Taufa'ao Filise
Encyclopedia
Taufa'ao Filise is a Tonga
n rugby union footballer. A powerful prop who has played his club rugby with Bay of Plenty alongside Tonga skipper Aleki Lutui
. Filise played for the Ikale Tahi in their 2001 Epson Cup campaign and on the tour to Scotland and Wales later that year. He had his first match for Tonga
9, in 2001. He played the one-off Test against Japan in 2002 and some of the RWC qualifiers. He rejoined the Test side this year for the Pacific Tri-Nations after a lengthy absence and played well enough to force his way into the Islanders team along with his front-row team-mates. He grew up in Tonga and went to Tupou College in Nuku’alofa. In 2000, he joined Bay of Plenty in New Zealand
, and has since represented the union 29 times and scored two tries. Filise currently plays for professional Welsh
club, the Cardiff Blues
in the Celtic League
and Heineken Cup
.
He has represented the Tonga national team
, and was also selected to play for the Pacific Islanders rugby union team
in 2004 & 2006. His usual position is prop.
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. A powerful prop who has played his club rugby with Bay of Plenty alongside Tonga skipper Aleki Lutui
Aleki Lutui
Aleki Lutui in Tofoa, Tonga, is a Tongan rugby union international player. He currently plays for the Worcester Warriors in the Aviva Premiership. His position is hooker....
. Filise played for the Ikale Tahi in their 2001 Epson Cup campaign and on the tour to Scotland and Wales later that year. He had his first match for 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...
9, in 2001. He played the one-off Test against Japan in 2002 and some of the RWC qualifiers. He rejoined the Test side this year for the Pacific Tri-Nations after a lengthy absence and played well enough to force his way into the Islanders team along with his front-row team-mates. He grew up in Tonga and went to Tupou College in Nuku’alofa. In 2000, he joined Bay of Plenty in 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...
, and has since represented the union 29 times and scored two tries. Filise currently plays for professional Welsh
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
club, the Cardiff Blues
Cardiff Blues
Cardiff Blues are one of the four professional Welsh regional rugby union teams. Based in Cardiff, the capital of Wales, the team have played at Cardiff City Stadium since the start of the 2009/2010 season and are owned by Cardiff Rugby Football Club....
in the Celtic League
Celtic League (rugby union)
The Celtic League is an annual rugby union competition involving professional sides from Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales....
and Heineken Cup
Heineken Cup
The Heineken Cup is one of two annual rugby union competitions organised by European Rugby Cup involving leading club, regional and provincial teams from the six International Rugby Board countries in Europe whose national teams compete in the Six Nations Championship: England, France, Ireland,...
.
He has represented the Tonga national team
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...
, and was also selected to play for the Pacific Islanders rugby union team
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...
in 2004 & 2006. His usual position is prop.