Sione Lauaki
Encyclopedia
Sione Tuitupu Lauaki is a New Zealand
rugby union
footballer. His brother, Epalahame Lauaki
, is a 2nd rower for Hull in the Super League
competition and also a New Zealand
international.
in Auckland
where he made the First XV in 1998. He later moved to Kelston Boys High School, where he also played First XV. He played his club rugby for Waitemata Rugby Football Club and was instrumental in their Gallaher Shield win in 2003. He was the fourth All Black to come from the Waitemata club after Adrian Clarke, Ken Carrington and the great Michael Jones.
in the Super 14
competition. He racked up 70 caps for the team, having scored 14 tries during his Super 14 career. Lauaki went on to play play for ASM Clermont Auvergne
beginning with the 2010/2011 Top 14 season. He has since moved to Bayonne rugby club .
for the All Blacks, with whom he made his debut in 2005 against Fiji
. His final match for New Zealand was in 2008.
team in 2004 he scored Test match tries against Australia
, New Zealand
and South Africa
. He was one of the two Pacific Islanders rugby union team players picked for the All Blacks, the other being winger, Sitiveni Sivivatu
.
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...
rugby union
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...
footballer. His brother, Epalahame Lauaki
Epalahame Lauaki
Epalahame Lauaki is a professional rugby league footballer formerly contracted to English club Hull in the Super League. He is brother of All Black Sione Lauaki...
, is a 2nd rower for Hull in the Super League
Super League
Super League is the top-level professional rugby league football club competition in Europe. As a result of sponsorship from engage Mutual Assurance the competition is currently officially known as the engage Super League. The League features fourteen teams: thirteen from England and one from...
competition and also a New Zealand
New Zealand national rugby league team
The New Zealand national rugby league team has represented New Zealand in rugby league football since intercontinental competition began for the sport in 1907. Administered by the New Zealand Rugby League, they are commonly known as the Kiwis, after the native bird of that name...
international.
Early career
He attended Waitakere CollegeWaitakere College
Waitakere College is a secondary school located in West Auckland, New Zealand. It caters for students from year 9 to year 13.Students entering the college are allocated into one of three "Houses". The house names use Māori words: Aroha , Manawanui , and Matauranga...
in Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
where he made the First XV in 1998. He later moved to Kelston Boys High School, where he also played First XV. He played his club rugby for Waitemata Rugby Football Club and was instrumental in their Gallaher Shield win in 2003. He was the fourth All Black to come from the Waitemata club after Adrian Clarke, Ken Carrington and the great Michael Jones.
Super 14
In the super 14 he played for the ChiefsChiefs (Super rugby franchise)
The Chiefs are a professional Rugby union team based in Hamilton, New Zealand. Their home ground is Waikato Stadium. The Chiefs play in black, red and yellow coloured jerseys...
in the Super 14
Super 14
Super Rugby is the largest and pre-eminent professional Rugby union competition in the Southern Hemisphere...
competition. He racked up 70 caps for the team, having scored 14 tries during his Super 14 career. Lauaki went on to play play for ASM Clermont Auvergne
ASM Clermont Auvergne
Association Sportive Montferrandaise Clermont Auvergne are a French rugby union club from Clermont-Ferrand in Auvergne that currently competes in Top 14, the top level of the French league system, ASMCA are the were the 2010 France Top 14 Champions. It is the rugby section of the multi-sport club...
beginning with the 2010/2011 Top 14 season. He has since moved to Bayonne rugby club .
All Blacks
He has played loose forwardRugby union positions
In the game rugby union, there are fifteen players on each team, comprising eight forwards and seven backs . Depending upon the competition, there may be up to eight replacement players. Early games consisted primarily of forwards that attacked plus a handful of "tends" that played back in defence...
for the All Blacks, with whom he made his debut in 2005 against Fiji
Fiji national rugby union team
The Fiji national rugby union team is a member of the Pacific Islands Rugby Alliance formerly along with Samoa and Tonga. In 2009, Samoa announced their departure from the Pacific Islands Rugby Alliance, leaving just Fiji and Tonga. Fiji are ranked sixteenth in the world by the IRB as of 26...
. His final match for New Zealand was in 2008.
Pacific Islanders
While playing for the combined Pacific IslandersPacific 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 in 2004 he scored Test match tries 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...
, New Zealand
All Blacks
The New Zealand men's national rugby union team, known as the All Blacks, represent New Zealand in what is regarded as its national sport....
and South Africa
South Africa national rugby union team
The South African national rugby union team are 2009 British and Irish Lions Series winners. They are currently ranked as the fourth best team in the IRB World Rankings and were named 2008 World Team of the Year at the prestigious Laureus World Sports Awards.Although South Africa was instrumental...
. He was one of the two Pacific Islanders rugby union team players picked for the All Blacks, the other being winger, Sitiveni Sivivatu
Sitiveni Sivivatu
Sitiveni Waica Sivivatu is a New Zealand rugby union footballer, playing on the position of a wing. He was largely successful in the 2005 Super 12 season playing for the Chiefs, and acquired a starting position in the All Blacks. He has scored 29 tries in 45 tests...
.