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 Fekitoa is a professional rugby union player from Tonga. He was born on May 10, 1992. He plays as a centre for the United Rugby Championship club Benetton. He also plays for the Tonga national team.
Contents
Early Life and Rugby Start
Malakai Fekitoa grew up in Haʻapai, Tonga. He is one of 15 children! His dad was a carpenter. Malakai loved rugby from a young age.
After playing for Tonga's Sevens team, he got a special scholarship. This allowed him to study and play rugby at Wesley College in New Zealand.
Club Rugby Journey
Malakai started his professional club career in New Zealand. He played for Auckland in 2012. He then joined the Blues in 2013.
Highlanders Success
In 2014, Malakai joined the Highlanders team. He became a very important player for them. In 2015, he helped the Highlanders win the Super Rugby title. This was a big achievement for the team.
Playing in Europe
After his time in New Zealand, Malakai moved to Europe. In 2017, he signed with Toulon in France. He played there for two years.
In 2019, he moved to England to play for Wasps. He stayed with Wasps until 2022.
Recent Club Moves
In 2022, Malakai joined Munster in Ireland. He played a key role in their team. In his last game for Munster, he helped them win the United Rugby Championship final in 2023.
After his time in Ireland, Malakai moved to Italy. He joined Benetton in 2023. He made his first appearance for Benetton in September 2023.
International Rugby Career
Malakai Fekitoa has played for two different national teams.
Playing for New Zealand
Malakai became eligible to play for New Zealand in 2014. He had lived there for three years after finishing school. He was chosen for the New Zealand team, also known as the All Blacks.
He made his debut in June 2014. He quickly became a strong player for the team. He was part of the 2015 Rugby World Cup winning New Zealand team. This was a huge moment in his career.
Malakai played regularly for the All Blacks in 2016. He scored two tries in games against Italy and Ireland. His last game for New Zealand was in July 2017.
Playing for Tonga
In 2022, Malakai was able to switch and play for his home country, Tonga. This was possible because of new rules in rugby. He made his debut for Tonga in July 2022.
He also played for Tonga in the 2023 Rugby World Cup. He played in three matches during the tournament.
Helping His Home Country
In 2022, a big volcano eruption and tsunami hit Tonga. Malakai's family still lives there. He started a special fundraiser to help his home country. He raised over £50,000 to provide aid. His club at the time, Wasps, also helped his efforts.
Major Achievements
- United Rugby Championship: 2023 (with Munster)
- Rugby World Cup: 2015 (with New Zealand)
See also
In Spanish: Malakai Fekitoa para niños
