Sione Kalamafoni
Birth nameSione Maake Kalamafoni
Birth dateMay 18, 1988 (age 38)
Birth placeMatahau, Tonga
Height6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
Weight121 kg (19 st 1 lb; 267 lb)
Ru currentteamScarlets
PositionNumber 8/Flanker
Years 12010–2012
Years 22012–2017
Years 32017–2020
Years 42020–
Clubs 1Nottingham
Clubs 2Gloucester
Clubs 3Leicester Tigers
Clubs 4Scarlets
Apps 142
Apps 2106
Apps 364
Apps 452
Points 165
Points 250
Points 335
Points 445
Ru clubupdate28 September 2022
Repyears 12007−
Repteam 1Tonga
Repcaps 137
Reppoints 110
Ru ntupdate1 March 2023
SchoolAuckland Grammar School

Sione Kalamafoni (born 18 May 1988) is a rugby union footballer who plays at number 8 for Scarlets. Kalamafoni played for Tonga at the 2011 Rugby World Cup, 2015 Rugby World Cup and the 2019 Rugby World Cup.[1]

Career

Kalamafoni first signed to Nottingham in the RFU Championship from the 2010/11 season.[2] On 15 March 2012, Kalamafoni would leave Nottingham to sign for Gloucester Rugby in the Aviva Premiership on a two-year contract from 2012/13 season.[3] On 14 November 2013, Kalamafoni signed a two-year contract extension with Gloucester until the end of 2015/16 season.[4]

On 1 June 2017 Leicester Tigers announced that Kalamafoni would be joining them for the 2017-18 season.[5]

On 26 March 2020, it was confirmed that Kalamafoni would sign for Welsh region Scarlets in the Pro14 ahead of the 2020–21 season.[6]

Personal life

Kalamafoni is a Mormon and undertook a two-year mission in Chicago at the age of 18.[7][8] In January 2021 he and his family became British citizens.[8]

References

  1. ^ "Profile". 2011 Rugby World Cup Official Site. Retrieved 22 September 2011.
  2. ^ "Nottingham sign Tonga International forward Sione Kalamafoni". BBC Sport. 7 September 2010.
  3. ^ "Gloucester sign Tonga International Sione Kalamafoni from Nottingham". BBC Sport. 15 March 2012.
  4. ^ "Kalamafoni contract extension with Gloucester". BBC Sport. 14 November 2013.
  5. ^ "Sione Kalamafoni, Dominic Ryan, Joe Ford and Jonah Holmes join Leicester Tigers". BBC. 1 June 2017.
  6. ^ "Leicester Tigers back row star Sione Kalamafoni to leave for PRO14". The Rugby Paper. 26 March 2020. Retrieved 27 August 2020.
  7. ^ "Missionary on a mission". Fiji Sun. 17 May 2010. Retrieved 10 January 2020.
  8. ^ "I grew up in a house with no internet. I didn't really know a whole lot about rugby". Rugby Pass. 10 January 2021. Retrieved 10 January 2021.