Valentino Mapapalangi

Valentino Mapapalangi (born 18 July 1993) is a Tongan rugby union player. He plays in the number 8 and blind side position. He previously played for the England based Premiership Rugby side, Leicester Tigers.[1] Mapapalangi also represents Tonga at international level.

Valentino Mapapalangi
Full nameValentino Mapapalangi
Date of birth (1993-07-18) 18 July 1993
Place of birthAuckland, New Zealand
Height1.94 m (6 ft 4 in)
Weight112 kg (17 st 9 lb; 247 lb)
SchoolSacred Heart College
Rugby union career
Position(s) Flanker, Number 8
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2015–2016 Manawatu 16 (15)
2017–2019 Leicester Tigers 28 (0)
Correct as of 19 May 2019
National team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
2016–2018 Tonga 8 (0)
Correct as of 16 June 2018

Early career

Mapapalangi was educated in Auckland, he attended Kelston Boys High School and Liston College both in West Auckland before attending Sacred Heart College in his final year. After graduating from high school, he spent 2 seasons in the Auckland youth structures before heading south to Waikato looking for further opportunity. 2 seasons spent in Waikato gave him the breakthrough he was looking for and he headed to Manawatu in 2015.[2]

Club career

After spending time with the Chiefs development squad in the early part of the year, Mapapalangi made the Manawatu squad ahead of the 2015 ITM Cup season and scored 3 tries in 9 appearances during the campaign. His performances attracted the attention of Super Rugby franchise, the Hurricanes who invited him to train with their wider training group during the 2016 Super Rugby pre-season.[3]

The 2016 Mitre 10 Cup was less successful for both Mapapalangi and his side. The Turbos finished 5th in the Championship table while he made 7 appearances of which only 2 came from the start.[4]

On 7 August 2017 Mapapalangi signed for Leicester Tigers in the Aviva Premiership.[5] He made an impressive debut for Leicester on 16 September 2017 as a replacement for Joe Maksymiw in a 24-10 win against Gloucester at Welford Road.[6] His first start came the next month in a 28-17 victory against London Irish at the Madejski Stadium. On 15 May 2019 he was announced as one of the players to leave Leicester following the end of the 2018-19 Premiership Rugby season.[7]

International career

Mapapalangi was called up to the Tonga squad ahead of the 2016 end-of-year rugby union internationals and earned his first cap as a second-half replacement in a 28–13 win over Spain on 12 November 2016.[8][9]

References
  1. "Valentino Mapapalangi". leicestertigers.com.
  2. "Valentino Mapapalangi finds a home with Manawatu Turbos". Rugby Heaven. 19 September 2015. Retrieved 19 November 2016.
  3. "Valentino Mapapalangi shifting focus to lock to being imposing No 8". Manawatu Standard. 31 March 2016. Retrieved 19 November 2016.
  4. "Valentino Mapapalangi itsrugby Player Statistics". it's rugby. Retrieved 19 November 2016.
  5. "Leicester Tigers sign Tonga international back-rower Valentino Mapapalangi". Leicester Tigers. 7 August 2017. Retrieved 4 September 2017.
  6. "Tigers Outmuscle Gloucester In Seasons First Victory". lastwordonrugby.com. 16 September 2017. Retrieved 7 October 2017.
  7. "Brendon O'Connor and Mike Fitzgerald among huge number leaving Leicester Tigers at the end of the season". Leicester Mercury. 15 May 2019. Retrieved 15 May 2019.
  8. "Valentino Mapapalangi ESPN Scrum Player Profile". ESPN Scrum. Retrieved 19 November 2016.
  9. "Sport: Tonga make mass changes for November rugby tour". Radio NZ. 7 October 2016. Retrieved 19 November 2016.
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