Aki Seiuli

Last updated

Aki Seiuli
Date of birth (1992-12-22) 22 December 1992 (age 31)
Place of birth Christchurch, New Zealand
Height1.84 m (6 ft 0 in)
Weight118 kg (18 st 8 lb; 260 lb)
School Timaru Boys' High School
Rugby union career
Position(s) Prop
Senior career
YearsTeamApps(Points)
2012– Otago 48 (20)
2014, 2016−19 Highlanders 21 (20)
2019–21 Glasgow Warriors 29 (10)
2021– Dragons 46 (20)
Correct as of 12:06, 6 February 2024 (UTC)
International career
YearsTeamApps(Points)
2022- Samoa 2 (0)
Correct as of 16th Jul 2022

Aki Seiuli (born 22 December 1992) 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. [1] [2] [3] [4] [5]

Contents

Rugby Union career

Amateur career

Born in Christchurch on New Zealand's South Island, Seiuli moved to the town of Timaru, which lies roughly halfway between Christchurch and Dunedin, in 2002 and attended Timaru Boys' High School there. He captained the school's first XV rugby side in his final year before going on to play once for South Canterbury in the Heartland Championship while he was still a college student. He later moved to Otago and turned out for the Taieri Eels with whom he won the Dunedin Premier Club Championship in 2012. [1] [4]

Professional career

Success in local club rugby saw Seiuli earn a spot in the Otago squad for the 2012 ITM Cup. After debuting in a match against local rivals Southland in week 3 of the competition , he went on to play 7 times throughout the year as the Razorbacks reached the Championship final before being thrashed 41-16 by Counties Manukau. He once again featured 7 times in 2013, with every appearance from the replacements bench before becoming much more of a regular in 2014. Injury to fellow loosehead Craig Millar meant that he started all 10 of Otago's games in what proved to be a difficult year which ended up with them finishing in 6th place on the championship log and missing out on the playoffs completely.

2015 brought about an upturn in Otago's form with a 3rd place log finish and an appearance in the Championship semi-finals before being downed 34-14 by Wellington, however Millar's return from injury meant that Seiuli found himself once again playing largely from the replacements bench, making just 2 starts from 10 appearances. It was a pattern which continued through 2016 Seiuli starting 3 games in the number 1 jersey to Millar's 9 as the men from Dunedin topped the Championship log before surprisingly losing out at home to North Harbour in the final which consigned them to another season of championship rugby in 2017. [2]

Seiuli was not named in any of the five New Zealand Super Rugby franchise's squads ahead of the 2014 Super Rugby season, however an injury crisis in the Highlanders front row saw him called into their set-up to provide short-term cover. [6] [7] He made the bench for the Highlanders clash with the Hurricanes on 16 May 2014, but remained an unused replacement and in the end didn't make any appearances during the year. [8]

Seiuli once again found himself in the Super Rugby wilderness in 2015 before injuries once again provided him with an opportunity in 2016. A season-ending injury suffered by Brendon Edmonds in April 2016 saw Seiuli brought in as back up to Daniel Lienert-Brown and Craig Millar. [9] He finally made his Super Rugby debut in an impressive 26-13 victory over the Chiefs in Hamilton on 7 May 2016 and went on to play 7 times in total during the year as his side reached the tournament semi-finals before going down to the Lions in Johannesburg. [10]

Tony Brown replaced the Japan bound Jamie Joseph as Highlanders head-coach ahead of the 2017 Super Rugby season and having worked with Seiuli before at provincial level, he saw fit to promote him to the franchise's senior squad ahead of his first campaign in charge. [5]

On 11 September 2019, Seiuli moved to Scotland to sign for Glasgow Warriors in the Pro14 competition from the 2019-20 season. [11] Seiuli stated: "Glasgow play a great brand of rugby, and that really drew me here. I’m really looking forward to getting out in front of the crowd here at Scotstoun. Hearing them at the Sale Sharks game was awesome – they’re on another level, and the atmosphere was incredible." [12] He made his competitive debut for the Warriors on 30 November 2019, becoming Glasgow Warrior No. 308. Of the Glasgow move he told the Warrior Nation in a Q & A: "I’m loving it. The team is a great bunch of guys and the fans have been so welcoming since I came to Glasgow." [13] He was nominated for the Glasgow Warriors Player of the Season award in 2019-20.

On 20 July 2021 he signed with Dragons. [14]

Super Rugby Statistics

As of 9 January 2017 [2]
SeasonTeamGamesStartsSubMinsTriesConsPensDropsPointsYelRed
2014 Highlanders 00000000000
2016 Highlanders 7071461000500
Total7071461000500

International career

On 29 May 2021 Seiuli was named in the Samoa international squad - alongside his then team-mate at Glasgow Warriors, TJ Ioane - to play the Maori All Blacks and Tonga in the summer of 2021. [15] Both Seiuli's parents are Samoan, and his father was reportedly very keen for his son to represent Samoa. [16]

Related Research Articles

Tony Eion Brown is a former New Zealand rugby union footballer, who played mainly at first five-eighth. He is an assistant coach for the South Africa national rugby union team, having previously been the head coach of Otago and the Highlanders in the Super Rugby competition.

Kurt Baker is a New Zealand rugby union player, who currently plays as a fullback or wing for Old Glory DC in Major League Rugby (MLR).

Liam James Coltman is a New Zealand rugby union player who plays as a hooker for Lyon in Frances's domestic competition Top 14.

Jeffery Latu Toomaga-Allen is a rugby union footballer who previously played as a tighthead prop for Samoa, and for Ulster in the United Rugby Championship. He also previously played for Wellington Lions in the ITM Cup and the Hurricanes in Super Rugby. Toomaga-Allen has also played for New Zealand's international rugby team, the All Blacks, three times during his career. Toomaga-Allen is currently signed with the Queensland Reds until the end of 2025.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hayden Parker</span> New Zealand rugby union player

Hayden John Parker is a New Zealand rugby union player who currently plays as a first five-eighth for the Japanese based HITO-Communications Sunwolves in Super Rugby and Otago in New Zealand's domestic Mitre 10 Cup.

TJ Ioane is a Samoa international rugby union player. He plays as a flanker for Glasgow Warriors in the Pro14 on loan from Premiership Rugby side London Irish.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tom Franklin (rugby union)</span> New Zealand rugby union player

Tom Franklin is a New Zealand rugby union player who currently plays as a lock for Taranaki in New Zealand's domestic National Provincial Championship competition and the Western Force in Super Rugby.

Gareth Evans is a retired New Zealand rugby union player, who played as a loose forward for Hawke's Bay in New Zealand's domestic National Provincial Championship competition and the Highlanders in Super Rugby.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Craig Millar (rugby union)</span> Professional rugby union player

Craig William Millar is a professional rugby union player who plays as a prop for Japan Rugby League One club Saitama Wild Knights. Born in New Zealand, he represents Japan at international level after qualifying on residency grounds.

Daniel Lienert-Brown is a New Zealand rugby union player who currently plays as a loosehead prop for Canterbury in New Zealand's 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.

Siosiua Halanukonuka is a Tongan rugby union player. He plays in the prop position for the France side Perpignan. Halanukonuka also represents Tonga at international level.

Josh Renton is a New Zealand rugby union player who currently plays as a halfback for Valorugby Emilia in Italian Top10.

Teihorangi Thomas Walden is a New Zealand rugby union player who currently plays as a midfield back for Taranaki in New Zealand's domestic Mitre 10 Cup and the Highlanders in the international Super Rugby competition. He also plays for the Rugby New York (Ironworkers) in Major League Rugby (MLR).

James Anthony Richard Lentjes is a New Zealand rugby union player who currently for Otago the Bunnings NPC. His position is Flanker.

Jackson Nikora Hemopo is a New Zealand All Black and rugby union player who played as a lock or loose forward for Manawatu in New Zealand's domestic Mitre 10 Cup and the Highlanders in the international Super Rugby competition.

Matt Faddes is a New Zealand rugby union player who currently plays as a centre, wing or fullback for Otago.

Sio Tomkinson is a New Zealand rugby union player who currently plays as a centre for Dragons RFC in the United Rugby Championship. He has previously played for the Highlanders.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brian Alainu'uese</span> Rugby player

Brian Alainu'uese is a professional rugby union player who plays as a lock for Top 14 club Toulon. Born in New Zealand, he represents Samoa at international level after qualifying on ancestry grounds.

Joshua Alexander McKay is a New Zealand rugby union player. He plays for Glasgow Warriors in the United Rugby Championship. His playing position is wing or fullback.

References

  1. 1 2 "Aki Seiuli Otago Player Profile". Otago Rugby. Archived from the original on 13 January 2015. Retrieved 29 June 2014.
  2. 1 2 3 "Aki Seiuli itsrugby.co.uk Player Statistics". itsrugby.co.uk. Retrieved 9 January 2017.
  3. ↑ "Aki Seiuli ESPN Scrum Player Profile". ESPN. Retrieved 29 June 2014.
  4. 1 2 "Aki Seiuli Highlanders Player Profile". Highlanders Rugby. Retrieved 8 January 2017.
  5. 1 2 "Highlanders 2017 Squad Guide" (PDF). All Blacks.com. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 March 2018. Retrieved 9 January 2017.
  6. ↑ "Rugby: Spence in wider training group". Otago Daily Times. 8 April 2014. Retrieved 29 June 2014.
  7. ↑ "Former TBHS captain set for Super Rugby debut". Rugby Heaven. 14 May 2014. Retrieved 29 June 2014.
  8. ↑ "Hurricanes vs Highlanders 16 May 2014 Match Breakdown". SA Rugby. Retrieved 29 June 2014.
  9. ↑ "Prop Aki Seiuli added to Highlanders season-ending injury for Brendon Edmonds". Rugby Heaven. 22 April 2016. Retrieved 9 January 2017.
  10. ↑ "Aki Seiuli earns Super debut in Highlanders' cracking win". Rugby Heaven. 8 May 2016. Retrieved 9 January 2017.
  11. ↑ "Glasgow Warriors sign New Zealand prop Aki Seiuli". The Offside Line. 11 September 2019. Retrieved 1 October 2020.
  12. ↑ "Seiuli settling in to life at Scotstoun".
  13. ↑ "Fan Q&A | Aki Seiuli".
  14. ↑ "Dragons boost front row with New Zealander who helped stun the Lions".
  15. ↑ "Manu Samoa name 13 New Zealand-based players in squad to face Maori All Blacks and Tonga".
  16. ↑ "'My old man was keen for me to go and play for Samoa, but he knew it wasn't for the best'".
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.