| Date of birth | 5 May 1973 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Place of birth | Neiafu, Vava'u, Tonga | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 103 kg (16 st 3 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby league career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Salesi Finau (born 5 May 1973)[1] is a Tongan former rugby footballer. He represented Tonga in both the rugby league and rugby union sides.
Background
Rugby league career
Salesi began his career with the Canberra Raiders,[2] and played in the Tonga national rugby league team at the 1995 World Cup.[3] After impressing during the tournament he signed for Warrington Wolves in the Super League,[4]
Rugby union career
Club
In late 1998 Finau signed for Welsh rugby union side Llanelli Scarlets under coach Gareth Jenkins.[5] Finau made 203 appearances for the side over the next six-year, becoming an instrumental team player, playing in 3 European Cup semi-finals and 2 Celtic League Titles, before ending his contract by mutual consent in September 2005.[6] He then signed for Bath Rugby under John Connolly,[7] spending a season at the West Country club before moving to French side Bourgoin.[8] Finau had a successful season at Bourgoin, and on completion announced that he had signed a 2-year contract for Cornish Pirates.[9] However, in June 2007, the club announced that they had agreed to release Finau from the deal when a family illness obliged him to return to his native Tonga.[10]
Country
Finau received at least 13 caps for the Tongan national rugby union side,[1] and played in the Tongan rugby sevens side at the 2002 Commonwealth Games.[11]
TV career
Salesi currently presents a cooking show on Television Tonga called 'Salsa with Salesi'.[12]
References
- 1 2 "Salesi Finau". ESPNscrum. Retrieved 28 December 2020.
- ↑ Mike Parsons. "Tonga's Salesi Finau and Mateaki Mafi at Warrington Wolves". Warrington Guardian. Retrieved 8 October 2021.
- ↑ Hadfield, Dave (9 October 1995). "Tonga robbed by Ridge's late kicks". The Independent. London.
- ↑ Hadfield, Dave (28 November 1995). "Tongans head for Warrington". The Independent. London.
- ↑ Llewelyn, David (12 November 1998). "Rugby union: Springboks cite flanker White". The Independent. London.
- ↑ "Scarlets exit for homebound Finau". BBC News. 5 September 2005.
- ↑ "Bath sign up Scarlets wing Finau". BBC News. 8 September 2005.
- ↑ "Bourgoin: Présentation des recrues" (in French). Rugby365.fr. 18 July 2006.
- ↑ "Pirates sign ex-Bath player Finau". BBC News. 19 April 2007.
- ↑ "Pirates release Finau from deal on family grounds". Exeter Express and Echo. 28 June 2007.
- ↑ "Statistics: rugby sevens". BBC.
- ↑ "Tonga Broadcasting TV Programs".