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Maurie Fa'asavalu

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Maurie Fa'asavalu
Personal information
Born (1980-01-12) 12 January 1980 (age 44)
Samoa
Playing information
Height1.91 m (6 ft 3 in)
Weight112 kg (17 st 9 lb)[1]
Rugby union
PositionFlanker
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
Apia RU
2010–2014 Harlequins 85 5 0 0 25
2014- Oyonnax 24 1 0 0 5
Total 109 6 0 0 30
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
2002- Samoa 27 2 0 0 10
Rugby league
PositionProp
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
2003–10 St. Helens 164 39 0 0 156
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
2007 Great Britain 1 1 0 0 4
2008–09 England 3 1 0 0 4

Maurie Fa'asavalu is a Samoan rugby union player who formerly played rugby league for St Helens. He was picked for the Great Britain national rugby league team squad in 2007, after living in England for 4 years. He returned to rugby union in October 2010, having signed for Harlequins for the 2010/2011 season.[2] Then moved to France to play for Oyonnax.

Rugby union career

Fa'asavalu played for Samoa at the 2003 Rugby World Cup.

He was signed by the then St. Helens coach Ian Millward in the winter of 2003 after a series of outstanding performances playing at flanker for Samoa in the 2003 Rugby World Cup. On his return to rugby union, he also featured in the 2011 Rugby World Cup.

Harlequins have managed to lure the Great Britain national rugby league team and Samoan rugby union international back to the fifteen man game. "A player of Maurie's talent and ability will be a great asset to Quins," said Quins' Director of Rugby Conor O'Shea, "I have no doubt that he will be able to make an immediate impact on returning to union. He will bring experience and a new dimension to our options and is exactly the type of person we want at this club." He started for Harlequins in their 2011–12 Premiership final victory over Leicester Tigers.[3]

On 4 April 2014, Maurie signed for French side Oyonnax who compete in the Top 14 on a two-year contract.[4]

Rugby league career

Fa'asavalu made his debut on 13 March 2004 against Leeds Rhinos in a 24 – 14 victory at Knowsley Road. Fa'asavalu took some time to adjust to rugby league, but developed into an important part of the St. Helens squad in 2006. He was however used primarily as an impact player, starting most games from the interchange bench. Fas'asavalu was unlucky not to receive the Lance Todd Trophy for his performance in the 2006 Challenge Cup final victory, where he scored a try in the 2006 and his performance against Huddersfield Giants earned widespread praise. St. Helens fans were treated to Fa'asavalu's victory dance in both the 2006 Challenge Cup Final and the Grand Final for 2006's Super League XI. His block busting runs and inimitable try celebrations saw him develop a real following on the terraces at Knowsley Road. In total he scored 10 tries in 28 games during the 2006 season. St Helens reached the 2006 Super League Grand final to be contested against Hull FC and Fa'asavalu played from the interchange bench in Saints' 26-4 victory. This was followed by 9 tries in 30 games in the 2007 season. He played in 2007's Super League XIII Grand Final, 2008's Super League XIII Grand Final and 2009's Super League XIV Grand Final defeats all against the Leeds Rhinos.[5] On 27 October 2007, Fa'asavalu scored on his debut for Great Britain against New Zealand in Huddersfield, helping the British team to a 20–14 victory. Five minutes after he came on as a substitute in the 18th minute, Fa'asavalu used his great stature to break through 3 New Zealand players to score the try.

Fa'asavalu was selected for the England squad to compete in the 2008 Rugby League World Cup tournament in Australia.[6] Group A's first match against Papua New Guinea he played from the interchange bench in England's victory. He played 3 games for the England team in the World Cup, in the process breaking his hand in the defeat against Australia.

He missed a major part of the 2010 season after being injured. His last game for St. Helens was in the home win against Leeds Rhinos.

References

  1. ^ "Harlequins 1st XV". web page. Harlequins. 2011. Retrieved 13 June 2011.
  2. ^ "Quins lure international back to Union". planetrugby.com. 16 July 2010. Retrieved 16 July 2010.
  3. ^ "Harlequins 30-23 Leicester". BBC Sport. 26 May 2012. Retrieved 2 March 2016.
  4. ^ "Oyonnax sign Samoa back-row Maurie Fa'asavalu from Harlequins". Phoenix SM. 4 April 2014.
  5. ^ "2008 Grand Final". BBC. 4 October 2008. Retrieved 5 October 2008.
  6. ^ "Purdham earns World Cup call-up". BBC. 7 October 2008. Retrieved 7 October 2008.
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