Lolani Koko
Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Height | 191 cm (6 ft 3 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 100 kg (15 st 10 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Playing information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Rugby union | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Centre | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Rugby league | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Wing | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Lolani Koko is a Samoan former rugby football player who represented his country in rugby union; rugby league, including at the 1995 Rugby League World Cup; soccer; and at the 1982 Commonwealth Games.
Early years
Koko represented Samoa in the 4 x 100 metres relay team at the 1982 Commonwealth Games in Brisbane and also spent a year playing as a defensive lineman with the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League.[1] In 1995 Koko was the captain of the Western Samoan soccer team.[1]
Rugby union career
Koko played for the Samoa national rugby union team, making his debut in 1983. He moved the New Zealand in the early 1990s, playing for Wellington. He was invited to trial for the All Blacks but decided to stick with his native Samoa.[2] Koko scored 11 tries for Wellington in the 1992 NPC season.[3] He was named the Man of Honour at the 1993 Hong Kong Sevens.[1]
Koko also spent time with the Boroondara Rugby Club in Australia.[4]
Rugby league career
Koko switched to rugby league at the start of the 1995 season. Koko joined the Sydney City Roosters in the Australian Rugby League competition and led the Western Samoa team at the 1995 World Sevens Koko also had a stint with the Narrandera Lizards in Group 20 Rugby League.[1]
He was part of the Western Samoa squad at the 1995 World Cup.
Personal life
Koko's brother Kofe Koko also represented Samoa in rugby union and his nephew Ali Koko also represented both Samoa and Wellington in rugby union.[5]
References
- ^ a b c d Samoan's Ko-Kolossal pedigree Sydney Morning Herald, 3 February 1995
- ^ Fiji lose sevens' title to Samoans The Independent, 29 March 1993
- ^ Season-by-season Record - 1992 Wellington Rugby Football Union
- ^ Boroondara giving it a try Progress Leader, 13 July 2010
- ^ Season 2007/08 - Aliinu'u (Ali) Koko - Wing Cornish Pirates
- Living people
- Samoan rugby league players
- Samoa national rugby league team players
- Samoan rugby union players
- Samoa national rugby union team
- Commonwealth Games competitors for Samoa
- Samoan footballers
- Samoa international footballers
- Athletes (track and field) at the 1982 Commonwealth Games
- BC Lions players
- Expatriate rugby union players in New Zealand
- Samoan expatriate rugby union players
- Samoan expatriates in New Zealand
- Samoan international rugby sevens players
- Samoan male sprinters