Lolani Koko

Lolani Koko
Personal information
Height 191 cm (6 ft 3 in)
Weight 100 kg (15 st 10 lb)
Playing information
Rugby union
Position Centre
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
Wellington
1983–1994 Samoa 23 2 0 0 8
Rugby league
Position Wing
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1995 Sydney City Roosters 0 0 0 0 0
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1995 Western Samoa 1 0 0 0 0
Source: RLP & scrum.com

Lolani Koko is a Samoan former rugby football player who represented his country in rugby union; rugby league, including at the 1995 Rugby League World Cup; soccer; and at the 1982 Commonwealth Games.

Early years

Koko represented Samoa in the 4 x 100 metres relay team at the 1982 Commonwealth Games in Brisbane and also spent a year playing as a defensive lineman with the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League.[1] In 1995 Koko was the captain of the Western Samoan soccer team.[1]

Rugby union career

Koko played for the Samoa national rugby union team, making his debut in 1983. He moved the New Zealand in the early 1990s, playing for Wellington. He was invited to trial for the All Blacks but decided to stick with his native Samoa.[2] Koko scored 11 tries for Wellington in the 1992 NPC season.[3] He was named the Man of Honour at the 1993 Hong Kong Sevens.[1]

Koko also spent time with the Boroondara Rugby Club in Australia.[4]

Rugby league career

Koko switched to rugby league at the start of the 1995 season. Koko joined the Sydney City Roosters in the Australian Rugby League competition and led the Western Samoa team at the 1995 World Sevens Koko also had a stint with the Narrandera Lizards in Group 20 Rugby League.[1]

He was part of the Western Samoa squad at the 1995 World Cup.

Personal life

Koko's brother Kofe Koko also represented Samoa in rugby union and his nephew Ali Koko also represented both Samoa and Wellington in rugby union.[5]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Samoan's Ko-Kolossal pedigree Sydney Morning Herald, 3 February 1995
  2. Fiji lose sevens' title to Samoans The Independent, 29 March 1993
  3. Season-by-season Record - 1992 Wellington Rugby Football Union
  4. Boroondara giving it a try Progress Leader, 13 July 2010
  5. Season 2007/08 - Aliinu'u (Ali) Koko - Wing Cornish Pirates
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