Freddie Tuilagi
Encyclopedia
Fereti Tuilagi is a former Samoan rugby union
Rugby player who previously played rugby league
for Halifax Blue Sox
and St. Helens. He played as a wing or centre and now is currently retired. His first name is often anglicised to Freddie, his surname pronounced "Tuilangi".
Tuilagi is the oldest of seven brothers: Henry
, Olotuli, Alesana
, Anitelea, Vavae
and Manu
. All but Olotuli have played for Leicester Tigers
with the youngest two Manu
& Vavae
just come out of academy.Freddie currently coaches children at his very own rugby skills course named 'Tuilagi Rugby Skills Courses'.
on the 1991 tour to New Zealand. He was also selected for Samoa
’s 1991 Rugby World Cup squad but did not play in any of the matches.
Between 1992 and 1995 he toured with Samoa
to Australia
and South Africa
, and was included in their 1995 Rugby World Cup squad. He played against South Africa in the quarter final.
, also making his return to the Samoa national side
. He toured with them in the summer of 2002. He was also selected to tour New Zealand
, but was prevented from doing so by an injury, which also denied him a place in national side's world cup squad. In the 2003-4 season his younger brother Henry
also signed for Leicester, and his younger brother Alesana joined the following season. In 2004-5 season Tuilagi signed for Cardiff Blues
. Unfortunately injury limited the number of times he was able to play for Cardiff and was released early In 2005-6 season Tuilagi played for Castres Olympique
in the French Top 14.
for the Leicester Falcons
during the 2008 and 2009 seasons.
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...
Rugby player who previously played rugby league
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
for Halifax Blue Sox
Halifax RLFC
Halifax RLFC is one of the most historic rugby league clubs in the game, formed over a century ago, in 1873 in the Yorkshire town of Halifax. Known as 'Fax', the official club colours are blue and white hoops, blue shorts and blue socks . They share The Shay stadium with football club FC Halifax Town...
and St. Helens. He played as a wing or centre and now is currently retired. His first name is often anglicised to Freddie, his surname pronounced "Tuilangi".
Tuilagi is the oldest of seven brothers: Henry
Henry Tuilagi
Enele "Henry" Tuilagi is a Samoan rugby union footballer. He currently plays for USA Perpignan in the French club competition, the Top 14, and has appeared four times for his national team Samoa...
, Olotuli, Alesana
Alesana Tuilagi
Alesana "Alex" Tuilagi is a Samoan rugby union footballer. He currently plays for the Leicester Tigers in the English club competition, the Aviva Premiership, and has appeared numerous times for his national team Samoa...
, Anitelea, Vavae
Sanele Vavae Tuilagi
Sanele Vavae Tuilagi is a Samoan professional rugby union player. Sanele is the younger brother of Henry, Freddie, Alesana and Anitelea Tuilagi who are all Samoan internationals. He is also the older brother of Manu Tuilagi, an England international.Sanele played for the Samoan National U-20 team...
and Manu
Manu Tuilagi
Manu Samoa Tuilagi is a Samoan born British professional rugby union player who currently plays for Aviva Premiership side Leicester Tigers...
. All but Olotuli have played for Leicester Tigers
Leicester Tigers
Leicester Tigers is an English rugby union club that plays in the Aviva Premiership.Leicester are the most successful English club since the introduction of league rugby in 1987, a record 9 times English champions - 3 more than either Bath or Wasps, the last of which was in 2010...
with the youngest two Manu
Manu Tuilagi
Manu Samoa Tuilagi is a Samoan born British professional rugby union player who currently plays for Aviva Premiership side Leicester Tigers...
& Vavae
Sanele Vavae Tuilagi
Sanele Vavae Tuilagi is a Samoan professional rugby union player. Sanele is the younger brother of Henry, Freddie, Alesana and Anitelea Tuilagi who are all Samoan internationals. He is also the older brother of Manu Tuilagi, an England international.Sanele played for the Samoan National U-20 team...
just come out of academy.Freddie currently coaches children at his very own rugby skills course named 'Tuilagi Rugby Skills Courses'.
International career
Freddie gained his first international experience playing for 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...
on the 1991 tour to New Zealand. He was also selected for Samoa
Samoa 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...
’s 1991 Rugby World Cup squad but did not play in any of the matches.
Between 1992 and 1995 he toured with Samoa
Samoa 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...
to Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, and was included in their 1995 Rugby World Cup squad. He played against South Africa in the quarter final.
Rugby league
After the 1995 world cup, Tuilagi turned professional for the Halifax Rugby League team, making 57 Super League appearances for them in two years, scoring an impressive 26 tries. In 1999 he joined St Helens RL and made 35 appearances, scoring eleven tries.Northern hemisphere rugby union
He left St. Helens in June 2000 and signed for Leicester TigersLeicester Tigers
Leicester Tigers is an English rugby union club that plays in the Aviva Premiership.Leicester are the most successful English club since the introduction of league rugby in 1987, a record 9 times English champions - 3 more than either Bath or Wasps, the last of which was in 2010...
, also making his return to the Samoa national side
Samoa 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...
. He toured with them in the summer of 2002. He was also selected to tour 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...
, but was prevented from doing so by an injury, which also denied him a place in national side's world cup squad. In the 2003-4 season his younger brother Henry
Henry Tuilagi
Enele "Henry" Tuilagi is a Samoan rugby union footballer. He currently plays for USA Perpignan in the French club competition, the Top 14, and has appeared four times for his national team Samoa...
also signed for Leicester, and his younger brother Alesana joined the following season. In 2004-5 season Tuilagi signed for 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....
. Unfortunately injury limited the number of times he was able to play for Cardiff and was released early In 2005-6 season Tuilagi played for Castres Olympique
Castres Olympique
Castres Olympique is a French rugby union club located in the Midi-Pyrénées city of Castres and currently competing in the top level of the French league system.Founded in 1898, the club took its current name in 1906...
in the French Top 14.
Post playing career
Since retiring from playing, Tuilagi has acted as an agent for several players - mainly Samoans playing abroad through his company Global Bro Sports. Tuilagi also had a spell playing American FootballAmerican football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
for the Leicester Falcons
Leicester Falcons
The Leicester Falcons are a British American football team based in Leicestershire, England. The Falcons play in Division 1 of the British American Football Association National Leagues.-History:...
during the 2008 and 2009 seasons.