Jack Ram

Jack Ram
Birth nameJack Dehei Ram
Date of birth (1987-01-14) January 14, 1987 (age 37)
Place of birthSydney, New South Wales, Australia
Height1.89 m (6 ft 2+1⁄2 in)
Weight105 kg (16 st 7 lb; 231 lb)
SchoolLavengamalie Christian College
UniversityLavengamalie Christian University
Rugby union career
Position(s) Flanker
Provincial / State sides
Years Team Apps (Points)
2012–2016 Northland 28 (15)
2017–2018 Doncaster Knights 22 (25)
2017 Northland 10 (20)
2018–2020 Coventry 27 (5)
2020– New England Free Jacks ()
Correct as of 10 January 2021
Super Rugby
Years Team Apps (Points)
2015−2016 Blues 2 (0)
Correct as of 20 July 2016
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2015 Tonga A 3 (0)
2015–2017 Tonga 13 (15)
Correct as of 21 January 2021
National sevens team
Years Team Comps
2009–2015 Tonga Sevens 4
Correct as of 30 September 2015

Jack Ram (born 14 January 1987) is a Tongan professional rugby union footballer. He plays for New England Free Jacks of Major League Rugby (MLR).

He represented the Tonga sevens team and Tonga national rugby teams between 2009 and 2015.[1]

Early life

Ram's father, Samuel Santa Ram is a Fiji-Indian and is from Tavua. His mother is a Tongan who his father met and married in Australia. Ram was born in Australia, his parents moved to Tonga when he was 3 to start a business there.[2] He plays club rugby for Lavengamalie Rugby Club. He represented the Tongan under-19 team in 2006.[2]

Career

He joined Lavengamalie Rugby Club in 2005. In 2009, he played in the Pacific Rugby Cup for Tautahi Gold. In the same year, he was recruited into the Tonga sevens team. One of his biggest victory came in 2012 when he scored a try to help Tonga 7's beat the Fiji sevens side for the first time in history at the 2012 Wellington Sevens.[3] He joined the Kerikeri rugby club in 2011. He represented Northland in the 2012 ITM Cup. A bad knee injury sidelined him for most of the 2013 ITM Cup.[4]

In September 2014, an outstanding performance and his 2 tries helped Northland defeat Otago in the 2014 ITM Cup.[5]

In June 2015, after the Blues suffered multiple injuries, Ram was called onto the bench for their final 2015 Super Rugby pool game against the Highlanders.[6]

In December 2017, Ram signed for English club Doncaster Knights in the RFU Championship during the remainder of the 2017–18 season.[7] On 12 April 2018, Ram signed for Championship rivals Coventry ahead of the 2018–19 season.[8]

On 18 August 2020, Ram travels to USA to join New England Free Jacks in the Major League Rugby competition ahead of the 2020–21 season.[9]

International career

He made his international debut for Tonga in the 2015 World Rugby Pacific Nations Cup against the United States in Toronto. He was then included in the Tongan team to the 2015 Rugby World Cup. He came off the bench against Georgia to replace the injured captain, Nili Latu. He started against Namibia 10 days later scoring two-tries and setting up another for winger, Telusa Veainu. He was awarded the Man of the Match in that game.[10]

References

  1. ^ "NRU Profile". Northland Rugby. Northland Rugby. Archived from the original on 10 September 2014. Retrieved 11 September 2014.
  2. ^ a b "Ram runs for Tongans against our Babaas". Fiji Times. Archived from the original on 10 September 2014. Retrieved 10 September 2014.
  3. ^ ROBSON, TORY. "Tonga rules over Fiji at sevens". Fairax Media. Stuf.co.nz. Retrieved 10 September 2014.
  4. ^ Leslie, Cameron. "Rugby: Ram suits up for blazer". NZ Herald. Retrieved 10 September 2014.
  5. ^ KNOWLER, RICHARD. "Northland pull away from Otago for away win". Fairfax Media. Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 10 September 2014.
  6. ^ "Charles Piutau returns for Blues in an attempt to enhance All Blacks chances - Stuff.co.nz". 10 June 2015. Retrieved 12 June 2015.
  7. ^ "Jack's back for 2017/18". DRFC. 15 December 2017. Archived from the original on 27 August 2018. Retrieved 27 August 2018.
  8. ^ "Coventry sign trio with Gloucester, Glasgow Warriors and Tonga experience". Coventry Telegraph. 12 April 2018. Retrieved 27 April 2018.
  9. ^ "TONGAN INTERNATIONAL JACK RAM TO JOIN THE FREE JACKS". Free Jacks. 18 August 2020. Retrieved 11 September 2020.
  10. ^ "Tonga beat Namibia in Exeter". Radio NZ. Retrieved 30 September 2015.