Salesi Ma'afu

Salesi Ma'afu
Full name Salesi L. Ma'afu
Date of birth 22 March 1983
Place of birth Sydney, Australia
Height 1.84 m (6 ft 1⁄2 in)
Weight 118 kg (18 st 8 lb)
School Granville and Ashfield Boys’ High Schools[1]
Notable relative(s) Campese Ma'afu (brother)
Rugby union career
Playing career
Position Tighthead prop
Amateur clubs
Years Club / team
2006–08
2009–11
2011–		 Warringah
West Harbour
Joonadalup Brothers
Professional / senior clubs
Years Club / team Caps (points)
2013– Northampton Saints 42 (5)
correct as of 26 December 2014.
Super Rugby
Years Club / team Caps (points)
2007–11
2012–13		 Brumbies
Western Force		 52
23		 (20)
(0)
correct as of 15 July 2013.
National team(s)
Years Club / team Caps (points)
2010-
2007–08		 Australia
Australia A		 14 (5)

Salesi Ma'afu, (born 22 March 1983 in Camperdown, Sydney, New South Wales) is an Australian professional Rugby union footballer. Ma'afu was selected to the Qantas Wallabies squad in 2009 and again in 2011 after having appeared for Australia A in 2007 and 2008. His younger brother, Campese Ma'afu plays for Fiji.

Early Life and Club Career

Ma'afu was educated at Granville and Ashfield Boys’ High Schools in Sydney and played rugby league as a youngster in the Balmain district before starting up with rugby, aged 11. Ma'afu first made his mark at representative level in the NSW Under-19 side in 2001 and 2002, later featuring in the Waratahs Academy through 2004 and 2005.

He signed with the ACT Brumbies 2006 and made his Super Rugby debut in 2007.[2] Ma'afu made the Australia A squad the same year, ending his year with a late-season appearance for the British Barbarians club during its 22-5 win over the new Rugby World Cup holders, South Africa. In the NSW club competition, after spending two years with Warringah, in 2009 Ma'afu returned to West Harbour, where he played alongside his brother Campese.[1]

In 2011, Ma'afu signed to join the Perth based Western Force, to commence 2012. He also is the club ambassador for local club, Joondalup Brothers RUFC, for whom himself and his children played. [3]

Before the commencement of the 2013 Super Rugby season Ma'afu signed with the English Premiership side Northampton Saints ahead of the 2013/2014 season.[4] Ma'afu became a regular in the side, helping them to victory in both the Premiership and the European Challenge Cup

International career

Ma'afu's first test cap was in 2010 against Fiji, where he had the unusual challenge of marking his brother, who was also playing on debut. The pair became just the fourth set of brothers to oppose each other in Tests, and the first to achieve this feat when both were on debut.[5] Subsequent tests in 2010 against England, Ireland, and South Africa completed a strong year for the prop.

In 2011 Ma'afu was selected in the Wallabies squad for the Rugby World Cup, in New Zealand.[1][6]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "Player profile: Salesi Ma'afu". Wallabies. Australian Rugby Union. 2011. Retrieved 2 October 2011.
  2. ↑ Harris, Bret (2 October 2009). "Salesi Ma'afu commits to the Brumbies, aims for Wallabies spot". Australian. Retrieved 2 October 2011.
  3. ↑ "Force sign up Brumbies prop Ma'afu". ABC Perth. Australia. AAP. 18 May 2011. Retrieved 2 October 2011.
  4. ↑ Bazeley, Marc (4 February 2013). "Northampton Saints sign Salesi Ma'afu". Northampton News. UK. AAP. Retrieved 5 February 2013.
  5. ↑ Growden, Greg (2 June 2010). "Test first as prop brothers square off". Age. Australia: Fairfax. Retrieved 2 October 2011.
  6. ↑ Growden, Greg (11 August 2011). "Ma'afu bolts into Test reckoning as Deans stiffens up pack for Boks". Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax. Retrieved 2 October 2011.

External links