Valentino Mapapalangi
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Born | 18 July 1993 | ||
| Height | 1.94 m (6 ft 4 in) | ||
| Weight | 112 kg (17 st 9 lb) | ||
| School(s) attended |
Liston College Sacred Heart College, Auckland | ||
| Club information | |||
| Playing position | Lock / Loose Forward | ||
| Current club | Manawatu | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Pts)† |
| 2015– | Manawatu | 16 | (15) |
| Representative team(s)‡ | |||
| 2016− | Tonga | 3 | (0) |
|
* Senior club appearances and points correct as of 19 November 2016. | |||
Valentino Mapapalangi (born 18 July 1993) is a Tongan international rugby union player who currently plays as a lock or loose forward for Manawatu in New Zealand's domestic Mitre 10 Cup.[1][2]
Early Career
Mapapalangi was educated in Auckland, initially at Liston College before attending Sacred Heart College in his final year. After graduating from high school, he spent 2 seasons in the Auckland youth structures and then unable to make further headway he headed south to Waikato looking for further opportunity. 2 seasons spent in Waikato failed to bring him the breakthrough he was looking for and he headed to Manawatu in 2015.[3]
Senior Career
After spending time with the Chiefs development squad in the early part of the year, Mapapalangi made the Manawatu squad ahead of the 2015 ITM Cup season and scored 3 tries in 9 appearances during the campaign. His performances attracted the attention of Super Rugby franchise, the Hurricanes who invited him to train with their wider training group during the 2016 Super Rugby pre-season.[4]
The 2016 Mitre 10 Cup was less successful for both Mapapalangi and his side. The Turbos finished 5th in the Championship table while he made 7 appearances of which only 2 came from the start.[5]
International
Mapapalangi was called up to the Tonga squad ahead of the 2016 end-of-year rugby union internationals and earned his first cap as a second half replacement in a 28-13 win over Spain on 12 November 2016.[1][6]
References
- 1 2 "Valentino Mapapalangi ESPN Scrum Player Profile". ESPN Scrum. Retrieved 19 November 2016.
- ↑ "Valentino Mapapalangi Manwatu Turbos Player Profile". Turbos Rugby. Retrieved 19 November 2016.
- ↑ "Valentino Mapapalangi finds a home with Manawatu Turbos". Rugby Heaven. 19 September 2015. Retrieved 19 November 2016.
- ↑ "Valentino Mapapalangi shifting focus to lock to being imposing No 8". Manawatu Standard. 31 March 2016. Retrieved 19 November 2016.
- ↑ "Valentino Mapapalangi itsrugby Player Statistics". it's rugby. Retrieved 19 November 2016.
- ↑ "Sport: Tonga make mass changes for November rugby tour". Radio NZ. 7 October 2016. Retrieved 19 November 2016.