Sione Lauaki

Sione Lauaki

Full name	Sione Tuitupu Lauaki[1]
Date of birth	22 June 1981[1]
Place of birth	Haʻapai, Tonga[1]
Height	1.94 m (6 ft 4 ^1⁄2 in)[1]
Weight	115 kg (18.1 st)[1]
Notable relative(s)	Epalahame Lauaki
Occupation(s)	Professional Rugby Player
Rugby union career
Playing career
Position	Flanker, Number eight
New Zealand No.	1055
Professional / senior clubs
Years	Club / team	Caps	(points)
2011 – present 2010-2011	Bayonne Clermont
Provincial/State sides
Years	Club / team	Caps	(points)
2005– 2002–2004	Waikato Auckland	21 ?	(25) (?)
Super Rugby
Years	Club / team	Caps	(points)
2004–10	Chiefs	70	(70)
National team(s)
Years	Club / team	Caps	(points)
2005–2008 2004	New Zealand Pacific Islanders	17 3	(15) (15)

Sione Tuitupu Lauaki (born 22 June 1981 in Tonga) is a Tongan rugby union footballer who plays for Bayonne. He previously played for the New Zealand national team, the All Blacks. His brother, Epalahame Lauaki, is a 2nd row rugby league footballer previously playing for Hull in the Super League competition.

Early career

He attended Waitakere College in Auckland where he made the first XV in 1998. He later moved to Kelston Boys High School, where he also played in the first XV. He played his club rugby for Waitemata Rugby Football and Sports 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.

Professional career

Pacific Islanders

While playing for the combined Pacific Islanders 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.

All Blacks

He has played loose forward for the All Blacks, with whom he made his debut in 2005 against Fiji. His final match for New Zealand was in 2008 against Samoa. During his time with the All Blacks he was capped 17 times and scored three tries.

Super 14

In Super Rugby he played for the Chiefs. He racked up 70 caps for the team, having scored 14 tries during his Super Rugby career. Lauaki went on to play for ASM Clermont Auvergne at the start of the 2010-11 Top 14 season. He has since moved to Aviron Bayonnais. In February 2012 during routine tests, Lauaki was diagnosed with renal failure and cardiovascular problems. As a result, the club has signed him off for the rest of the season.^[2]

References

1. All Black player profile Allblacks.com, Retrieved 2012-07-31
2. Lauaki suffering heart and kidney problems NZ Herald, 19 February 2012, Retrieved 2012-07-31