Malakai Fekitoa facts for kids
Fekitoa representing Benetton in 2023
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| Full name | Malakai Fonokalafi Fekitoa | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Date of birth | 10 May 1992 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Ha'apai, Tonga | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 100 kg (220 lb; 15 st 10 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| School | Tonga College Liahona High School Wesley College |
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| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Malakai Fonokalafi Fekitoa is a professional rugby union player from Tonga. He was born on May 10, 1992. He plays as a centre, which is a key position in rugby, for the United Rugby Championship club Benetton. He also plays for the Tonga national team.
Contents
Early Life and Rugby Start
Malakai Fekitoa was born in Haʻapai, Tonga. He is one of 15 children! His father was a carpenter.
When he was younger, Malakai played for the Tonga 7s team on a trip to New Zealand. This trip changed his life. He was offered a special rugby scholarship. This allowed him to study and play rugby at Wesley College in New Zealand.
Club Rugby Career
Malakai Fekitoa started his professional club career in New Zealand.
Playing for Auckland and Blues
In 2012, Malakai made his first appearance for the Auckland team. He played 12 games and scored 3 tries. A try is like scoring a touchdown in American football.
After that, he joined the Blues team for the 2013 season. He played one game for them that year.
Success with the Highlanders
In 2014, Malakai signed with the Highlanders team. He quickly became a very important player for them. In 2015, he helped the Highlanders win the Super Rugby championship, which is a big achievement!
Moving to European Clubs
In July 2017, Malakai decided to move to France. He signed a two-year contract with Toulon, a team in the French Top 14 league.
In 2019, he moved to England. He joined the Wasps team in the English Premiership Rugby league. He played for Wasps until 2022.
Time in Ireland with Munster
In 2022, Malakai moved to Ireland. He joined Munster, another team in the United Rugby Championship. He played his first game for Munster in September 2022.
He also played in a special game where Munster beat a team from South Africa. Malakai helped Munster win the United Rugby Championship final in May 2023. Even though he had signed for two years, he left Munster after one season.
Joining Benetton in Italy
In 2023, Malakai Fekitoa joined Benetton, an Italian team in the United Rugby Championship. He signed a three-year contract. He played his first game for Benetton against his old team, Munster.
International Rugby Career
Malakai Fekitoa has played for two different national rugby teams: New Zealand and Tonga.
Playing for New Zealand
Malakai became eligible to play for New Zealand after living there for three years. In 2014, he was chosen to join the New Zealand team, also known as the All Blacks.
He made his debut for the All Blacks in June 2014. He came on as a replacement player in a game they won 20-15. Later that year, he started a game because another player was unavailable. People praised his performance, saying he was a great attacking player.
Malakai was also part of the New Zealand team that won the 2015 Rugby World Cup. This is one of the biggest achievements in rugby!
In 2016, he often started games for the All Blacks. He scored two tries in games against Italy and Ireland. His last game for New Zealand was in July 2017 against the British & Irish Lions.
Playing for Tonga
In 2022, the rules for playing for different countries changed. This meant Malakai could play for his home country, Tonga. He was chosen for the Tongan team in 2022.
He played his first game for Tonga in July 2022. He also played in three matches during the 2023 Rugby World Cup for Tonga.
Honours and Achievements
Malakai Fekitoa has achieved some great things in his rugby career.
- United Rugby Championship: He won this championship with Munster in 2023.
- Rugby World Cup: He won the Rugby World Cup with New Zealand in 2015.
Helping His Home Country
In 2022, a volcano erupted and caused a tsunami in Tonga. Malakai's family still lives there. He started a fundraising campaign to help people in Tonga. He raised over £50,000 to provide aid. His club at the time, Wasps, also helped by donating money from ticket sales for one of their games.
See also
In Spanish: Malakai Fekitoa para niños
