Semesa Rokoduguni

Last updated
Semesa Rokoduguni
Semesa Rokoduguni 2013 (cropped).jpg
Date of birth (1987-08-28) 28 August 1987 (age 36)
Place of birth Nausori, Fiji
Height1.84 m (6 ft 0 in)
Weight98 kg (15 st 6 lb; 216 lb) [1]
Rugby union career
Position(s) Centre, Wing
Amateur team(s)
YearsTeamApps(Points)
2011–2012 British Army ()
Senior career
YearsTeamApps(Points)
2012–2022 Bath 194 (355)
2022– US Montauban 44 (50)
Correct as of 20 May 2024
International career
YearsTeamApps(Points)
2014–2017 England 4 (20)
Correct as of 25 November 2017

Lance corporal Semesa Rokoduguni (born 28 August 1987) is a professional rugby union player for US Montauban in France's Pro D2, previously playing for English club Bath, and soldier in the British Army, having served in Afghanistan. [2]

Contents

He won four caps for England between 2014 and 2017. Born in Fiji he qualified for England on residency while serving in the Army.

Club career

Lytchett Minster RFC

Roko joined LMRFC in Feb 2008 while training with the army at Semesa camp.

Roko played for just over a season playing in the centre where he scored many tries and helped the club gain promotion to Hampshire 1

Army RU

Rokoduguni has represented the Army Rugby Union XV, and German Rugby-Bundesliga team DRC Hannover. He represented the army twice in the 2011-2012 season, scoring four tries against the RAF and three against the Navy.

He has also represented the Army Sevens team in the Middlesex Sevens and the International Defence Sevens, the latter of which was won by the Army.

Bath Rugby

In October 2012, it was announced that Rokoduguni had been signed on a senior contract with Bath after impressing for their second side, Bath United. [3]

Rokoduguni made his debut for the Bath senior team on 10 November 2012, in their LV= Cup match against Newport Gwent Dragons. He scored a try after just 9 minutes, and finished the game with two tries. [4]

In May 2015, Rokoduguni started on the wing as Bath made the Premiership final against Saracens. Although he did not score in the final, he appeared to be through for a chance after a chip and chase before being illegally taking out, off the ball, by Alex Goode. Bath went on to finish runners up, losing 28-16. [5]

Montauban

On 17 June 2022, after 10 years at Bath, Rokoduguni would leave The Rec to join French side Montauban in the Pro D2 competition from the 2022-23 season. [6]

International career

In January 2014, he was included in a 25-member England Saxons squad to prepare for the upcoming match against the Irish Wolfhounds. [7]

On 8 November 2014, Rokoduguni made his Test debut for England, losing to New Zealand 21-24 as part of the 2014 Autumn Internationals. [8] He was the first serving British soldier to play for England since Tim Rodber in 1999. [9] In 2015 Rokoduguni was called up into the England Rugby World Cup Squad, after David Strettle completed his move to French-based side Clermont.

International tries

As of 7 July 2019 [10]
TryOpposing teamLocationVenueCompetitionDateResultScore
1Flag of Fiji.svg  Fiji London, England Twickenham Stadium 2016 Autumn Internationals 19 November 2016Win58 – 15 [11]
2
3Flag of Argentina.svg  Argentina London, England Twickenham Stadium 2017 Autumn Internationals 11 November 2017Win21 – 8 [12]
4Flag of Samoa.svg  Samoa London, England Twickenham Stadium 2017 Autumn Internationals 25 November 2017Win48 – 14 [13]

Personal life

Rokoduguni is a sniper of the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards in the British Army. He joined the Army in 2007 [14] and was deployed to Afghanistan as part of Operation Herrick in 2011 where he was attached to 4th Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Scotland (4SCOTS).

His great-great-grandfather, great-grandfather and father all served in the military.

Semesa's brother, Rupeni Rokoduguni, is also in the British Army serving in Black Watch [15] near Inverness. He also has a similar passion for rugby and currently plays for Highland Rugby Club. [16]

Related Research Articles

James David Simpson-Daniel is a former English rugby union footballer who played wing or centre for Gloucester Rugby.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alesana Tuilagi</span> Rugby player

Alesana "Alex" Tuilagi is a former Samoan rugby player. He is a retired rugby player, currently residing in Fogapoa Savaii and has appeared numerous times for his national team Samoa. He previously played for Parma in Italy and for Leicester Tigers in the Aviva Premiership and more recently Newcastle Falcons. As an incredibly strong player, Tuilagi uses his blend of pace and power to good effect, proving a nightmare for many defences. Such a combination of speed and strength makes him very difficult for defences to handle.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aled Brew</span> Welsh rugby union player

Aled Brew is a former Wales international rugby union player who played as a winger. He made his debut for the Wales national rugby union team against Ireland in the 2007 Six Nations Championship. In his career, as well as playing for Biarritz Olympique and Bath Rugby, he is one of only a handful of players to have played for all four top-level regional teams in Wales.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mike Brown (rugby union)</span> England international rugby union player

Mike Brown is an English professional rugby union player who plays fullback or wing for Leicester Tigers in Premiership Rugby. Brown joined the Harlequins senior team in 2005, having played youth rugby at Salisbury and Melksham, and began playing for the England first team two years later. Between 2021–2022 Brown played a season for Newcastle Falcons.

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

Chris Pennell is an English rugby union player. He currently plays for Worcester Warriors in the Aviva Premiership and also for the Dallas Jackals of Major League Rugby (MLR). He plays as a fullback or wing if needed. He's a former captain of Worcester, and currently resides in Worcester with his young family. Pennell is also an ambassador for type 1 diabetes, which he was diagnosed with at nineteen years old. He has played for England, earning 1 cap in 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rhys Priestland</span> Welsh rugby union player

Rhys Priestland is a Welsh international rugby union player who plays as a fly-half for Cardiff Rugby and the Wales national team. Although he primarily plays as a fly-half, he is also capable of playing at full-back. Born in Llangathen, Carmarthenshire, he began his career with Llanelli RFC before progressing to the Scarlets regional side. After eight years with the Scarlets, he moved to England to play for Bath in the English Premiership, where he spent six seasons before returning to Wales with Cardiff Rugby. He made his Wales debut in 2011, and earned 50 caps – including being named in the squad for the 2011 and 2015 Rugby World Cups – before his move to England made him ineligible for selection.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charlie Sharples</span> Rugby player

Charlie Sharples is a former English rugby union footballer, who last played in the Aviva Premiership for Gloucester. He plays as a wing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vereniki Goneva</span> Fijian rugby union player (born 1984)

Vereniki Goneva is a Fijian rugby union footballer who plays for Mont-de-Marsan in France's Pro D2, the second division. He plays as a centre or wing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George Ford (rugby union)</span> England international rugby union footballer

George Thomas Ford is an English professional rugby union player who plays as a fly-half for Premiership Rugby club Sale Sharks and the England national team.

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

Jonathan James May is an English professional rugby union player who plays as a wing for Premiership Rugby club Gloucester and formerly for the England national team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alex Waller</span> English rugby union player

Alexander Marshall Waller is a rugby union player for Premiership side Northampton Saints.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Henry Slade (rugby union)</span> England international rugby union player (born 1993)

Henry James Harvey Slade is an English professional rugby union player who plays as a centre for Premiership Rugby club Exeter Chiefs and the England national team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Olly Woodburn</span> English rugby union player

Olly Woodburn is an English rugby union player. He plays for Exeter Chiefs. His regular playing positions are wing and centre.

The 2013–14 LV Cup is the 43rd season of England's national rugby union cup competition, and the ninth to follow the Anglo-Welsh format.

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

Charlie Ewels is an English professional rugby union player who plays at lock for Premiership club Bath.

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

Junior Bulumakau is a Fijian born Scotland Rugby Union 7's player who plays for Coventry Rugby Club. He previously played for Glasgow Warriors. and Doncaster Knights. His normal position is on the Wing but he can also play Full Back.

Edward Jackson is an English former professional rugby union player who played for a number of sides in England and Wales as a Number 8.

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

Joe Cokanasiga is a professional rugby union player for the England national rugby union team. He plays wing for Bath, having previously represented London Irish. He helped his former team win promotion from the RFU Championship in 2016–17 season to the English Premiership for the 2017–18 season.

Samuel George Skinner is a professional rugby union player who plays as a lock for United Rugby Championship club Edinburgh. Born in England, he represents Scotland at international level after qualifying on ancestry grounds.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lewis Bean</span> English rugby union player

Lewis Bean is an English professional rugby union player who plays as a Lock for Montauban. He previously played for Glasgow Warriors. He currently serves in the British Army.

References

  1. ↑ "Bath Rugby Official Website - 1st XV squad - Semesa Rokoduguni".
  2. ↑ Jason Le Miere (6 November 2014). "New Zealand Vs. England Rugby 2014: Live Stream Details, Preview And Kickoff Time For Saturday's International". IBT. Retrieved 7 November 2014.
  3. ↑ "Army star joins Bath Rugby" (Press release). 26 Oct 2012.
  4. ↑ "BBC Sport - LV= Cup: Bath 36-15 Newport Gwent Dragons". BBC Sport.
  5. ↑ "Aviva Premiership Rugby Final: Bath Rugby 16 Saracens 28". Aviva Premiership Rugby. Internet Archive WayBackMachine / Aviva Premiership Rugby. Retrieved 30 November 2023.
  6. ↑ "England international Semesa Rokoduguni has found a new club". Ruck.co.uk. 17 June 2022. Retrieved 7 December 2022.
  7. ↑ "England Saxons make Bath's army man Semesa Rokoduguni a new recruit - Sport - The Guardian" . Retrieved 2014-01-17.
  8. ↑ "Semesa Rokoduguni England debut". ESPN scrum. 8 November 2014.
  9. ↑ Ben Dirs (6 November 2014). "Semesa Rokoduguni: Fijian British Army soldier answers England call". BBC Sport.
  10. ↑ "Semesa Rokoduguni". 7 July 2019.
  11. ↑ "England score nine tries as they beat Fiji 58-15 at Twickenham". bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 2019-07-07.
  12. ↑ "Autumn international: England 21-8 Argentina". bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 2019-07-07.
  13. ↑ "Autumn international: England 48-14 Samoa". bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 2019-07-07.
  14. ↑ "Soldier to play for the England Rugby team". army.mod.uk. 6 November 2014. Retrieved 11 November 2014.
  15. ↑ Cary, Tom (2014-11-06). "Semesa Rokoduguni: from Fiji to Twickenham via war in Afghanistan". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 2023-01-27.
  16. ↑ Chalk, Paul. "Highland chasing third straight home victory against basement visitors Boroughmuir". Press and Journal. Retrieved 2023-01-27.
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.