Sekope Kepu
Sekope Kepu playing for Australia "A" | |||
Full name | Sekope Miami Kepu[1] | ||
---|---|---|---|
Date of birth | 5 February 1986 | ||
Place of birth | Sydney, New South Wales, Australia | ||
Height | 188 cm (6 ft 2 in)[2] | ||
Weight | 125 kg (276 lb; 19 st 10 lb)[3] | ||
Rugby union career | |||
Current status | |||
Current team | Union Bordeaux Bègles | ||
Playing career | |||
Position | Tighthead Prop | ||
Professional / senior clubs | |||
Years | Club / team | Caps | (points) |
2014 2015− |
NSW Country Eagles Bordeaux |
0 | (0) |
Provincial/State sides | |||
Years | Club / team | Caps | (points) |
2005–07 | Counties Manukau | 7 | (0) |
Super Rugby | |||
Years | Club / team | Caps | (points) |
2008– | NSW Waratahs | 97 | (10) |
Current local club | Randwick | ||
correct as of 28 June 2015. | |||
National team(s) | |||
Years | Club / team | Caps | (points) |
2008– 2008 2006 2004–05 2003 |
Wallabies Australia A New Zealand U21 New Zealand U19 New Zealand U17[4] |
63 | (10) |
correct as of 31 October 2015. |
Sekope Kepu is an Australian professional rugby union player. He is a prop for the NSW Waratahs in the Super Rugby competition, making his debut in 2008.[2][5] He also plays for the Wallabies in international matches.
Early life
Kepu was born in Sydney, Australia to Tongan parents, but his family relocated to Auckland while he was still a youngster. He began playing rugby with Tamaki Rugby Football Club Under 7s and attended school in the suburb of Glen Innes in Auckland.[6]
Kepu captained the Wesley College first XV from the number eight position in 2004, before switching to the front row with the New Zealand under-19s in 2005.[7] He represented New Zealand at under 17, 19 and 21 levels.[5]
Rugby Union Career
Between 2005 and 2007, Kepu was a member of the wider training group for the Chiefs, and was a stand out player for Counties Manukau in the Air New Zealand Cup in 2006. A broken collarbone ruined his 2007 season and saw him end the year without a Super 14 contract.[citation needed]
Kepu moved to back Sydney at the age of 21 to play for the NSW Waratahs. He made his Super Rugby debut on 1 March 2008 against the Highlanders in Dunedin, playing as the starting loosehead after Wallabies prop Al Baxter was ruled out due to a head knock.[5]
In June 2008, Kepu played for Australia A in the 2008 Pacific Nations Cup.[8] He was selected for the Wallabies on the 2008 and 2009 Spring tours, and made his test debut for Australia on 8 November 2008, against Italy at Padova. He gained two more tests caps from the bench on those tours but then had to bide his time for more than a year before making another test appearance.[1]
2011
Kepu had a strong season at the Waratahs in 2011 with 13 Super Rugby appearances, including 12 starts.[9]
In the 2011 Tri Nations Series, Kepu became the first choice loosehead prop for the Wallabies after Benn Robinson was ruled out of the entire campaign due to a knee injury. He started in all four tests and cemented his position. Australia won the 2011 Tri Nations cup.
Kepu was a key player for Australia at the 2011 Rugby World Cup, starting in six out of seven matches that the Wallabies played in the tournament.[1]
In March 2013, he re-signed with Australian Rugby to committed to the Wallabies and Waratahs for a further two years.[10]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ http://www.rugby.com.au/wallabies/TheTeam/WallabiesProfiles/ProfilePage/tabid/1513/playerid/81/Default.aspx
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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- Use dmy dates from March 2013
- Use Australian English from March 2013
- All Wikipedia articles written in Australian English
- Articles with unsourced statements from April 2012
- 1986 births
- Australian rugby union players
- Australian people of Tongan descent
- Australia international rugby union players
- New Zealand rugby union players
- New South Wales Waratahs players
- Counties Manukau Steelers players
- Rugby union props
- Australian emigrants to New Zealand
- Rugby union footballers from Sydney
- Living people
- Super Rugby players
- Union Bordeaux Bègles players
- Australian expatriate rugby union players
- Australian expatriates in France
- Expatriate rugby union players in France