Rugby player
| Date of birth | (1970-09-17) 17 September 1970 (age 54) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Place of birth | Apia, Samoa | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 264 lb (120 kg) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Filiga Lio Falaniko (born Apia, 17 September 1970) is a Samoan former rugby union player and boxer. He plays as a lock. Currently, he works as personal trainer.
Career
His international debut in 1991, against Tonga, at Apia, on 17 June 1990. Despite missing that year's World Cup through injury he was a regular for the Samoans throughout the 1990s, playing in both the 1995 and 1999 World Cups - scoring a memorable try against Wales in Samoa's 38–31 win at the then all-new Millennium Stadium in Cardiff.
Ranging lock Falaniko joined the Hurricanes for one season in 1999 from the Highlanders, where he had played 24 super 12 games between 1996 and 1998. Falaniko was used alongside Dion Waller, Mark Cooksley and Inoke Afeaki in the locking role for the Hurricanes, winning five caps, and making four starts against the Cats, Sharks, Blues, and finally his old team the Highlanders.
Vastly experienced at provincial level, Falaniko played a number of times for Otago, spent a season with Southland prior to his Super 12 stint in Wellington and also for North Harbour in 1999. Additionally Falaniko was an international volleyball representative and spent several years as a Les Mills Gyms fitness trainer. He took his personal trainer expertise to Perth, where he now resides and also coaches at club level.
Boxing career
Between 2005 and 2011, Falaniko undertook a boxing career, going undefeated in 10 heavyweight professional boxing bouts in New Zealand.
References
- "Lio Falaniko".
- "Lio Falaniko: Former Samoan rugby star and boxer foils optimistic burglar's break-in then lets him go". PerthNow. 11 January 2022. Retrieved 15 October 2023.
- "Three-time RWC Samoan lock to coach Nedlands Colts - Western Force". Archived from the original on 12 March 2016. Retrieved 13 January 2017.
External links
| Western Samoa squad – 1995 Rugby World Cup | |
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| Backs: | |
| Forwards: | |
| Coaching Staff: | |
| Coach: Schuster | |
| Samoa squad – 1999 Rugby World Cup | |
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| Forwards: | |
| Backs: | |
| Coaching Staff | |
| Coach: Williams | |
- 1970 births
- Living people
- Rugby union players from Apia
- Samoan rugby union coaches
- Samoan rugby union players
- Rugby union locks
- Samoan male boxers
- Samoa international rugby union players
- University of Auckland alumni
- Samoan expatriate rugby union players in New Zealand
- Otago rugby union players
- Southland rugby union players
- North Harbour rugby union players
- Highlanders (rugby union) players
- Hurricanes (rugby union) players
- Hanazono Kintetsu Liners players
- Union Bordeaux Bègles players
- 1995 Rugby World Cup players
- 1999 Rugby World Cup players
- Samoan expatriate rugby union players in France
- Samoan expatriate rugby union players in Japan