Date of birth | 17 September 1970 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Place of birth | Apia, Samoa | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Height | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Weight | 264 lb (120 kg) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Filiga Lio Falaniko (born Apia, 17 September 1970) is a Samoan former rugby union player and boxer. He plays as a lock. Currently, he works as personal trainer. [1]
His international debut in 1991, against Tonga, at Apia, on 17 June 1990. Despite missing that year's World Cup through injury he was a regular for the Samoans throughout the 1990s, playing in both the 1995 and 1999 World Cups - scoring a memorable try against Wales in Samoa's 38-31 win at the then all-new Millennium Stadium in Cardiff.
Ranging lock Falaniko joined the Hurricanes for one season in 1999 from the Highlanders, where he had played 24 super 12 games between 1996-1998. Falaniko was used alongside Dion Waller, Mark Cooksley and Inoke Afeaki in the locking role for the Hurricanes, winning five caps, and making four starts against the Cats, Sharks, Blues, and finally his old team the Highlanders.
Vastly experienced at provincial level, Falaniko played a number of times for Otago, spent a season with Southland prior to his Super 12 stint in Wellington and also for North Harbour in 1999. Additionally Falaniko was an international volleyball representative and spent several years as a Les Mills Gyms fitness trainer. He took his personal trainer expertise to Perth, where he now resides and also coaches at club level. [2]
Between 2005 and 2011, Falaniko undertook a boxing career, going undefeated in 10 heavyweight professional boxing bouts in New Zealand. [3]
The Highlanders is a New Zealand professional rugby union team based in Dunedin that compete in Super Rugby. The team was formed in 1996 to represent the lower South Island in the newly formed Super 12 competition, and includes the Otago, North Otago and Southland unions. The Highlanders take their name from the Scottish immigrants that founded the Otago, North Otago, and Southland regions in the 1840s and 1850s.
Semo Sititi is a rugby union footballer in Samoa. He was born in Motootua.
Jerry Collins was a professional rugby union player. Although he was born in Apia, Samoa, he grew up in New Zealand and played for the New Zealand national team, earning 48 caps. At club level, he played for the Hurricanes Super Rugby franchise in New Zealand, Toulon and Narbonne in the Rugby Pro D2, Ospreys in Wales, and Yamaha Júbilo in Japan. He played as a flanker and number eight, and was considered to be one of the hardest tacklers in the sport.
La’auli Montgomery Junior "Monty" Betham is a professional boxer, and former professional rugby league footballer. A New Zealand international representative hooker and lock, he played club football for the New Zealand Warriors in the National Rugby League, and for the Wakefield Trinity Wildcats (captain) in the Super League.
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.
Namulauulu Alama Ieremia is a New Zealand rugby union coach and former international player for Western Samoa and New Zealand.
Mahonri Schwalger is a former Samoan professional rugby union footballer who last played in New Zealand for the Chiefs in the Super Rugby competition and for Counties Manukau in the National Provincial Championship. He captained the Samoan national team at the 2011 Rugby World Cup.
John Schwalger is a former New Zealand rugby union player who played at the prop position.
Antonio (Tony) Emil Tuimavave is a Samoan former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1990s and 2000s, who was the head coach of the Ponsonby Ponies from 2010, primarily as a prop also as a lock. He was nicknamed The Chief because he is a chief back in his native Samoa.
David Smith is a Samoan rugby union player who plays with RC Narbonne in the French Top 14 He previously played for the Hurricanes, Blues and Western Force in Super Rugby as well as Toulon & Castres Olympique.
Tevita Hale Nai Tu'uhoko, often known simply as Hale T-Pole or Hale T Pole, is a Tongan rugby union footballer who plays as a flanker or number eight for the Ricoh Black Rams in the Top League in Japan. He has also played internationally for Tonga and the Pacific Islanders.
Johnny Leota is a Samoan rugby union player who played for Sale Sharks in the Aviva Premiership. Leota was born in Palmerston North, New Zealand and made his international debut for Samoa in 2011; he has since won 20 caps. He previously played for Manawatu Turbos in the ITM Cup. Started in 2001, making the NZ Rugby League U17 tournament team and NZ secondary schools tournament team. From here he progress into the Hurricanes schools team which lead to him being put into the academy. Leota followed the rugby path with no success until 2004 where he made his debut for Manawatu Rugby before making his breakthrough season to the Highlanders super rugby squad after a stunning 2007 season. He was offered a contract with the West Tigers in NRL 2007 but chose to go with the Highlanders.
Paul Williams is a New Zealand-born Samoan international rugby union player who plays for Stade Français in the French Top 14. His regular playing positions are Centre, Wing and fullback. He is a son of former All Black Bryan Williams and the brother of Gavin Williams, who plays internationally for Samoa and for French club Clermont.
James Whitinui Joseph is a New Zealand-born Japanese former rugby union player and current rugby union coach. A flanker, Joseph represented Otago at a provincial level, and was a member of the New Zealand national side, the All Blacks, from 1992 to 1995, before representing Japan in 1999. Joseph, now head coach of the Japanese national side, has coached since his retirement, coming through the ranks in New Zealand before his first national stint.
Lima Zachariah Sopoaga is a professional rugby union player who plays as a fly-half for Japan Rugby League One club Shimizu Blue Sharks. Born in New Zealand, he represents Samoa at international level after qualifying on ancestry grounds.
Liam Ivan John Squire is a former New Zealand rugby union player from Tokomaru, New Zealand. He played in the Number 8 and Blindside flanker position for Tasman in the Mitre 10 Cup. Squire joined the NTT DoCoMo Red Hurricanes in Japan on a two-year deal after the 2019 season but later made an early return to New Zealand in September 2020.
Vaea Tangitau Lapota Fifita is a Tongan professional rugby union player who plays as a flanker for United Rugby Championship club Scarlets and the Tonga national team.
George Edward Leaupepe is a Samoan rugby union player. He plays as a centre.
Potumoe Leavasa, better known as Potu Leavasa, is a Samoan former rugby union player who played as a lock and coach.
Afato So'oalo is a former Samoan rugby union player. He played for the Manu Samoa team and also played for the Crusaders and for Aviron Bayonnais in France. He played as a winger.