Ifereimi Rawaqa
Encyclopedia
Ifereimi Rawaqa is a Fijian rugby union
player. He plays as a lock or flanker
.
, in Apia. After four matches as a substitute, he made his first start against Tonga
in the 47-20 win at Prince Charles Park
in Nadi
, and celebrated with a well-worked try from 35 metres out when he raced onto a chip over the top from Seru Rabeni
. His build makes him an ideal line-out jumper, but he is also equipped with speed to match most wingers.
Injury saw him miss the 2003 early-season trials and he did not feature in the warm-up matches against Australia
or Tonga. When Apenisa Naevo
pulled up late in the first match of the New Zealand tour last August, Rawaqa was called up. He also led his provincial team Lautoka to both major trophies in Fiji in 2003 – the Telecom Cup
and the Farebrother-Sullivan Trophy, which is a challenge competition similar to New Zealand
's Ranfurly Shield
.
In 2004 Rawaqa was selected in the Pacific Islanders
team where he started all 3 test matches. After an impressive showing for the Islanders he was offered a contract to play for Auckland
but turned it down preferring to play for Japanese club World Fighting Bull
.
Rawaqa showed his pace when he outran the Wales
backline to score under the posts in what was so nearly an historic win for Fiji at Cardiff
in 2005, when Fiji lost 11-10.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cKnR1n2DDTY
He has played at two world cups, 2003 and 2007 being part of the historical quarter-final reaching team. He was also part of Fiji's
2005 Rugby World Cup Sevens
winning team.
He is the elder brother of Fijian International Taniela Rawaqa
who plays fullback for Fiji.
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
player. He plays as a lock or flanker
Flanker (rugby union)
A flanker is a position in the sport of rugby union. Flankers play in the forwards, and are generally classified as either blindside, or openside flankers; numbers six and seven respectively. The name comes from their position in a scrum in which they flank each set of forwards...
.
Career
In 2002, when he was still 21 when he made his test debut in the victory over SamoaSamoa national rugby union team
The Manu Samoa is the men's representative side of the Samoa Rugby Union in both the 15's and the 7's for international competitions. The Samoa Rugby Union is owned by the affiliated rugby unions of Samoa. In Samoa, Manu Samoa is in honour of a famous Samoan warrior. From 1924 to 1997 Samoa was...
, in Apia. After four matches as a substitute, he made his first start against Tonga
Tonga national rugby union team
The Tonga national rugby union team is nicknamed Ikale Tahi . Like their Polynesian neighbours, the Tongans start their matches with a war dance – the Kailao . They are members of the Pacific Islands Rugby Alliance along with Fiji and Samoa...
in the 47-20 win at Prince Charles Park
Prince Charles Park
Prince Charles Park is a rugby union stadium in Nadi, Fiji. The stadium has a nominal capacity of 15,000 people. It currently hosts rugby union matches. The venue hosted the final of the Football Oceania Club Championship 1999 in 1999. The ground is home to Nadi Rugby Union and Nadi...
in Nadi
Nadi
Nadi is the third-largest conurbation in Fiji. It is located on the western side of the main island of Viti Levu, and had a population of 42,284 at the most recent census, in 2007. Nadi is multiracial with many of its inhabitants Indian or Fijian, along with a large transient population of foreign...
, and celebrated with a well-worked try from 35 metres out when he raced onto a chip over the top from Seru Rabeni
Seru Rabeni
Ratu Seru Raveive Rabeni is a Fijian rugby union player. He plays as a centre or wing for Stade Rochelais....
. His build makes him an ideal line-out jumper, but he is also equipped with speed to match most wingers.
Injury saw him miss the 2003 early-season trials and he did not feature in the warm-up matches against Australia
Australia national rugby union team
The Australian national rugby union team is the representative side of Australia in rugby union. The national team is nicknamed the Wallabies and competes annually with New Zealand and South Africa in the Tri-Nations Series, in which they also contest the Bledisloe Cup with New Zealand and the...
or Tonga. When Apenisa Naevo
Apenisa Naevo
Ratu Apenisa Naevo is a Fijian rugby union footballer. His usual position is at lock. He has earned over 30 caps for the national team, after debuting in 1996 and going onto represent them at the Rugby World Cup....
pulled up late in the first match of the New Zealand tour last August, Rawaqa was called up. He also led his provincial team Lautoka to both major trophies in Fiji in 2003 – the Telecom Cup
Sanyo Cup
The Digicel Cup is Fiji's national provincial championship. The competition runs from May to September and is contested for between the country’s top 12 provincial sides...
and the Farebrother-Sullivan Trophy, which is a challenge competition similar to New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
's Ranfurly Shield
Ranfurly Shield
The Ranfurly Shield, colloquially known as the Log o' Wood, is a trophy in New Zealand's domestic rugby union competition. First played for in 1904, the Ranfurly Shield is based on a challenge system, rather than a league or knockout competition as with most football trophies...
.
In 2004 Rawaqa was selected in the Pacific Islanders
Pacific Islanders rugby union team
The Pacific Islanders rugby union team is an international rugby union team, started in 2004, that represents Fiji, Samoa and Tonga. While Niue and the Cook Islands are not members of the Pacific Tri-Nations competition, they did supply players to the squad for the Pacific Islanders' tour in 2004...
team where he started all 3 test matches. After an impressive showing for the Islanders he was offered a contract to play for Auckland
Auckland Rugby Football Union
The Auckland Rugby Football Union is the governing body of rugby union in the Auckland Region, in the North Island of New Zealand. Its colours are navy blue and white in a hoop design. Auckland's top representative team have won New Zealand's top provincial rugby competition 16 times, more than...
but turned it down preferring to play for Japanese club World Fighting Bull
World Fighting Bull
World Fighting Bull is a Top League team but was demoted at the end of the Top League fourth season. It is from Kobe in the Kansai area of Japan, and therefore a local rival of Kobe Steel Kobelco Steelers. World Co...
.
Rawaqa showed his pace when he outran the Wales
Wales national rugby union team
The Wales national rugby union team represent Wales in international rugby union tournaments. They compete annually in the Six Nations Championship with England, France, Ireland, Italy and Scotland. Wales have won the Six Nations and its predecessors 24 times outright, second only to England with...
backline to score under the posts in what was so nearly an historic win for Fiji at Cardiff
Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
in 2005, when Fiji lost 11-10.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cKnR1n2DDTY
He has played at two world cups, 2003 and 2007 being part of the historical quarter-final reaching team. He was also part of Fiji's
Fiji national rugby union team (sevens)
The Fiji Sevens side is one of the most popular and successful Sevens teams in the world and has won the Hong Kong Sevens a record nine times since its inception in 1976. Fiji has also won the Sevens World Cup twice, winning that event in 1997 and 2005...
2005 Rugby World Cup Sevens
2005 Rugby World Cup Sevens
-The winning team::Fiji national rugby sevens team*Waisale Serevi*Sireli Bobo*Vilimoni Delasau*William Ryder*Marika Vunibaka*Semisi Naevo*Nasoni Roko*Ifereimi Rawaqa*Jone Daunivucu*Lepani Nabuliwaqa*Norman Ligairi*Viliame Satala*Apolosi Satala...
winning team.
He is the elder brother of Fijian International Taniela Rawaqa
Taniela Rawaqa
Taniela Rawaqa is a Fijan rugby union player. He plays fullback, presently with the Western Crusaders in the Colonial Cup and with the Fiji Warriors in the Pacific Rugby Cup and internationally with Fiji. He is the younger brother of Fijian International Ifereimi RawaqaHe made his international...
who plays fullback for Fiji.