Auckland Blues squad the won the inaugural Super 12 competition in 1996, before stints with the Crusaders and Chiefs.[3] He played professional rugby overseas at Stade Français and SU Agen during the 1990s, then had a season with the Leicester Tigers in 1999–00.[4]
Akurangi received a fine in 2002 for cultivating and possessing cannabis, a conviction that cost him a $1 million contract to coach a Japanese club.[5] He then lived in Sydney for several years and during this period had an acting cameo as a bouncer on .[6] After moving to Italy in 2010 to coach rugby, Akurangi suffered a heart attack and had a stent inserted, which caused further issues five years later when it tore an aorta near his heart. He underwent seven hour surgery in Milan and has subsequently recovered.[7]