Inoke Afeaki
Encyclopedia
Inoke Afeaki is a Tonga
n rugby union
footballer. His usual position is at lock.
, the Hurricanes
in the international Super 14
competition, Secom
and Ricoh
in Japan before joining the Scarlets in Wales. He represented Grenoble
in the French Pro D2. He signs for Saint Etienne in 2009. He captained Tonga
at the 2003 Rugby World Cup
.
In 1986-90, he attended St Bernard's College in Wellington, in 1991 and 1992 he played for the Wellington under 19 and 21 teams respectively. He played for Petone from 1992 through to 1999, and the Wellington Lions from 1993–96 and again from 1999-01. He made his Super 12 debut for the Hurricanes in 1996, in the first season, and played with them from 1999 to 2001, as he played in Japan from 1997-98. After returning to Wellington in 1999, he went back to Japan in 2002 and played their until 2005.
, coming on as a replacement in Pretoria
during the 1995 Rugby World Cup
. He also played in two other matches during the tournament, in the starting line-up, against Scotland
and the Ivory Coast.
He next played for Tonga in November 2001 when he started against Scotland at Murrayfield
. He captained them in their next match against Wales
, in which he scored a try
. He retained the captaincy for the following season and played four matches for Tonga in 2002. Following captaining them in a number of internationals in 2003, he then led Tonga at the 2003 Rugby World Cup
in Australia. In 2004 he was the captain of the Pacific Islanders rugby union team
that played a series of matches against southern nations.
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
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 usual position is at lock.
Career
Afeaki has played for the Wellington Lions in the National Provincial ChampionshipAir New Zealand Cup
The ITM Cup is New Zealand's annual professional domestic Rugby union competition, taking place from late July through October . It was founded in 2006 with 14 teams, after the National Provincial Championship was split into two separate competitions. The other 12 provincial teams from the NPC...
, the Hurricanes
Hurricanes (Super rugby franchise)
The Hurricanes are a New Zealand professional Rugby union team based in Wellington that competes in the Super Rugby competition...
in the international Super 14
Super 14
Super Rugby is the largest and pre-eminent professional Rugby union competition in the Southern Hemisphere...
competition, Secom
Secom Rugguts
Secom Rugguts is a Japanese rugby union team which was in the Top League for the first season of the league but was demoted at the end of the season...
and Ricoh
Ricoh Black Rams
Ricoh Black Rams is a Japanese rugby union team in the Top League. Placed 10th in the 2004-5 season which meant it had to win a play-off against one of the top regional teams to stay in the league, as it did.Slogan for 2006 season: TAFU...
in Japan before joining the Scarlets in Wales. He represented Grenoble
FC Grenoble
Football Club de Grenoble Alpes Rugby is a French rugby union club which, until recently, competed in the top level of the French league system. They play at Stade Lesdiguières . They wear red and blue.-History:...
in the French Pro D2. He signs for Saint Etienne in 2009. He captained 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...
at the 2003 Rugby World Cup
2003 Rugby World Cup
The 2003 Rugby World Cup was the fifth Rugby World Cup and was won by England. Originally planned to be co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand, all games were shifted to Australia following a contractual dispute over ground signage rights between the New Zealand Rugby Football Union and Rugby World...
.
In 1986-90, he attended St Bernard's College in Wellington, in 1991 and 1992 he played for the Wellington under 19 and 21 teams respectively. He played for Petone from 1992 through to 1999, and the Wellington Lions from 1993–96 and again from 1999-01. He made his Super 12 debut for the Hurricanes in 1996, in the first season, and played with them from 1999 to 2001, as he played in Japan from 1997-98. After returning to Wellington in 1999, he went back to Japan in 2002 and played their until 2005.
International career
He made his debut for Tonga on May 26, 1995 in a match against FranceFrance national rugby union team
The France national rugby union team represents France in rugby union. They compete annually against England, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales in the Six Nations Championship. They have won the championship outright sixteen times, shared it a further eight times, and have completed nine grand slams...
, coming on as a replacement in Pretoria
Pretoria
Pretoria is a city located in the northern part of Gauteng Province, South Africa. It is one of the country's three capital cities, serving as the executive and de facto national capital; the others are Cape Town, the legislative capital, and Bloemfontein, the judicial capital.Pretoria is...
during the 1995 Rugby World Cup
1995 Rugby World Cup
The 1995 Rugby World Cup was the third Rugby World Cup. It was hosted and won by South Africa, and was the first Rugby World Cup in which every match was held in one country....
. He also played in two other matches during the tournament, in the starting line-up, against Scotland
Scotland national rugby union team
The Scotland national rugby union team represent Scotland in international rugby union. Rugby union in Scotland is administered by the Scottish Rugby Union. The Scotland rugby union team is currently ranked eighth in the IRB World Rankings as of 19 September 2011...
and the Ivory Coast.
He next played for Tonga in November 2001 when he started against Scotland at Murrayfield
Murrayfield Stadium
Murrayfield Stadium is a sports stadium located in the west end of Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. Its all-seater capacity was recently reduced from 67,800 to 67,130 to incorporate the largest permanent "big screen" in the country though it still remains the largest stadium in Scotland and one...
. He captained them in their next match against 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...
, in which he scored a try
Try
A try is the major way of scoring points in rugby league and rugby union football. A try is scored by grounding the ball in the opposition's in-goal area...
. He retained the captaincy for the following season and played four matches for Tonga in 2002. Following captaining them in a number of internationals in 2003, he then led Tonga at the 2003 Rugby World Cup
2003 Rugby World Cup
The 2003 Rugby World Cup was the fifth Rugby World Cup and was won by England. Originally planned to be co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand, all games were shifted to Australia following a contractual dispute over ground signage rights between the New Zealand Rugby Football Union and Rugby World...
in Australia. In 2004 he was the captain of 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...
that played a series of matches against southern nations.
External links
- http://www.leprogres.fr/fr/permalien/article/1736624/Afeaki-a-Saint-Etienne.html
- Inoke Afeaki on teivovo.com
- Inoke Afeaki on http://weloverugby.blogspot.com