Nili Latu
![]() | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Birth name | 'Otenili Latu Langilangi | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Date of birth | February 19, 1982 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Place of birth | Afa, Tonga | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Height | 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Weight | 101 kg (15 st 13 lb; 223 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Notable relative(s) | Doug Howlett (cousin) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Nili Latu, playing name of Otenili Langilangi (born 19 February 1982 in Afa) is a Tongan rugby union footballer.He currently plays for the Newcastle Falcons in the Aviva Premiership. He joined Japanese club NEC Green Rockets in 2007 and made 63 appearances before moving to his new club Newcastle Falcons at the end of the 2015 season. He has also captained the Tonga national rugby side at international level and has appeared in 2 Rugby World Cup's. Nili has also played for the Pacific Islanders in the 2006 and 2008 tours.
Career
Latu started his rugby at Bay of Plenty in the Air New Zealand Cup. He made his debut for the Chiefs in 2005 in a match against the Sharks. He made his debut for Tonga on June 4, 2006 against Japan. He then played against Fiji, and in his third Test, skippered Tonga against the Junior All Blacks, and then against the Cook Islands. He was used as a replacement in the match against Samoa, and then captained the side against the second Test against the Cook Islands.
In late 2006 Latu was drafted into the Hurricanes squad as cover for All Black absentees Jerry Collins and Rodney So'oialo for the 2007 season. He played in the 2007 Rugby World Cup for Tonga where he was instrumental for their National Team. He also made a name for himself with his big tackles. In 2008 he was included in a list of the 50 best rugby players in the world by The Independent newspaper.[1]
References
- ^ "The 50 best rugby players in the world 2008". London: The Independent. 13 January 2009. Retrieved 27 May 2013.
External links
- 1982 births
- Bay of Plenty rugby union players
- Living people
- Pacific Islanders rugby union players
- NEC Green Rockets players
- Chiefs (rugby union) players
- Hurricanes (rugby union) players
- Rugby union flankers
- Tonga international rugby union players
- Tongan rugby union players
- Tongan expatriate rugby union players
- Expatriate rugby union players in New Zealand
- Tongan expatriates in New Zealand
- Expatriate rugby union players in Japan
- Tongan expatriates in Japan
- People from Tongatapu