Sekonaia Kalou
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| Birth name | Sekonaia Kalou Qaranaqio[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Date of birth | 6 April 1984[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Sigatoka, Fiji[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.98 m (6 ft 6 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 109 kg (240 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Sekonaia Kalou (born 6 April 1984)[1] is a Fijian professional rugby union player who is also known by the name Sekonaia Qaranaqio. He has also represented Fiji at Netball.[1]
Rugby career
Club career
Sekonaia played lock for the Kaikorai Rugby Football Club and for Otago in the ITM Cup. He has also played for the 2nd Division New Zealand club North Otago with whom he won the Heartland Championship playing alongside fellow Fijian players Viliame Veikoso, Noa Soqeta and Waitisoni Lotawa. After playing for North Otago he made his way into the 1st Division team Otago in 2007.[1] He also played professionally for US Bressane in France[2] and for Rugby Calvisano in Italy where he won an Eccellenza.[3] After he left Italy in 2015 he returned to Fiji to captain the Nadroga Stallions in Fiji's 2016 Skipper Cup.[4] In 2017 he was on the move again joining Waverley Harvesting Border in New Zealand club rugby.[5]
International Rugby
Kalou made his International debut for Fiji on 5 June 2010 in 49–3 loss against Australia at Canberra Stadium,[6] he played in all of Fiji's matches for the 2010 Pacific Nations Cup and was selected to tour with the Fijian XV during November 2010 playing in defeats against France and Italy; and a draw against Wales at the Millennium Stadium. He was selected as part of the Fijian squad for 2011 Rugby World Cup and played against Namibia and Samoa. His final international was against England at Twickenham.[1]
Personal life
His brother is fellow professional rugby player Api Ratuniyarawa.[2] After his final appearance for Fiji in 2012 Kalou met Margaret Mary Steven, the pair got married in December 2017.[7]
As well as rugby Kalou has also represented Fiji in Archery and Men's Netball.[1] In 2016 Kalou was named as Fiji's netball player of the year.[8]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h "Seko Qaraniqio". ESPN. Retrieved 25 December 2017.
- ^ a b "Ratuniyarawa joins Agen". Fiji Sun. 3 September 2013. Retrieved 25 December 2017.
- ^ "NUOVI ARRIVI, SECONDE E TERZE" (in Italian). Rugby Calvisano. 21 July 2015. Retrieved 25 December 2017.
- ^ "Stallions Win Heated Battle". Fiji Sun. 16 July 2016. Retrieved 25 December 2017.
- ^ "World traveler reaches the Border". Wanganui Chronicle. 8 May 2017. Retrieved 25 December 2017.
- ^ "Kalou debut". ESPN. Retrieved 25 December 2017.
- ^ "Kalou Weds Margaret". Fiji Sun. 3 December 2017. Retrieved 25 December 2017.
- ^ "Former Flying Fijian Wins Netball Award". Fiji Sun. 28 December 2016. Retrieved 25 December 2017.