Semesa Rokoduguni

Semesa Rokoduguni

Date of birth	(1987-08-28) 28 August 1987
Place of birth	Nausori, Fiji
Height	1.84 m (6 ft 0 in)
Weight	98 kg (15 st 6 lb)[1]
Rugby union career
Playing career
Position	Centre, Wing
Amateur clubs
Years	Club / team
2011–	British Army
Professional / senior clubs
Years	Club / team	Caps	(points)
2012-	Bath	56	(110)
correct as of 24 April 2015.
National team(s)
Years	Club / team	Caps	(points)
2014–	England	1	(0)
correct as of 8 November 2014.

Lance corporal Semesa Rokoduguni (born 28 August 1987) is a Fijian-born English rugby union player currently playing for English club Bath, and soldier in the British Army, having served in Afghanistan.^[2]

Career

Lytchett Minster RFC

Roko joined LMRFC in Feb 2008 while training with Army at Bovington camp. Roko played for LMRFC for just over a season playing in the centre where he scored many tries and helped the club gain promotion to Hampshire 1

Army RU

Rokoduguni has represented the Army Rugby Union XV, and German Rugby-Bundesliga team DRC Hannover. He represented the army twice in the 2011-2012 season, scoring four tries against the RAF and three against the Navy.

He has also represented the Army Sevens team in the Middlesex Sevens and the International Defence Sevens, the latter of which was won by the Army.

Bath Rugby

In October 2012, it was announced that Rokoduguni had been signed on a senior contract with Bath after impressing for their second side, Bath United.^[3]

Rokoduguni made his debut for the Bath senior team on 10 November 2012, in their LV= Cup match against Newport Gwent Dragons. He scored a try after just 9 minutes, and finished the game with two tries.^[4]

International career

In January 2014, he was included in a 25-member England Saxons squad to prepare for the upcoming match against the Irish Wolfhounds.^[5]

On 8 November 2014, Rokoduguni made his Test debut for England, losing to New Zealand 21-24 as part of the 2014 Autumn Internationals.^[6] He was the first serving British soldier to play for England since Tim Rodber in 1999.^[7] He was recently called up into the England Rugby World Cup Squad, after David Strettle completed his move to French-based side Clermont.

Personal life

Rokoduguni is a reconnaissance tank soldier of the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards in the British Army. He joined the Army in 2007^[8] and was deployed to Afghanistan as part of Operation Herrick in 2011 where he was attached to 4th Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Scotland (4SCOTS).

His great-great-grandfather, great-grandfather and father all served in the military.

References