Hoeata earned a spot with the Chiefs for the 2010 Super 14 season, and spent the season as a depth player on the squad, making 5 appearances but not starting a match. But got his chance to make his Super Rugby debut off the bench against the Bulls.
While he played mainly at flanker with Taranaki, Joseph chose to use him as a lock and he developed into one of the form players of the competition, with his strong play keeping All Black Tom Donnelly on the substitute's bench.
After a strong season with Taranaki, Hoeata was selected to the New Zealand Māori for their 2010 Centenary Series.
Hoeata's strong performances with the Highlanders have saw him garner attention as a potential future All Black, and he was selected to the national squad for the 2011 Tri Nations Series. He made his All Blacks debut on 22 July 2011 against Fiji in a 60–14 victory. Hoeata now plays his Rugby in Wales with Cardiff and follows many former All Blacks to wear the blue jersey.
In May 2017, after three seasons and 62 appearances for Cardiff Blues, Hoeata left the Blues and returned to his native New Zealand to play for North Harbour in the 2017 Mitre 10 Cup, the country’s provincial competition.
As he entered the final season of his contract there seemed to be little doubt that he would leave at the end of 2016/17, especially with a niggling back problem, but Hoeata’s form improved significantly in the last six months, with 14 starts after Christmas and some superb performances.
Unfortunately, they came too late to secure a new contract at CAP, with Damien Welch and Franco van der Merwe already signed, a new deal with a significant pay cut was not an option and Hoeata returned to New Zealand and linked up with North Harbour ahead of the 2017 Mitre 10 Cup season.
Hoeata was a standout performer for Harbour as they made their way to the Premiership semi-final. His performances lead to a call up to the Maori All Blacks squad for their end of year tour. Hoeata earned his first Moari All Black cap in 2007.
Following the Mitre 10 Cup season Hoeata joined Montpellier as a medical joker.
In July 2018, Hoeata returned to New Zealand to link up with his former side Taranaki having last played for the side in 2013.
JW July 18
Career
 |
Taranaki Assistant Coach |
2023 - present |
 |
Chiefs No 4 Lock |
2010 - 2010 |
 |
New Zealand No 4 Lock |
2011 - 2011 |
 |
Highlanders No 4 Lock |
2011 - 2014 |
 |
Cardiff Rugby No 4 Lock |
2014 - 2017 |
 |
North Harbour No 4 Lock |
2017 - 2017 |
 |
Montpellier No 4 Lock |
2018 - 2018 |
 |
Maori All Blacks No 5 Lock |
2007 - 2018 |
