Francis Meli

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Francis Meli
FRANCIS MELI.jpg
Meli playing for Samoa
Personal information
Born 27 April 1979 (1979-04-27) (age 32)
Apia, Samoa
Height 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)
Weight 100 kg (15 st 10 lb) [1]
Playing information
Position Wing
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1998–05 Auckland Warriors 119 60 0 0 240
2006– St. Helens 141 94 0 0 376
Total 260 154 0 0 616
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
2000–2010 Samoa 6 2 0 0 8
2001–2004 New Zealand 14 6 0 0 24
2011 Exiles 1 1 0 0 4
As of 1 November 2008
Source: RLP

Francis Meli (born 27 April 1979 in Apia, Samoa) is a professional rugby league player who currently plays for St. Helens in the Super League competition. Meli has represented both New Zealand and Samoa in internationals. His usual position is on the wing.

Contents

[edit] Early years

From Titirangi,[2] Meli began his rugby league career at the age of 9 when he joined the Avondale Wolves.[3] He eventually joined City Marist and played for the Marist Saints in the Auckland Rugby League.

[edit] Playing career

[edit] Auckland Warriors

Meli was then signed by the Auckland Warriors and made his first grade debut against the South Sydney Rabbitohs on 2 May 1999. Due to a feeder arrangement with the Warriors, Meli also played several games for Brisbane Souths in the Queensland Cup.[4]

Meli scored a New Zealand Warriors' record 23 tries in the 2003 NRL season. He scored 5 of those tries in a single finals game against the Canterbury Bulldogs, a feat still unbeaten in the finals. He was named the 2003 New Zealand Warriors’ Player of the Year. He played his 50th match for the club on 6 April 2003 and his 100th match against the Wests Tigers on 9 April 2005.[5][6]

Meli warming up for St. Helens in the 2006 Super League Grand Final against Hull at Old Trafford

[edit] St Helens

At the start of 2006 Meli joined St. Helens. In his first three years at the club he acquired three Challenge Cup winning medals, a World Club Challenge winning medal and a Grand Final winning ring. He also played in the 2008 Super League Grand Final defeat to the Leeds Rhinos.[7]

Visa issues due to the United Kingdoms new requirements curtailed the start of his 2009 campaign, however these issues were suffered by many imports that season.[8] He arrived back in the country five rounds late and was forced to start his season in the reserves.[9]

At the start of 2010 Meli was granted compassionate leave to briefly return to New Zealand.[10][11]

[edit] Representative career

Meli represented Samoa in the 2000 World Cup.

In 2001 he then switched allegiance to New Zealand, playing in 14 test matches between 2001 and 2004.

In 2008 Meli played for Samoa in the World Cup.[12][13]

Meli was named in the Samoan squad for the 2009 Pacific Cup.[14]

[edit] References

  1. ^ "Meet the Teams First Team Players". web page. Saints RFC. 2011. http://www.saintsrlfc.com/team/73. Retrieved 11 June 2011. 
  2. ^ Meli gets ready to sock it to them Western Leader, 13 March 2003
  3. ^ "Warriors profile: Francis Meli". One Sport. 14 April 2005. http://tvnz.co.nz/content/501061. Retrieved 30 September 2011. 
  4. ^ Richard Becht Backs To The Future Scoop Sport, 16 March 2000
  5. ^ Francis Meli will play his 50th NRL match for the Warriors Western Leader, 4 April 2003
  6. ^ Warrior makes it to 100 Western Leader, 27 May 2005. p.1.
  7. ^ "2008 Grand Final". BBC. 2008-10-04. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_league/7642170.stm. Retrieved 2008-10-05. 
  8. ^ Brad Walter and Maria Tsialis Held up: Australian players in limbo after changes to processing of visa applications Sydney Morning Herald, 6 February 2009
  9. ^ 'Awesome' Samoan Saint Meli returns - but faces a battle to get back into Potter's side Mail, 19 March 2009
  10. ^ Francis Meli returns home as St Helens impress in testimonial The Guardian, 22 January 2010
  11. ^ Saints Clear Meli to Head Home sportinglife.com
  12. ^ "Samoa name World Cup Squad". League Unlimited. 2008-08-05. http://www.leagueunlimited.com/article.php?newsid=16750. Retrieved 2008-08-06. 
  13. ^ "Samoa, Tonga and Fiji name squads". BBC. 2008-10-08. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_league/7658506.stm. Retrieved 2008-10-09. 
  14. ^ Poching names strong Samoan squad therhinos.co.uk, 6 October 2009

[edit] External links

St Helens RLFC – current squad
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