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| Birth name | Sakaria Taulafo | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Date of birth | 29 January 1983 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Motootua, Samoa | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 120 kg (18 st 13 lb; 265 lb) [1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| School | Nelson College | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Sakaria Taulafo (born 29 January 1983) [2] is a Samoa international rugby union player and a New Zealand national. He currently plays for Rugby United New York (RUNY) of Major League Rugby (MLR).
Taulafo attended Nelson College in 2002 and was a member of the school's 1st XV rugby union team. [3] He can play at loosehead or tighthead prop. He initially played for Tasman and Nelson Bays in the Air New Zealand Cup.
He made his debut for Samoa on their 2009 Autumn tour and represented them until 2016. [4]
From 2009 – 2013 he played for the London Wasps in the English club competition, the Aviva Premiership. [5] From 2013 – 2018 he played for Stade Francais. [5]
In 2020 he moved to the United States to play for the Glendale Raptors of Major League Rugby (MLR), [4] before being traded to Rugby United New York for the 2021 season. [5]
Paul Henry Sackey is a retired English rugby union footballer who played on the wing, most recently for Harlequins in the Aviva Premiership.
Va'aiga Lealuga Tuigamala Pulelua Fesola'i, sometimes known as Inga Tuigamala, was a professional rugby union and rugby league footballer. Born in Samoa, he represented New Zealand in rugby union, winning 19 caps, and later Samoa in both rugby league and rugby union. He played in one rugby league and two rugby union World Cups.
Vaovasamanaia Seilala Mapusua is a retired Samoan rugby player who last played for the Kubota Spears of the Japanese Top League. Prior to his move to Japan in 2011, he also had long stints with the Highlanders in Super Rugby and London Irish in the Aviva Premiership. He is currently the head coach of Manu Samoa having been appointed in 2020.
Sailosi Tagicakibau is a rugby union footballer who has played at wing for London Irish and Wasps in the Aviva Premiership.
Jonathan Poff was a rugby union player who played for the London Wasps in the Aviva Premiership. Prior to joining Wasps, he played for Tasman in the ITM Cup competition in New Zealand and represented the Crusaders in Super Rugby.
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Kane Gregory Thompson is a New Zealand-born rugby union coach and former player who played for the Samoa national rugby union team. He played professionally for several teams in New Zealand and in Europe during his 19-year playing career. He retired from playing in 2021, and has since served as head coach for NOLA Gold in Major League Rugby (MLR).
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Salesi Tu'ipulotu Piutau, often known as Charles Piutau, is a professional rugby union player who plays as a fullback for Japan Rugby League One club Shizuoka Blue Revs.
Tomas Francis is a Wales international rugby union player who plays at tight head prop for Ospreys.
Caleb Makene is a New Zealand rugby union player who currently plays as an outside back or fly-half for Utah Warriors in the Major League Rugby (MLR). In New Zealand, he most recently played for Hawke's Bay in the National Provincial Championship competition
Isaac Arapata Salmon is a New Zealand rugby union player, who currently plays as a prop for Tasman in New Zealand's National Provincial Championship. He also plays for New Orleans Gold in Major League Rugby (MLR) in the United States. Salmon was educated at Nelson College from 2011 to 2014.
Ross John Neal is an English rugby union player who currently plays as a wing and centre for the Seattle Seawolves in Major League Rugby (MLR). He previously played for the Saracens in the English Premiership.
Dan Moor is a former Canadian rugby union player, who played Wing and Centre for the Canada national team. He played for the Toronto Arrows in Major League Rugby (MLR), serving as captain for two seasons. Moor joined the Arrows from Yorkshire Carnegie in the RFU Championship. Moor previously had English professional rugby experience through a trial with Premiership Rugby club Wasps RFC.
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