Semi Taupeaafe

Semi Taupeaafe

Date of birth	(1972-07-29) 29 July 1972 (age 52)
Place of birth	Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Height	5 ft 10 in (178 cm)
Weight	210 lb (95 kg)
Rugby union career
Position(s) Wing, Centre Senior career Years Team Apps (Points) 1991-1993 1993-1998 1998-200? 200?-present Manly RUFC NSW Waratahs Sanyo Tokyo Gas (105) International career Years Team Apps (Points) 1991-2001 Tonga 15 (0)

Samuela H. S. "Semi" Taupeaafe (born in Nuku'alofa, on 29 July 1972）is a Tongan former rugby union player. He played as wing and centre.

Career

He represented Tonga in rugby union, Australia in rugby sevens, and Japan at the COBRA Rugby Tens, He is one of the rare players to play for three national teams. At the 1995 COBRA Rugby Tens, he led Japan to the final, lost against the Māori All Blacks. In 2005, Taupeaafe was part of the Ikale Tahi management team, along with Sione Petelo, Tevita Vaʻenuku and Nafe Tufui.^[1]

Club career

At club level, Taupeaafe played for the NSW Waratahs,^[2] then for Sanyo^[3][4] and later for Tokyo Gas Rugby Club.^[5]

International career

At international level, he debuted for Tonga on 11 June 1991, during the test match against Fiji, in Suva. Although not taking part at the 1995 Rugby World Cup, he would be called up later for the 1999 Rugby World Cup Tonga squad. At the tournament, he played 3 matches. His last cap was against Samoa, on 29 June 2001, in Nuku'alofa.^[6] He also represented Australia for the 1993 Rugby World Cup Sevens.^[7]

References

1. Ikale Tahi management learn new skills Matangi Tonga
2. "Semi Taupeaafe | New Zealand Rugby History". www.rugbyhistory.co.nz. Retrieved 2020-12-02.
3. "Foreign Players in Japan". groups.google.com. Retrieved 2020-12-02.
4. "The Sydney Morning Herald from Sydney, New South Wales, Australia on February 16, 1994 · Page 58". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2020-12-02.
5. "Tokyo Gas". Japan Rugby Football Union. Retrieved 2020-12-02.
6. "Semi H.S. Taupeaafe". ESPN scrum. Retrieved 2020-12-02.
7. "Atlantis at Japan Sevens 1996". www.emilito.org. Retrieved 2020-12-02.

External links

• Semi Taupeaafe international statistics at ESPN Scrum
• Semi Taupeaafe profile at New Zealand Rugby History