Francis Meli

Francis Meli
Meli playing for Samoa in 2008
Personal information
Born (1979-04-27) 27 April 1979
Apia, Samoa
Playing information
Height 188 cm (6 ft 2 in)
Weight 100 kg (15 st 10 lb) [1]
Position Wing, Centre
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1998–05 Auckland Warriors 110 60 0 0 240
2006–13 St. Helens 223 145 0 0 580
2014 Salford Red Devils 19 14 0 0 56
Total 352 219 0 0 876
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
2000–10 Samoa 7 2 0 0 8
2001–04 New Zealand 14 6 0 0 24
2011–12 Exiles 3 4 0 0 16
Source: [2]

Francis Meli (born 27 April 1979) is a Samoan former professional rugby league footballer of the 1990s, 2000s and 2010s. A Samoa and New Zealand international representative centre or winger, he played in the National Rugby League for New Zealand club, Auckland Warriors before playing in Super League for English clubs, St. Helens and Salford.

Background

Born in Apia, Samoa on 27 April 1979, Meli grew up in the Auckland suburb of Titirangi,[3] Meli began his rugby league career at the age of 9 when he joined the Avondale Wolves.[4] He eventually joined City Marist and played for the Marist Saints in the Auckland Rugby League.

Playing career

National Rugby League

Meli was then signed by the Auckland Warriors and made his NRL 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.[5]

Meli played for Samoa in the 2000 World Cup.[6] In 2001 he then switched allegiance to New Zealand, playing in 14 test matches between 2001 and 2004. He played for the Warriors on the wing in their 2002 NRL Grand Final loss to the Sydney Roosters. In the post-season Meli was selected to go on the 2002 New Zealand rugby league tour of Great Britain and France. He was played on the wing in five test matches and scored 4 tries.

Meli scored a club record 23 tries for the Warriors 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 played his 50th match for the club on 6 April 2003 and his 100th match against the Wests Tigers on 9 April 2005.[7][8] He was named the 2003 New Zealand Warriors’ Player of the Year.

Meli was selected to play on the wing for New Zealand in the 2004 Anzac Test against Australia in Newcastle, New South Wales, the Kiwis losing to the Kangaroos 10-37. At the end of the season he was also selected to play for New Zealand on the wing in all four of their matches at the 2004 Rugby League Tri-Nations.

Super League

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

At the start of 2006 Meli joined St. Helens. He played for St Helens on the wing in their 2006 Challenge Cup Final victory against the Huddersfield Giants. St Helens reached the 2006 Super League Grand final to be contested against Hull FC and Meli played on the wing, scoring a try in Saints' 26-4 victory. As 2006 Super League champions, St Helens faced 2006 NRL Premiers the Brisbane Broncos in the 2007 World Club Challenge. Meli played on the wing in the Saints' 18-14 victory.

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 2008's Super League XIII Grand Final defeat to the Leeds Rhinos.[9]

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.[10] He arrived back in the country five rounds late and was forced to start his season in the reserves.[11]

At the start of 2010 Meli was granted compassionate leave to briefly return to New Zealand.[12][13]

In 2008 Meli played for Samoa in the World Cup.[14][15]

Meli was named in the Samoan squad for the 2009 Pacific Cup.[16]

Meli was selected to play for the Exiles by coach Brian McLennan. He started the game on the wing against England and scored a try in the 16-12 Exiles win.

Francis was selected again to represent the Exiles by new coach Daniel Anderson, Meli started Game 1 on the wing and scored a try in the 18-10 loss to England. Meli also featured on the wing for Game 2 and was instrumental in helping the Exiles to a 32-20 win by scoring 2 tries and helping the Exiles retain the International Origin trophy.

Meli played for Super League side Salford Red Devils (formerly the Salford City Reds) for the 2014 season after signing a one-year contract at the club. Meli retired at the conclusion of the 2014 season after failing to be offered a new contract.[17]

References

  1. ↑ "Meet the Teams First Team Players". web page. Saints RFC. 2011. Retrieved 11 June 2011.
  2. ↑ Francis Meli rugbyleagueproject.org
  3. ↑ Meli gets ready to sock it to them Western Leader, 13 March 2003
  4. ↑ "Warriors profile: Francis Meli". One Sport. 14 April 2005. Retrieved 30 September 2011.
  5. ↑ Richard Becht Backs To The Future Scoop Sport, 16 March 2000
  6. ↑ Shawn Dollin, Andrew Ferguson and Bill Bates. "Samoa vs. New Zealand Maori". Rugby League Project. Retrieved 9 February 2012.
  7. ↑ Francis Meli will play his 50th NRL match for the Warriors Western Leader, 4 April 2003
  8. ↑ Warrior makes it to 100 Western Leader, 27 May 2005. p.1.
  9. ↑ "2008 Grand Final". BBC. 2008-10-04. Retrieved 2008-10-05.
  10. ↑ Brad Walter and Maria Tsialis Held up: Australian players in limbo after changes to processing of visa applications Sydney Morning Herald, 6 February 2009
  11. ↑ 'Awesome' Samoan Saint Meli returns - but faces a battle to get back into Potter's side Mail, 19 March 2009
  12. ↑ Francis Meli returns home as St Helens impress in testimonial The Guardian, 22 January 2010
  13. ↑ Saints Clear Meli to Head Home sportinglife.com
  14. ↑ "Samoa name World Cup Squad". League Unlimited. 2008-08-05. Retrieved 2008-08-06.
  15. ↑ "Samoa, Tonga and Fiji name squads". BBC. 2008-10-08. Retrieved 2008-10-09.
  16. ↑ Poching names strong Samoan squad therhinos.co.uk, 6 October 2009
  17. ↑ http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/meli-wont-offered-new-salford-7649451

External links

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