So'otala Fa'aso'o
You can help expand this article with text translated from the corresponding article in French. (October 2021) Click [show] for important translation instructions.
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Date of birth | 2 October 1994 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Place of birth | Auckland, New Zealand | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Height | 1.95 m (6 ft 5 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Weight | 130 kg (287 lb; 20 st 7 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
School | St. Kentigern College Papatoetoe High School | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
University | University of Auckland | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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So'otala Fa'aso'o (born 2 October 1994) is a professional rugby union player who plays as a number eight for Top 14 club Perpignan. Born in New Zealand, he represents Samoa at international level after qualifying on ancestry grounds.[1][2][3][4]
Early life
[edit]So'otala was born in Auckland and grew up in the Papatoetoe district of the city. He attended the prestigious St. Kentigern College on a rugby scholarship program which captured the attention of the Blues Rugby Team in their Under-18 structure.[5] He played for his school in the Auckland 1A School League of which his team reached the grand final ultimately beating Kelston BHS 38-17 to win. Around this time, he had received offers from both the Crusaders and NZ Warriors as well as some league teams based in Australia. His talent was quickly noticed and was selected to play for the New Zealand Secondary School team who would play against both Australia and Samoa. He retained his enrolment for Auckland Rugby's Academy which he accepted in 2013.
Club career
[edit]Fa'aso'o has had something of a nomadic career which started in 2013 with his local province, Auckland. He made 2 appearances for them before shifting south the following season to join Manawatu. He didn't manage to make the field for them so was forced to drop down to New Zealand's Heartland Championship with Wairarapa Bush in 2015. Solid performances there saw him earn another shot at Mitre 10 Cup rugby with the Pukekohe-based Counties Manukau in 2016 where he played all 11 games as the Steelers reached the Premiership Semi-Finals before going down to eventual winners Canterbury.[6]
His appearances in New Zealand brought him to the attention of French-side Racing 92 who announced in November 2016 that they had signed Fa'aso'o on a contract until the end of the 2016–17 Top 14 season.[2]
On 4 July 2022, Fa'aso'o would move to England to join London Irish in the Premiership Rugby from the 2022-23 season.[7]
International career
[edit]Fa'aso'o was a member of the Samoa Under 20 side which competed in the 2014 IRB Junior World Championship in New Zealand, making 3 appearances and scoring 1 try.[1]
Personal life
[edit]He received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Auckland whilst also double majoring in History and Pacific Studies.
He also goes by the nickname of Sooty or So'o.
References
[edit]- ^ a b "So'otala Fa'aso'o itsrugby Player Statistics". it's rugby. Retrieved 12 November 2016.
- ^ a b "So'otala Fa'aso'o signe au Racing 92" (in French). Sport24. 10 November 2016. Retrieved 12 November 2016.
- ^ "So'otala Fa'aso'o". Archived from the original on 23 April 2018. Retrieved 23 April 2018.
- ^ "Joueurs".
- ^ "Turbos sign young prospect". Stuff.co.uk. 20 June 2014.
- ^ "So'otala Fa'aso'o Counties Manukau Steelers Player Profile". Steelers Rugby. Retrieved 12 November 2016.
- ^ "London Irish sign So'otala Fa'aso'o". Premiership Rugby. 4 July 2022. Retrieved 15 November 2022.
External links
[edit]- So'otala Fa'aso'o at ESPNscrum
- So'otala Fa'aso'o at ItsRugby.co.uk
- 1994 births
- Living people
- New Zealand rugby union players
- Rugby union players from Auckland
- Rugby union number eights
- Auckland rugby union players
- Counties Manukau rugby union players
- Wairarapa Bush rugby union players
- Racing 92 players
- CA Brive players
- London Irish players
- New Zealand sportspeople of Samoan descent
- 2023 Rugby World Cup players
- New Zealand expatriate rugby union players in France
- New Zealand expatriate rugby union players in England
- People educated at Saint Kentigern College
- Samoa international rugby union players