Trevor Leota
| Date of birth | 8 March 1975 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Place of birth | Auckland, New Zealand | ||
| Height | 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in) | ||
| Weight | 125 kg (19 st 10 lb) | ||
| Notable relative(s) | David Tua (distant cousin) | ||
| Rugby union career | |||
| Playing career | |||
| Position | Hooker | ||
| Professional / senior clubs | |||
| Years | Club / team | Caps | (points) |
| 1997–05 2005–06 2008–09 |
Wasps Cheetahs Mont-de-Marsan |
202 8 18 |
(35) (10) (0) |
| Super Rugby | |||
| Years | Club / team | Caps | (points) |
| 2006 | Cheetahs | 1 | (0) |
| National team(s) | |||
| Years | Club / team | Caps | (points) |
| 1997–05 | Samoa | 30 | (5) |
Trevor Leota (born 8 March 1975) is a New Zealand rugby player of Samoan descent; he currently coaches at The Footscray Bulldogs team in Melbourne, Australias Club team.[1]
Career
He is a hooker and has been widely recognised as one of the hardest tacklers in the game.[2][3][4][5][6] Debuted for Western Samoa in 1995 during a tour of the UK. He caught Nigel Melville's eye and was signed by Wasps in 1997, where he quickly became something of a cult figure for his uncompromising approach on the field of play, his colourful hair styles and his friendly nature off the pitch. For two weeks prior to the 2004 Heineken Cup final, he was famously assigned a round-the-clock minder by the Wasps management, in order that he could be prevented from indulging his passion for buckets of KFC.[7][8][9]
He is a second cousin of Va'aiga Tuigamala and a former member of the same New Zealand schoolboys side as Jonah Lomu and Christian Cullen.
He is a distant cousin of heavyweight boxer David Tua. He played for the Cheetahs. He has previously played for Auckland and TE Atatu. He previously played for Stade Montois in the French Top 14. He was a member of the 1999 RWC squad and played for the Barbarians in May 2001. He was also one of the only rugby union players allowed to play rugby league over the 2004 summer season in order to keep his weight down. He played for West London Sharks in the Rugby League Conference.
In 2010 he joined Welsh rugby league club Bridgend Blue Bulls in the Rugby League Conference Welsh Premier.
On 28 August 2010 he played in a friendly match for Nuneaton Rugby Club against Blackheath, playing prop.
Between 27 and 29 May 2011, Trevor played at the Phuket Heineken International Rugby 10s tournament in Karon Beach. His most famous victory was as part of the Insead Barbarians team, for whom he played at Out-Half.
References
- ↑ "Former Samoan RU international signs for Bridgend". rleague.com. Archived from the original on 28 November 2014. Retrieved 28 November 2011.
- ↑ "Rugby World Cup 2003: Powerful Leota set to prop up Samoa" The Independent (London). Find Articles at BNET.com
- ↑ Rugby World Cup 2003: WORLD CUP DIARY – Leota highlights dis-union. The Independent (London). Find Articles at BNET.com
- ↑ "Samoa loses England-based forwards for World Cup – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)". Australia: ABC. 19 September 2003. Retrieved 28 November 2011.
- ↑ "Leota set for Broncos| Sport". Evening Standard. London. Archived from the original on 22 May 2009. Retrieved 28 November 2011.
- ↑ "Who is the most feared defender in world rugby.?". Sportscomet.com. Retrieved 28 November 2011.
- ↑ "Rugby Union: Heineken Cup Final: Minder Keeps Leota Hungry". Buzzle.com. Retrieved 28 November 2011.
- ↑ "Leota proud of reputation| Sport". Evening Standard. London. Retrieved 28 November 2011.
- ↑ "Howley's opportunism helps Wasps to revel in greatest day". The Times. UK. Retrieved 28 November 2011.