Name Sekope Kepu Spouse Anna Kepu Role Rugby union player | Height 1.88 m Siblings Sione Kepu Weight 125 kg | |
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Children Faith-Rose Kepu, Israel Kepu Similar Dave Dennis (rugby union), Ben Mowen, Nick Cummins Profiles | ||
Education Wesley College, Auckland | ||
Sekope kepu try rugby championship australia vs new zealand
Sekope Kepu is an Australian professional rugby union player. He is a prop for the New South Wales Waratahs and has previously played for French club Bordeaux. He also plays for the Wallabies in international matches.
Contents
- Sekope kepu try rugby championship australia vs new zealand
- Sekope kepu analysis
- Early life
- Rugby Union Career
- 2011
- References
Sekope kepu analysis
Early life
Kepu was born in Sydney, Australia to Tongan parents, but his family relocated to Auckland while he was still a youngster. He began playing rugby with Tamaki Rugby Football Club Under 7s and attended school in the suburb of Glen Innes in Auckland.
Kepu captained the Wesley College first XV from the number eight position in 2004, before switching to the front row with the New Zealand under-19s in 2005. He represented New Zealand at under 17, 19 and 21 levels.
Rugby Union Career
Between 2005 and 2007, Kepu was a member of the wider training group for the Chiefs, and was a stand out player for Counties Manukau in the Air New Zealand Cup in 2006. A broken collarbone ruined his 2007 season and saw him end the year without a Super 14 contract.
Kepu moved to back Sydney at the age of 21 to play for the NSW Waratahs. He made his Super Rugby debut on 1 March 2008 against the Highlanders in Dunedin, playing as the starting loosehead after Wallabies prop Al Baxter was ruled out due to a head knock.
In June 2008, Kepu played for Australia A in the 2008 Pacific Nations Cup. He was selected for the Wallabies on the 2008 and 2009 Spring tours, and made his test debut for Australia on 8 November 2008, against Italy at Padova. He gained two more tests caps from the bench on those tours but then had to bide his time for more than a year before making another test appearance.
2011
Kepu had a strong season at the Waratahs in 2011 with 13 Super Rugby appearances, including 12 starts.
In the 2011 Tri Nations Series, Kepu became the first choice loosehead prop for the Wallabies after Benn Robinson was ruled out of the entire campaign due to a knee injury. He started in all four tests and cemented his position. Australia won the 2011 Tri Nations cup.
Kepu was a key player for Australia at the 2011 Rugby World Cup, starting in six out of seven matches that the Wallabies played in the tournament.
In March 2013, he re-signed with Australian Rugby to commit to the Wallabies and Waratahs for a further two years.
Kepu's third Super Rugby try against the Chiefs in Round 15 of 2017 was well-received by the press.