Full name Tauate Valu Uwe Helu | Height 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in) Playing position | |
Born 12 July 1990 (age 26)Tonga ( 1990-07-12 ) Weight 115 kg (18 st 2 lb; 254 lb) School(s) attended St Thomas of Canterbury College School St Thomas of Canterbury College | ||
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Uwe Helu (ヘルウヴェ, Helu Uwe, born 12 July 1990) is a Tongan-born, Japanese international rugby union player who plays as a lock or flanker. He currently plays for Sunwolves in Super Rugby and Yamaha Júbilo in Japan's domestic Top League.
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Club career
Helu was born in Tonga, attended secondary school in Christchurch, New Zealand and then university in Tokyo, Japan. After graduating from university he signed up to play Top League rugby with Yamaha Júbilo in 2014. His appearances were sparse in his first two seasons with Yamaha, but in 2016 he began to be much more of a regular in the side.
International
After only 13 Top League appearances for Yamaha Júbilo, which included 3 starts, Helu received his first call-up to his adopted country, Japan's senior squad ahead of the 2016 end-of-year rugby union internationals. He debuted as a second half replacement in new head coach, Jamie Joseph's first game, a 54-20 loss at home to Argentina.