So'otala Fa'aso'o
Date of birth (1994-10-02) 2 October 1994
Place of birthAuckland, New Zealand
Height1.95 m (6 ft 5 in)
Weight130 kg (287 lb; 20 st 7 lb)
SchoolSt. Kentigern College
Papatoetoe High School
UniversityUniversity of Auckland
Rugby union career
Position(s) Number 8
Current team Perpignan
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2013 Auckland 2 (0)
2015 Wairarapa Bush 9 (15)
2016 Counties Manukau 11 (0)
2016–2018 Racing 92 15 (10)
2018–2022 Brive 82 (90)
2022–2023 London Irish 13 (15)
2023– Perpignan 0 (0)
Correct as of 28 August 2023
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2014 Samoa U20 3 (5)
2023– Samoa 1 (0)
Correct as of 28 August 2023

So'otala Fa'aso'o (born 2 October 1994) is a professional rugby union player who plays as a number eight for Top 14 club Perpignan. Born in New Zealand, he represents Samoa at international level after qualifying on ancestry grounds.[1][2][3][4]

Early life

So'otala was born in Auckland and grew up in the Papatoetoe district of the city. He attended the prestigious St. Kentigern College on a rugby scholarship program which captured the attention of the Blues Rugby Team in their Under-18 structure.[5] He played for his school in the Auckland 1A School League of which his team reached the grand final ultimately beating Kelston BHS 38-17 to win. Around this time, he had received offers from both the Crusaders and NZ Warriors as well as some league teams based in Australia. Following a breach of the school's Code of Conduct, Fa'aso'o was removed as Head-Boy and excluded from St Kent's and moved to Papatoetoe High School where he was swiftly accepted into the rugby team.[6] His talent was quickly noticed and was selected to play for the New Zealand Secondary School team who would play against both Australia and Samoa. He retained his enrolment for Auckland Rugby's Academy which he accepted in 2013.

Club career

Fa'aso'o has had something of a nomadic career which started in 2013 with his local province, Auckland. He made 2 appearances for them before shifting south the following season to join Manawatu. He didn't manage to make the field for them so was forced to drop down to New Zealand's Heartland Championship with Wairarapa Bush in 2015. Solid performances there saw him earn another shot at Mitre 10 Cup rugby with the Pukekohe-based Counties Manukau in 2016 where he played all 11 games as the Steelers reached the Premiership Semi-Finals before going down to eventual winners Canterbury.[7]

His appearances in New Zealand brought him to the attention of French-side Racing 92 who announced in November 2016 that they had signed Fa'aso'o on a contract until the end of the 2016–17 Top 14 season.[2]

On 4 July 2022, Fa'aso'o would move to England to join London Irish in the Premiership Rugby from the 2022-23 season.[8]

International career

Fa'aso'o was a member of the Samoa Under 20 side which competed in the 2014 IRB Junior World Championship in New Zealand, making 3 appearances and scoring 1 try.[1]

Personal life

He received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Auckland whilst also double majoring in History and Pacific Studies.

He also goes by the nickname of Sooty or So'o.

References

  1. 1 2 "So'otala Fa'aso'o itsrugby Player Statistics". it's rugby. Retrieved 12 November 2016.
  2. 1 2 "So'otala Fa'aso'o signe au Racing 92" (in French). Sport24. 10 November 2016. Retrieved 12 November 2016.
  3. ↑ "So'otala Fa'aso'o". Archived from the original on 23 April 2018. Retrieved 23 April 2018.
  4. ↑ "Joueurs".
  5. ↑ "Turbos sign young prospect". Stuff.co.uk. 20 June 2014.
  6. ↑ "New school for Kent's boy". NZ Herald. June 2012.
  7. ↑ "So'otala Fa'aso'o Counties Manukau Steelers Player Profile". Steelers Rugby. Retrieved 12 November 2016.
  8. ↑ "London Irish sign So'otala Fa'aso'o". Premiership Rugby. 4 July 2022. Retrieved 15 November 2022.
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