Male Sa'u
 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Birth name | Male Sa'u | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 13 October 1987 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Auckland, New Zealand | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 98 kg (15 st 6 lb; 216 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| School | Tangaroa College | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Male Sa'u (born 13 October 1987) is a Japanese professional rugby union footballer of Samoan descent. Sa'u can play both Centre and Fly-half. After Super Rugby stints with the Melbourne Rebels and the Blues, Sa'u has returned to the Top League for the 2016-2017 season with Yamaha Júbilo.
Playing career
[edit]Sa'u was educated at Tangaroa College and was selected for Counties Manukau Steelers for the inaugural Air New Zealand Cup (now the Mitre 10 Cup) in 2006. Sa'u played his club rugby for the Patumahoe club.[1] He was again selected for the 2007 season, where he played nine out of the ten matches.[2] He played for New Zealand at under-19s level,[3] and at under-20s level. He was also named in the under-21s Trial Squad in 2007.[4]
He joined Japanese side Yamaha Júbilo in the Top League competition for the 2008–09 season, and played twelve time and scored 35 times in his debut season. On his departure in the 2013–14 season, he had scored 115 points over 46 matches. His form over the seasons, earned him a place in Eddie Jones Japanese 42-man squad for the 2013 Asian Five Nations. He made his debut against the Philippines on 20 April 2013.
In March 2014, Male Sa'u joined the Melbourne Rebels in the Super Rugby competition.[5][6][7]
References
[edit]- ^ Counties Manukau Steelers profile photos 2006
- ^ Steelers Squad Announced
- ^ NZ U19 squad named
- ^ Six Counties Manukau Players named in u21 Trial Squad
- ^ "Rebels sign second Japanese International" (Press release). Melbourne Rebels. 1 March 2014. Archived from the original on 7 March 2014. Retrieved 9 March 2014.
- ^ "Waratahs too strong in Sydney" (Press release). Melbourne Rebels. 21 March 2014. Archived from the original on 3 April 2015. Retrieved 22 March 2014.
- ^ "Rebels turn to Japanese for Tahs clash". Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax. AAP. 20 March 2014. Retrieved 22 March 2014.
- 1987 births
- Japanese rugby union players
- Japanese people of Samoan descent
- Living people
- Japan international rugby union players
- Counties Manukau rugby union players
- Melbourne Rebels players
- Rugby union centres
- Rugby union wings
- Japanese expatriate sportspeople in Australia
- New Zealand expatriate rugby union players in Australia
- Shizuoka Blue Revs players
- Blues (Super Rugby) players
- People educated at Tangaroa College
- Rugby union players from Auckland
- Japanese expatriate rugby union players
- New Zealand rugby union players
- Toyota Verblitz players
- 2015 Rugby World Cup players
- New Zealand sportspeople of Samoan descent
- New Zealand expatriate rugby union players in Japan
- Naturalized citizens of Japan
- Naturalised rugby union players