Rodney Blake facts for kids
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| Birth name | Rodney Blake | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Date of birth | 29 April 1983 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Sa'aveki, Tonga | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 132 kg (20 st 11 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| School | Homebush Boys High | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Rodney Blake (born April 29, 1983) is an Australian professional rugby union player. He played as a prop, which is a strong forward position, for teams like the Queensland Reds and Melbourne Rebels in Super Rugby. He also played for Bayonne in France's top league, the Top 14. People sometimes called him Rodzilla because of his powerful playing style. Blake first played for the Wallabies, Australia's national team, in 2006.
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Early Life and Rugby Beginnings
Rodney Blake was born in Sa'aveki, Tonga. When he was 13, his family moved to Sydney, Australia. His father, Paul, was also a rugby player. Young Rodney started playing rugby for the West Harbour RFC junior teams. He went to Homebush Boys High School. He was chosen to play for the Australian Schools team. He also represented Australia in the Under-21 World Cup in Scotland.
Professional Rugby Career
Rodney Blake made his Super Rugby debut for the Queensland Reds. This was against the Otago Highlanders team. He became a regular player for the Reds during the 2006 Super 14 season.
Playing for the Wallabies
In 2006, Rodney was selected for the Wallabies, Australia's national team. He played his first international match against England at Telstra Stadium. He played the entire game. In the final moments, Blake scored a try, helping Australia win 34 to 3. He got injured in the next game against England. This meant he missed the match against Ireland. Blake also missed the first games of the 2006 Tri Nations Series. However, he played for the Wallabies in a Bledisloe Cup match against the All Blacks in Brisbane.
Awards and Moves
In October 2006, the Queensland Reds named him their "Player of the Year." He received the Pilecki Medal for this achievement. In 2009, Blake moved to France. He played two seasons in the French Top 14 competition.
Return to Australia
In 2010, Blake came back to Australia. He joined the Melbourne Rebels team for their 2011 Super Rugby season. In 2012, his teammates at the Rebels included other props like Nic Henderson and Laurie Weeks. The Rebels coach, Damien Hill, praised Blake's quickness and good decisions in games. Hill noted that Blake's main challenge was to stay fit enough to use his skills for long periods.
After the 2012 season, Blake left the Rebels. He moved to Airlie Beach in Queensland. In 2014, he played rugby for the Mackay Stingers.
