Maurie Fa'asavalu

Maurie Fa'asavalu

South Africa vs Samoa at 2011 Rugby World Cup
Personal information
Born	12 January 1980 (1980-01-12) (age 31) Samoa
Height	1.91 m (6 ft 3 in)
Weight	112 kg (17 st 9 lb) [1]
Playing information
Rugby union
Position	Flanker
Club
Years	Team	Pld	T	G	FG	P
????–2003	Apia RU
2010-	Harlequins
	Total	0	0	0	0	0
Representative
Years	Team	Pld	T	G	FG	P
2002-	Samoa	14	2			10
Rugby league
Position	Prop
Club
Years	Team	Pld	T	G	FG	P
2003–2010	St. Helens	164	39	0	0	156
Representative
Years	Team	Pld	T	G	FG	P
2007	Great Britain	1	1	0	0	4
2008–2009	England	3	1	0	0	4

Maurie Fa'asavalu is a Samoan rugby union player who formerly played rugby league for St Helens. He was recently picked in the Great Britain rugby league squad after living in England for 4 years. He returned to rugby union in October 2010, having signed for Harlequins for the 2010/2011 season.^[2]

Rugby union career

Fa'asavalu played for Samoa at the 2003 Rugby World Cup.

He was signed by the then St Helens coach Ian Millward in the winter of 2003 after a series of outstanding performances playing at flanker for Samoa in the 2003 Rugby World Cup. On his return to rugby union, he also featured in the 2011 Rugby World Cup.

Harlequins have managed to lured the Great Britain Rugby League and Samoan rugby union international back to the fifteen man game. "A player of Maurie's talent and ability will be a great asset to Quins," said Quins' Director of Rugby Conor O'Shea, "I have no doubt that he will be able to make an immediate impact on returning to union. He will bring experience and a new dimension to our options and is exactly the type of person we want at this club."

Rugby league career

Fa'asavalu made his debut on 13 March 2004 against Leeds Rhinos in a 24 - 14 victory at Knowsley Road. Fa'asavalu took some time to adjust to rugby league, but developed into an important part of the St. Helens squad in 2006. He was however used primarily as an impact player, starting most games from the interchange bench.

Fas'asavalu was unlucky not to receive the Lance Todd Trophy for his performance in the 2006 Challenge Cup victory, where he scored a try in the 2006 and his performance against Huddersfield Giants earned widespread praise.

St. Helens fans were treated to Fa'asavalu's victory dance in both the Challenge Cup Final and the Grand Final for Super League XI. His block busting runs and inimitable try celebrations saw him develop a real following on the terraces at Knowsley Road.

In total he scored 10 tries in 28 games during the 2006 season, followed by 9 tries in 30 games in the 2007 season.

He played in the 2007 Super League Grand Final, the 2008 Super League Grand Final and the 2009 Super League Grand Final defeats all against the Leeds Rhinos.^[3]

He missed a major part of the 2010 season after being injured. His last game for St. Helens was in the home win against Leeds Rhinos.

Representative career

On 27 October 2007, Fa'asavalu scored on his debut for Great Britain against New Zealand in Huddersfield, helping the British team to a 20–14 victory. Five minutes after he came on as a substitute in the 18th minute, Fa'asavalu used his great stature to break through 3 New Zealand players to score the try.

He was named in the England squad for the 2008 Rugby League World Cup.^[4]

He played 3 games for the England team in the World Cup, in the process breaking his hand in the defeat against Australia.

References

1. ^ "Harlequins 1st XV". web page. Harlequins. 2011. http://www.union.quins.co.uk/rugby/1stXV.php?player=24667&includeref=dynamic. Retrieved 13 June 2011. 
2. ^ "Quins lure international back to Union". planetrugby.com. 2010-07-16. http://www.planetrugby.com/story/0,25883,16024_6263266,00.html. Retrieved 2010-07-16. 
3. ^ "2008 Grand Final". BBC. 2008-10-04. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_league/7642170.stm. Retrieved 2008-10-05. 
4. ^ "Purdham earns World Cup call-up". BBC. 2008-10-07. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_league/7656553.stm. Retrieved 2008-10-07. 

External links

• St Helens profile
• Maurie Fa'asavalu pictures and profile
• Samoans make switch
• Huddersfield 12–42 St Helens
• Dave Woods Cup final verdict
• World Cup Select XV
• Scores in GB Debut
• International Statistics at englandrl.co.uk
• Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org

Persondata
Name	Faasavalu, Maurie
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	12 January 1980
Place of birth	Apia, Samoa
Date of death
Place of death