Peni Ravai

Last updated

Peni Ravai
Peni Ravai 2014.jpg
Ravai representing Greater Sydney Rams in the 2014 National Rugby Championship, October 2014
Full namePeni Ravai Kovekalou
Date of birth (1990-06-16) 16 June 1990 (age 33)
Place of birth Verata, Fiji
Height185 cm (6 ft 1 in)
Weight127 kg (280 lb; 20 st 0 lb)
School Ratu Kadavulevu School
Rugby union career
Position(s) Prop
Current team Reds
Senior career
YearsTeamApps(Points)
2014 Greater Sydney Rams 4 (0)
2016 Southland 9 (10)
2017 Aurillac 12 (15)
2017–2020 Bordeaux Bègles 43 (50)
2020–2022 Clermont 38 (20)
2023– Reds 27 (15)
Correct as of 7 June 2024
International career
YearsTeamApps(Points)
2013–2021 Fiji 37 (20)
2016 Fiji Warriors 4 (0)
Correct as of 31 January 2023
National sevens team
YearsTeamComps
2013 Fiji 1
Correct as of 18 July 2021

Peni Ravai Kovekalou (born 16 June 1990) is a Fijian rugby union player, who currently plays at hooker and prop for the Flying Fijians and the Reds in Super Rugby.

Contents

He previously played for Southland in the Mitre 10 Cup in New Zealand, Aurillac in the Pro D2, and Bordeaux Bègles and Clermont Auvergne in the Top 14. He has also played at centre and on the wings.

Career

Ravai grew up playing rugby in the backline. He played wing and centre. When he made it to provincial level, he started playing in the forwards as there was no place in the backline. He became Nadroga's starting prop and at times played on the flanks as well as in the backline. He has also played 7's rugby for Davetalevu. He joined the Fiji Barbarians team at the Uprising 7's tournament and helped them win the title. [1]

In February 2013, he was selected into the Fiji 7's team to replace the injured Josua Tuisova. [2] He made his international 7's debut at the 2013 USA Sevens. He is also Fiji's first international prop to play international 7's rugby for Fiji. He was then recruited by Inoke Male, the Fiji 15's coach to join the team on their 2013 end-of-year rugby union internationals. He made his debut off the bench at hooker against Romania.

In August 2014, he was signed by Greater Sydney Rams to join the newly created, National Rugby Championship in Australia. [3] He made his debut at hooker for the RAMS in October. [4]

In May 2015, he was named in the Fiji Warriors team to tour Uruguay in the 2015 mid-year rugby union internationals. [5] He started at Loosehead prop in the first match against Uruguay and kept his place in the starting XV a few days later when the Warriors faced Argentina Jaguars. The Warriors won all their games on tour. He was included in the Fiji side for the 2015 World Rugby Pacific Nations Cup. He came off the bench against the Māori All Blacks in their one-off test. He then came off the bench against Tonga scoring a try in the 73rd minute to seal Fiji a win. He started at Loose-head prop against Samoa a week later. In May 2016, he captained the Fiji Warriors side to a 2 match win against the Uruguay national team during the 2016 mid-year rugby union internationals. The same month he was signed by the Woodlands Rugby Club and would be in the hunt to make the Southland Stags side for the 2016 Mitre 10 Cup. [6]

In July 2016, he was included in the Southland Stags side for the 2016 Mitre 10 Cup. [7] He made his debut against Otago in the first round.

In November 2016, he joined Fiji for the 2016 end-of-year rugby union internationals. He came off the bench against England national rugby union team in the 5th minute after Campese Ma’afu was taken off and gained metres with ball in hand. He then started at loosehead against Japan and played just as well [8]

He signed for Aurillac for the 2016–17 Rugby Pro D2 season playing 12 games and scoring 3 tries and his performance saw him getting signed by Bordeaux-Bègles in the Top 14 [9]

He was named in the Fiji team for the 2017 mid-year rugby union internationals as well as the 2017 World Rugby Pacific Nations Cup.

On 23 May 2020, Ravai signs for Top 14 rivals Clermont Auvergne ahead of the 2020-21 season. [10]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rugby union positions</span> 15 on-field positions in the sport

In the game of rugby union, there are 15 players on each team, comprising eight forwards and seven backs. In addition, there may be up to eight replacement players "on the bench", numbered 16–23. Players are not restricted to a single position, although they generally specialise in just one or two that suit their skills and body types. Players that play multiple positions are called "utility players".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rugby Southland</span>

Rugby Southland is the provincial rugby union who govern the Southland region of New Zealand. Their headquarters are at Rugby Park Stadium in Invercargill, which is also the home ground of the union's professional team, the Southland Stags who compete in the Mitre 10 Cup Championship Division and challenge for the Ranfurly Shield.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Perry Freshwater</span> England international rugby union player

Perry Thomas Freshwater is a retired English rugby union footballer. He is a loosehead prop and occasionally a hooker.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fiji Warriors</span> Rugby team

The Fiji Warriors, also referred to as Fiji A, is a national representative rugby team of rugby union in Fiji. It is the second-tier side to the Fiji national team. The Warriors team is selected from players in the Fijian domestic competitions and competes in the World Rugby Pacific Challenge against Samoa A and Tonga A. Since 2016, the Fiji Warriors team has played in the Americas Pacific Challenge against national A teams from North and South America.

Woodlands Rugby Club is an amateur rugby team that plays in the ILT Southland Wide Premier Division. The team has many Stags stars such as Robbie Robinson, Joe Tuineau and Pehi Te Whare. The team includes Jimmy Cowan and Jamie Mackintosh. Peni Ravai from the Flying Fijians is a new inclusion. Ravai plays Prop/Hooker and was part of the World Cup Fijian Team 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Owen Franks</span> NZ international rugby union player

Owen Thomas Franks is a New Zealand rugby player who currently plays for Crusaders in the Super Rugby competition. His usual position is tighthead prop.

Brayden Mitchell is a New Zealand rugby union footballer. He plays as a hooker for Southland in the Mitre 10 Cup.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ravai Fatiaki</span> Fijian rugby union player

Ravai Fatiaki is a Fijian rugby union player who plays for Leicester Tigers in England's Premiership Rugby. He plays as a centre or fly-half.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ben Volavola</span> Rugby player

Ben Volavola is a Fijian Australian international rugby union player who plays for Agen in the French Pro D2 competition. He has previously played for Super Rugby clubs such as the Waratahs, Crusaders, and most recently the Rebels. Volavola typically plays as either a fly-half or full back.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vasil Kakovin</span> Georgian rugby union player

Vasil Kakovin is a Georgian rugby union player. His position is prop, and he currently plays for Stade Français in the Top 14. He began his career in France with CA Brive before moving to Stade Toulousain in 2012. He played for Georgia in the 2011 Rugby World Cup.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tupou Sopoaga</span> Former Cook Islands international rugby league footballer

Tupou Sopoaga is a New Zealand professional rugby union footballer who currently plays for the Southland Stags in the Mitre 10 Cup. He previously played rugby league for the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks and the Penrith Panthers of the National Rugby League. A Cook Islands international representative, Sopoaga primarily played second-row and lock.

Aki Seiuli is a New Zealand born rugby union player of Samoan heritage who currently plays as a prop for Dragons and the Samoan national side. He previously played for Glasgow Warriors; and the New Zealand sides Otago - in domestic Mitre 10 Cup - and the Highlanders - in the international Super Rugby competition.

Siate Tokolahi is a Tongan rugby union player who played as a prop for Canterbury and Southland in New Zealand's domestic Mitre 10 Cup and the Chiefs and Highlanders in the international Super Rugby competition.

The 2015-16 season saw Glasgow Warriors compete in the competitions: the Guinness Pro12 and the European Champions Cup.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ricky Riccitelli</span> Rugby player

John Ricky Riccitelli is a New Zealand professional rugby union footballer who plays as a hooker for New Zealand franchise Blues. In his youth career, he was selected to play in the 2015 World Rugby Under 20 Championships for New Zealand and took part in Francis Douglas Memorial College first XV.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gareth Milasinovich</span> Rugby player

Gareth Richard Milasinovich is a South African rugby union player, who plays for Valence Romans Drôme Rugby. He can play as a loosehead or tighthead prop.

Pouri Rakete-Stones is a New Zealand rugby player who plays as a prop for the Hurricanes in Super Rugby and Hawke's Bay in New Zealand's domestic National Provincial Championship competition.

Neria Fomai is a rugby union player, who currently plays as a centre or wing for Hawke's Bay in New Zealand's domestic National Provincial Championship competition and for Moana Pasifika in Super Rugby. He was born and raised in New Zealand, but has represented Manu Samoa – for which he is eligible due to his Samoan heritage – both in the fifteen-a-side form of the game and rugby sevens.

Kianu Kereru-Symes is a New Zealand rugby union player, who currently plays as a hooker or prop for Hawke's Bay in New Zealand's domestic National Provincial Championship competition and for the Hurricanes in Super Rugby. He previously played a season for the New England Free Jacks in Major League Rugby (MLR) in the United States.

References

  1. ↑ "Fiji Barbarians win the Uprising Beach Sevens". ur7s. 19 January 2013. Retrieved 29 May 2015.
  2. ↑ Bola, Vuniwaqa (5 February 2013). "20th new rep Ravai set for Vegas". Fiji Sun . Retrieved 29 May 2015.
  3. ↑ "Greater Sydney Rams name NRC squad for 2014". The Roar. 1 August 2014. Retrieved 29 May 2015.
  4. ↑ "Team Changes as RAMs Ready for Quade". Rams Rugby. 2 October 2014. Retrieved 29 May 2015.
  5. ↑ "Seruvakula Names Team to Uruguay". The Jet newspaper. 18 May 2015. Retrieved 29 May 2015.
  6. ↑ "Fijian frontrower hunts Stags spot". Stuff. 17 May 2016. Retrieved 1 June 2016.
  7. ↑ "Coach makes call to omit mate". Stuff. 15 July 2016. Retrieved 16 July 2016.
  8. ↑ "On the radar - Fiji Times Online". fijitimes.com. Retrieved 28 November 2016.
  9. ↑ "UBB: Ravai dans les valises de Davidson - beIN SPORTS". Beinsports-FR (in French). Retrieved 8 June 2017.
  10. ↑ "Ravai to join Clermont". FBC News. 23 May 2020. Retrieved 29 January 2021.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.