Lote Raikabula

Lote Raikabula
Birth nameLote Raikabula
Date of birth (1983-07-31) 31 July 1983 (age 41)
Place of birthFiji
Height1.93 m (6 ft 4 in)
Weight87 kg (13 st 10 lb; 192 lb)
Rugby union career
Position(s) Utility back
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
Manawatu ()
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2006–2016 New Zealand Sevens
Medal record
Men's rugby sevens
Representing  New Zealand
Commonwealth Games
Gold medal – first place 2006 Melbourne Team competition
Gold medal – first place 2010 Delhi Team competition

Lote Raikabula (born 31 July 1983 in Suva, Fiji) is a New Zealand rugby player who has played both rugby union and rugby sevens. He currently plays for the All Blacks Sevens team in the IRB Sevens World Series and is the Rugby coach for Trinity College, Kandy. He has played more than 60 tournaments since his debut in 2006,[1] playing in 20 tournament-winning teams. he has five IRB Sevens World Series medals, a Rugby World Cup Sevens title and two Commonwealth Games gold medals.

Raikabula has played rugby union for both Hawkes Bay[2] and Manawatu[3] in the Air New Zealand Cup.

Raikabula has won five IRB Sevens World Series medals, a Rugby World Cup Sevens title, and two Commonwealth Games gold medals.

He played ten years for the New Zealand sevens team from 2006–2016, retiring from international rugby shortly before the 2016 Rio Summer Olympics, at the age of 33.

Coaching

In November 2016 he was appointed as the head coach of Rugby at Trinity College Kandy, Sri Lanka.[4] His services as the head coach of Rugby at Trinity College was discontinued effective from 2 June 2018.[5]

He is currently Head Coach of the Thailand Men's and Women’s 7s Team along with being Director of Rugby for the union[6]

Career highlights

  • New Zealand Sevens, 2006–2016
  • Hawke's Bay 2006, 2007
  • East Coast, 2005
  • Wellington Sevens, 2002–2005
  • Wellington Under 21, 2003

References

  1. ^ "AllBlacks.com". Archived from the original on 1 September 2013. Retrieved 14 August 2013.
  2. ^ "Heartland Championship".
  3. ^ "Yahoo Sports".
  4. ^ "All Black Lote Raikabula named Trinity coach".
  5. ^ "Inthi Marikar takes over Trinity Rugby". ThePapare.com. 2 June 2018. Retrieved 4 June 2018.
  6. ^ "Sevens LEGEND Raikabula trains Thailand Rugby". Asia Rugby. Retrieved 24 July 2019.