Sekope Kepu
 | |||
| Sekope Kepu playing for Australia "A" | |||
| Full name | Sekope Miami Kepu[1] | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 5 February 1986 | ||
| Place of birth | Sydney, New South Wales, Australia | ||
| Height | 188 cm (6 ft 2 in)[2] | ||
| Weight | 125 kg (276 lb; 19 st 10 lb)[3] | ||
| Rugby union career | |||
| Current status | |||
| Current team | Union Bordeaux Bègles | ||
| Playing career | |||
| Position | Tighthead Prop | ||
| Professional / senior clubs | |||
| Years | Club / team | Caps | (points) |
| 2014 2015−2016 |
NSW Country Eagles Bordeaux |
0 19 |
(0) |
| Provincial/State sides | |||
| Years | Club / team | Caps | (points) |
| 2005–07 | Counties Manukau | 7 | (0) |
| Super Rugby | |||
| Years | Club / team | Caps | (points) |
| 2008– | NSW Waratahs | 97 | (10) |
| Current local club | Randwick | ||
| correct as of 28 June 2015. | |||
| National team(s) | |||
| Years | Club / team | Caps | (points) |
| 2008– 2008 2006 2004–05 2003 |
Wallabies Australia A New Zealand U21 New Zealand U19 New Zealand U17[4] |
76 | (10) |
| correct as of 26 November 2016. | |||
Sekope Kepu is an Australian professional rugby union player. He is a prop for Bordeaux in the Top 14 competition, making his debut in 2015.[2][5] He also plays for the Wallabies in international matches.
Early life
Kepu was born in Sydney, Australia to Tongan parents, but his family relocated to Auckland while he was still a youngster. He began playing rugby with Tamaki Rugby Football Club Under 7s and attended school in the suburb of Glen Innes in Auckland.[6]
Kepu captained the Wesley College first XV from the number eight position in 2004, before switching to the front row with the New Zealand under-19s in 2005.[7] He represented New Zealand at under 17, 19 and 21 levels.[5]
Rugby Union Career
Between 2005 and 2007, Kepu was a member of the wider training group for the Chiefs, and was a stand out player for Counties Manukau in the Air New Zealand Cup in 2006. A broken collarbone ruined his 2007 season and saw him end the year without a Super 14 contract.
Kepu moved to back Sydney at the age of 21 to play for the NSW Waratahs. He made his Super Rugby debut on 1 March 2008 against the Highlanders in Dunedin, playing as the starting loosehead after Wallabies prop Al Baxter was ruled out due to a head knock.[5]
In June 2008, Kepu played for Australia A in the 2008 Pacific Nations Cup.[8] He was selected for the Wallabies on the 2008 and 2009 Spring tours, and made his test debut for Australia on 8 November 2008, against Italy at Padova. He gained two more tests caps from the bench on those tours but then had to bide his time for more than a year before making another test appearance.[1]
2011
Kepu had a strong season at the Waratahs in 2011 with 13 Super Rugby appearances, including 12 starts.[9]
In the 2011 Tri Nations Series, Kepu became the first choice loosehead prop for the Wallabies after Benn Robinson was ruled out of the entire campaign due to a knee injury. He started in all four tests and cemented his position. Australia won the 2011 Tri Nations cup.
Kepu was a key player for Australia at the 2011 Rugby World Cup, starting in six out of seven matches that the Wallabies played in the tournament.[1]
In March 2013, he re-signed with Australian Rugby to commit to the Wallabies and Waratahs for a further two years.[10]
References
- 1 2 3 "Sekope Kepu ARU Profile". ARU. Retrieved 27 June 2012.
- 1 2 "Sekope Kepu Waratahs Profile". NSWRU. Retrieved 27 June 2012.
- ↑ http://www.rugby.com.au/wallabies/TheTeam/WallabiesProfiles/ProfilePage/tabid/1513/playerid/81/Default.aspx
- ↑ "Sekope Kepu". Scrum.com. Retrieved 2013-06-19.
- 1 2 3 Warren, Adrian (28 February 2008). "Waratahs debutant Kepu keen to impress". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 28 June 2012.
- ↑ "Twenty Questions with Qantas Wallabies prop Sekope Kepu". ARU. 7 November 2008. Retrieved 27 June 2012.
- ↑ Growden, Greg (26 July 2011). "Sekope Kepu - Aussie No 1 that got away". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 28 June 2012.
- ↑ "Australia A vs. Tonga, 2008 IRB Pacific Nations Cup". IRB. Retrieved 27 June 2012.
- ↑ "Waratahs 2011 Player Statistics". NSWRU. Retrieved 27 June 2012.
- ↑ Wallabies Media Unit (20 March 2013). "Kepu re-signs with Australian Rugby" (Press release). ARU. Retrieved 20 March 2013.