Latu Makaafi
| Birth name | Latu Makaafi | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Date of birth | (1982-08-17) August 17, 1982 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Faleloa, Tonga[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 107 kg (236 lb; 16 st 12 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Latu Makaafi, also spelt as Latu Maka'afi, (born 1982)[2] is a Tongan rugby union flanker and Number 8[3] who plays for Hull having previously been at Coventry.
Rugby career
Makaafi started playing rugby in England in 2000 when he started playing for Bradford & Bingley RFC.[4] In 2006, he signed for London 2 South club Jersey Reds, becoming the first professional player for Jersey[5] after receiving a work permit from the States of Jersey Customs and Immigration Service.[6] In 2008, Makaafi signed for Hull. In October 2008, he was suspended from playing rugby for 8 weeks by the Yorkshire Rugby Football Union after being sent off for punching.[7] In 2009, Makaafi signed for Wharfedale R.U.F.C.[8] In 2011, he left Wharfedale for Doncaster Knights.[3] In leaving Wharfedale Makaafi recommended that fellow Tongan Talite Vaioleti would replace him at Wharfedale.[9] In 2012, Makaafi moved to fellow RFU Championship team Rotherham Titans for the 2012–13 RFU Championship season as part of a mass exodus of players from Doncaster Knights.[10] During his time at Rotherham Titans, Makaafi played as a guest player at his old club, Bradford & Bingley for a match between a Bradford Salem Select XV and Bradford Grammar School.[11] In 2013, it was announced that Makaafi would return to Jersey for their 2013–14 season.[5]Following a season at Jersey it was announced that Latu would be returning to Doncaster for the 2014–15 season.[12]Late in the 2016–2017 season, it was announced by Coventry Rugby that he had signed for them for the 2017–2018 season from Doncaster.[13]
International career
Makaafi has represented Tonga at a number of levels. He has represented the Tonga national under-20 rugby union team.[14][15]
Honours
Bradford & Bingley
- North Division 2 East champions: 2002-03[16]
- North Division 1 champions: 2003-04[17]
- National Division 3 North champions: 2005-06
Hull
- National League 3 north v midlands promotion playoff winners: 2008-09[18]
Wharfedale
- Yorkshire Cup winners: 2010-11[19]
References
- ^ "Player profiles". Archived from the original on 2013-01-15. Retrieved 2013-08-19.
- ^ "More signings for JRFC squad". Channel Online TV. 2013-04-30. Retrieved 2013-05-04.
- ^ a b "Tongan star rides off to join Knights". Craven Herald. 2010-05-20. Retrieved 2013-05-04.
- ^ "Latu Makaafi". Statbunker.com. Archived from the original on 2013-06-16. Retrieved 2013-05-04.
- ^ a b "Latu Makaafi returns to Jersey as one of three signings". BBC Sport. 2013-04-30. Retrieved 2013-05-04.
- ^ "Latu Jersey's first pro". This is Jersey. 2006-05-18. Archived from the original on June 16, 2013. Retrieved 2013-05-04.
- ^ "Disciplinary hearing" (PDF). Yorkshire RFC. 2009-03-23. Retrieved 2013-05-04.
- ^ Ellwood, Chris (2009-09-13). "Justice is done in the end for Wharfedale". The Telegraph and Argus. Retrieved 2013-05-04.
- ^ "Interview with Talite Vaioleti from Tonga". Federation of Oceania Rugby Unions. Archived from the original on 2013-10-21. Retrieved 2013-05-04.
- ^ "'That's the way it goes' as exodus hits Knights". South Yorkshire Times. 2012-05-09. Retrieved 2013-05-04.
- ^ "Bees join forces with Bradford Salem". The Telegraph and Argus. 2012-05-04. Retrieved 2013-05-04.
- ^ "Latu Makaafi - Record by competition". Rugby Statbunker. 21 September 2015.
- ^ "A Cov welcome to Latu". Coventry Rugby. 28 February 2017.
- ^ "Historic rugby signings". BBC. Retrieved 2013-05-04.
- ^ "Latu Makaafi". Doncaster RFC. Archived from the original on 2013-06-16. Retrieved 2013-05-04.
- ^ "North 2 East 2002-03". englandrugby.com. 12 April 2003.
- ^ "North 1 2003-04". englandrugby.com. 17 April 2004.
- ^ "North v Midlands Play Offs 2008-09". englandrugby.com. 25 April 2009.
- ^ "Wharfedale 36 Sheffield Tigers 13: Wharfedale celebrate Cup win as battling Sheffield fade away". Yorkshire Post. 6 May 2010.
