| Sione in 2021 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Full name | Sione Talikavili Vatuvei | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Born | 14 March 1983 Nukuʻalofa, Tonga | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 100 kg (15 st 10 lb; 220 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| School | Nelson College | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Notable relative(s) | Luatangi Vatuvei (brother), Manu Vatuvei (cousin) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Sione Talikavili Vatuvei [1] (born 14 March 1983), also known by his middle name Talikavili or Kavili, is a Tongan-born Japanese rugby union footballer. He represented Japan at the 2003 Rugby World Cup. [2] His preferred position is blindside flanker.
He plays in the Top League for Toyota Industries Shuttles [3] in Kariya Aichi where he currently resides.
Vatuvei was educated at Nelson College in New Zealand between 1999 and 2001. [4] He is the youngest brother of former Japanese Rugby union footballer Luatangi Vatuvei. He is also the cousin of former Tongan-New Zealand Rugby league player Manu Vatuvei.