Sione Mafileo

Sione Mafileo

Full name	Sione Tulimaiau Mafileo
Date of birth	(1993-04-14) 14 April 1993 (age 31)
Place of birth	Auckland, New Zealand
Height	178 cm (5 ft 10 in)
Weight	128 kg (282 lb; 20 st 2 lb)
School	Wesley College St Kentigern College
Rugby union career
Position(s) Prop Current team North Harbour, Chiefs Senior career Years Team Apps (Points) 2014– North Harbour 75 (15) 2015–2020 Blues 53 (0) 2021-2023 Chiefs 13 (0) 2024- Moana Pasifika 2 (5) Correct as of 5 March 2024 International career Years Team Apps (Points) 2013 New Zealand U20 5 (0) 2020 Moana Pasifika 1 (0) Correct as of 12 March 2024

Sione Tulimaiau Mafileo (born 14 April 1993) is a New Zealand rugby union footballer who currently plays as a prop for North Harbour in the ITM Cup and the Chiefs in the international Super Rugby competition. ^{[1] [2] [3] [4]}

Early career

Mafileo attended Wesley college and excelled in Rugby playing the role of a bust-out prop with excellent speed & acceleration. He later attended Saint Kentigern College in Auckland and won the Auckland schools competition with them in 2012. ^[3]

Senior career

Despite being named in North Harbour's squad for the 2013 ITM Cup, serious illness prevented him from making any appearances that year. ^[3] He managed to make it onto the field the following season, but was merely a bit part player, playing 3 times. 2015 was when he really started to establish himself as Harbour's first choice in the number 3 jersey, he played 9 times that season, all of his appearances coming from the start. He continued to be a regular in North Harbour's Championship winning season in 2016, playing in all 12 of their games during the campaign and scoring his first ever provincial try as Harbour upset the more fancied Wellington and Otago to win promotion to the Mitre 10 Cup Premiership for 2017. ^[2]

Super Rugby

Despite only having 3 provincial appearances under his belt at the time, Mafileo was called up by the Blues to provide front-row injury cover in the latter part of the 2015 Super Rugby season. He debuted in a New Zealand derby match against the Crusaders and made one other appearance from the replacements bench before the campaign was out. ^[5] The Blues, under new head-coach Tana Umaga retained his services for 2016 and he went on to play 6 times during the year, including his first 2 starts for the franchise. ^[2] He was again named in the Blues squad for the 2017 season. ^[3]

International

Mafileo was a New Zealand Schoolboys representative in 2011 and was a member of the New Zealand Under 20 which competed in the 2013 IRB Junior World Championship in France where he made 5 appearances. ^{[6] [7]}

Career Honours

North Harbour

• Mitre 10 Cup Championship - 2016

Super Rugby Statistics

As of 26 November 2016 ^[2]

Season	Team	Games	Starts	Sub	Mins	Tries	Cons	Pens	Drops	Points	Yel	Red
2015	Blues	2	0	2	71	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
2016	Blues	6	2	4	159	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
Total		8	2	6	230	0	0	0	0	0	1	0

References

1. "Sione Mafileo North Harbour Player Profile". Harbour Rugby. Archived from the original on 17 January 2020. Retrieved 1 October 2015.
2. "Sione Mafileo itsrugby.co.uk Player Statistics". itsrugby.co.uk. Retrieved 1 October 2015.
3. "Sione Mafileo Blues Player Profile". Blues Rugby. Archived from the original on 19 February 2018. Retrieved 26 November 2016.
4. "Blues 2017 Squad Guide" (PDF). All Blacks.com. Retrieved 26 November 2016.
5. "Blues coach Sir John Kirwan names young side to take on Crusaders in Auckland". Rugby Heaven. Retrieved 4 June 2016.
6. "NZU20 squad named for IRB World Champs in France". All Blacks.com. 25 April 2013. Retrieved 1 October 2015.
7. "Sione Mafileo New Zealand U20 Player Profile". All Blacks.com. Retrieved 26 November 2016.