Francis Meli facts for kids
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Personal information
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| Full name | Francis Meli | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 27 April 1979 Apia, Western Samoa |
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Playing information
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| Height | 188 cm (6 ft 2 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 100 kg (15 st 10 lb) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Wing, Centre | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Francis Meli (born April 27, 1979) is a retired professional rugby league player known for his incredible speed and try-scoring ability. He played as a winger or centre for top teams in both New Zealand and England.
Meli represented both Samoa and New Zealand in international games. He started his career with the New Zealand Warriors in the National Rugby League (NRL) before moving to the Super League in England, where he played for St Helens and the Salford Red Devils.
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Early Life and Career Beginnings
Francis Meli was born in Apia, Samoa, but he grew up in Auckland, New Zealand. He discovered his love for rugby league at age nine when he joined a local team called the Avondale Wolves.
As he got older, he played for the Marist Saints in the Auckland Rugby League. His talent was quickly noticed, and he was signed by the New Zealand Warriors, one of the top professional teams in the country.
Professional Club Career
New Zealand Warriors
Meli made his first professional appearance for the Warriors on May 2, 1999. He quickly became a star player for the team. In 2002, he helped the Warriors reach the 2002 NRL Grand Final, the championship game of the league.
The year 2003 was amazing for Meli. He scored 23 tries, which was a new record for the club in a single season. In one finals game against the Canterbury Bulldogs, he scored five tries all by himself! This incredible achievement is still a record in the NRL finals. For his outstanding performance, he was named the Warriors' Player of the Year in 2003.
St Helens
In 2006, Meli moved to England to join the famous club St Helens. His success continued in the Super League. In his first year, he helped the team win the 2006 Challenge Cup Final and the 2006 Super League Grand final. In the Grand Final against Hull F.C., Meli scored a try to help his team win 26-4.
Because they were the Super League champions, St Helens got to play against the Australian champions, the Brisbane Broncos, in the 2007 World Club Challenge. Meli played on the wing and helped St Helens win the title of best club in the world.
During his time at St Helens, Meli won many trophies, including three Challenge Cups. He played in several Grand Finals, showing how important he was to the team's success.
Salford Red Devils
In 2014, Meli joined the Salford Red Devils for one season. After his contract ended, he decided to retire from professional rugby league, ending a fantastic career that spanned three decades.
International Career
Meli had the special opportunity to play for two different countries during his career.
- Samoa: He first represented his birth country, Samoa, in the 2000 Rugby League World Cup. He returned to play for Samoa again in the 2008 Rugby League World Cup and the 2009 Pacific Cup.
- New Zealand: From 2001 to 2004, Meli played for the New Zealand Kiwis. He played in 14 official games, called test matches, and was a key player in major tournaments like the 2004 Rugby League Tri-Nations.
- Exiles: Meli was also chosen to play for the Exiles, a special team made up of the best international players in the Super League. They played against the England team in an annual match. Meli scored several tries for the Exiles, helping them win the trophy in 2012.
Life After Rugby
After retiring from playing, Francis Meli found a new way to help people. He now works with the New Zealand Police as a child case manager, focusing on mental health and well-being for young people.
In 2022, he appeared on a TV show called Match Fit, where former sports stars get back in shape. He also served as the mental health coach for the group, sharing his knowledge and experience. As of 2022, Meli is married and has three daughters.
