Rugby-Messam to reach 150th Super Rugby cap milestone

WELLINGTON, March 30 (Reuters) - All Blacks flanker Liam Messam will become the eighth player to make 150 Super Rugby appearances when the Waikato Chiefs face South Africa's Bulls in Hamilton on Saturday. The 33-year-old Messam will become the sixth New Zealand player to reach the milestone. Australian captain Stephen Moore and former Wallabies lock Nathan Sharpe are the only non-New Zealand players to surpass the mark. "It's a special occasion for Liam, his whanau (family) and our club this Saturday when he runs out for his 150th game for the Chiefs," coach Dave Rennie said in a statement on Thursday. "It's great to be able to honour Liam at home, a place where he has received massive support from Chiefs fans since 2006." Former All Blacks hooker Keven Mealamu holds the record for Super Rugby appearances with 175, though Canterbury Crusaders prop Wyatt Crockett is likely to surpass that mark this year having played 173 times for the Christchurch-based side. The Crusaders face the New South Wales Waratahs in Sydney on Sunday. (Reporting by Greg Stutchbury; Editing by John O'Brien)