Epi Taione
Encyclopedia
Epi Taione (born 2 March 1979) is a Tonga
n rugby union footballer who currently plays for London Welsh. He normally plays at centre but can cover wing or back row forward.
6 pounds (123 kg) he is large for the centre and wing positions he plays.
He started his career at Newcastle Falcons
. In the summer of 2005 he joined Sale Sharks
on a two year contract. However, his contract was cancelled when he was banned for biting. After his ban he went to Japan
to play for Sanyo Wild Knights
.
Taione controversially changed his name to Paddy Power
for the duration of the 2007 Rugby World Cup in a sponsorship deal agreed with the Irish bookmaker.
He then went to play for the Natal Sharks, but in the 2008 Super 14 he was suspended for six weeks after headbutting a Wellington Hurricanes player, and was also suspended for two weeks in the Pacific Nations Cup after dangerously tackling New Zealand Maori Number Eight Tom Waldrom. He next moved on to Harlequins but received little playing time so moved on to French side Racing Métro 92 Paris
in 2009.
In 2009, Taione had a small role in the film Invictus
.
Tonga
Tonga, officially the Kingdom of Tonga , is a state and an archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, comprising 176 islands scattered over of ocean in the South Pacific...
n rugby union footballer who currently plays for London Welsh. He normally plays at centre but can cover wing or back row forward.
Rugby career
At 6 feet 4 inches (1.93 m) tall and 19 stoneStone (weight)
The stone is a units of measurement that was used in many North European countries until the advent of metrication. It value, which ranged from 3 kg to 12 kg, varied from city to city and also often from commodity to commodity...
6 pounds (123 kg) he is large for the centre and wing positions he plays.
He started his career at Newcastle Falcons
Newcastle Falcons
The Newcastle Falcons is an English rugby union team currently playing in the Aviva Premiership. The club was established in 1877 and played under the name of Gosforth Football Club until 1990. The name was then changed to Newcastle Gosforth and the club began to play at Kingston Park stadium in...
. In the summer of 2005 he joined Sale Sharks
Sale Sharks
Sale Sharks are a professional rugby union club who play in England in the Aviva Premiership.The club is an offshoot of Sale FC, which is based at Heywood Road in Sale, Greater Manchester, but Sharks currently play in Stockport at Edgeley Park, ground sharing with Stockport County F.C.Part of the...
on a two year contract. However, his contract was cancelled when he was banned for biting. After his ban he went to Japan
Top League
The Top League is a professional rugby union league created by the Japan Rugby Football Union to drive up the overall standard and popularity of the sport in the country and improve the results of the Japan national rugby union team. The first season was 2003-04 and featured 12 teams...
to play for Sanyo Wild Knights
Sanyo Wild Knights
Panasonic Wild Knights is a Japanese rugby union team based in Ōta city, Gunma prefecture which plays in the Top League. Inspired by Tony Brown at fly half , it dominated the league in the fifth season and was the first team to be unbeaten throughout a Top League season.All-Japan Champions:...
.
Taione controversially changed his name to Paddy Power
Paddy Power
Paddy Power is Ireland’s largest bookmaker. Offline it conducts business through a chain of licensed betting offices and by operating Ireland's largest telephone betting service. Online it offers sports betting, online poker, online bingo, online casino games and spread betting...
for the duration of the 2007 Rugby World Cup in a sponsorship deal agreed with the Irish bookmaker.
He then went to play for the Natal Sharks, but in the 2008 Super 14 he was suspended for six weeks after headbutting a Wellington Hurricanes player, and was also suspended for two weeks in the Pacific Nations Cup after dangerously tackling New Zealand Maori Number Eight Tom Waldrom. He next moved on to Harlequins but received little playing time so moved on to French side Racing Métro 92 Paris
Racing Metro 92 Paris
Racing Métro 92 is a French rugby union club based in suburban Paris that was formed in 2001 with the collaboration of the Racing Club de France and US Métro. "92" is the number of Hauts-de-Seine, the département of Île-de-France, bordering Paris to the west, where they play, and whose council...
in 2009.
In 2009, Taione had a small role in the film Invictus
Invictus (film)
Invictus is a 2009 biographical sports drama film directed by Clint Eastwood starring Morgan Freeman and Matt Damon.The story is based on the John Carlin book Playing the Enemy: Nelson Mandela and the Game That Changed a Nation about the events in South Africa before and during the 1995 Rugby World...
.