Apollo Perelini

Apollo Perelini

Personal information
Full name	Apollo Perelini
Date of birth	(1969-07-16) 16 July 1969
Height	6 ft 2 ins (1.88 m)
Weight	16 st 10 lb (106 kg)
Relatives	Tim Cahill
Senior clubs*
Years Club Apps (points) 1994 ‐ 00 2000 ‐ 02 North Harbour RU St Helens Sale Sharks 193 (176) 163,Sub 30
Representative teams
1991-1993 Samoa RU Samoa RL 9 (0)
* Professional club appearances and points counted for domestic first grade only.

Apollo Perelini (born 16 July 1969 in Auckland, New Zealand) is a former Samoa dual code rugby international player. He is a New Zealand national.

Perelini played for St. Helens in the Championship and the Super League. He also played for Sale Sharks in the Zurich Championship and North Harbour in New Zealand. Perelini played both prop and second row in league, but just as a back row player in union.

He was named 'Apollo 11' because he was born on the day that the Apollo space project was launched.

In the 1991 Rugby Union World Cup he played as an open side flanker, in the Samoans' four games (against Scotland, Wales, Argentina and Australia). During the World Cup he gained the nickname of "Terminator" for his fierce, hard-hitting tackling technique. In 1994 he received an approach from St Helens to play rugby league in England. At first he rejected it, but finally agreed. In 1995 he played for rugby league for Samoa in the Rugby League World Cup, making him the first Samoan to play in World Cups in both codes.

Perelini played for St Helens at prop forward in the 1996 Challenge Cup Final, scoring a try in the final minutes and helping his team to a 40-32 victory over Bradford Bulls. At the end of Super League's first season, Perelini was named at prop forward in the 1996 Super League Dream Team.

Apollo Perelini played Left-Prop, i.e. number 8, in St. Helens' 16-25 defeat by Wigan in the 1995–96 Regal Trophy final during the 1995–96 at Alfred McAlpine Stadium, Huddersfield on Saturday 13 January 1996.

Perelini played for St Helens RLFC at prop forward in their 1999 Super League Grand Final victory over Bradford Bulls, having won this they contested in the 2000 World Club Challenge against National Rugby League Premiers the Melbourne Storm, with Perelini playing from the interchange bench in the loss. He also played for St Helens at prop forward in their 2000 Super League Grand Final victory over Wigan Warriors.

At age 33, after finishing his rugby league playing career, he returned to Rugby Union's Sale Sharks as a player. After retiring from playing he joined the Sale's Coaching staff. In 2004 he returned to St Helens as the team's Head of Strength and Conditioning and Skills coach. Apollo helped St Helens to 4 Challenge Cup titles 2004, 2006, 2007 and 2008. 4 League Leaders titles 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008. 1 World Club Championship 2007. 1 Grand Final Winners 2006, and also picking up the prestigious BBC sports Team Of The Year in 2006.

He now lives in Dubai and is the Director of Sport at Repton School Dubai a private school and Wayne McDonald is keen to get him involved with rugby league in the United Arab Emirates. He currently runs two sporting Academies - Apollo Perelini Rugby Skills Academy (www.aprsa.com) and JETS (a female football academy), at an increasing number of venues around the emirate.

External links

• Saints Heritage Society profile