Kapeli Pifeleti (born September 1, 1999)[3] is a rugby union player who plays as a hooker and prop for Saracens in Premiership Rugby and the United States national team. Born in Tonga,[4] Pifeleti has also represented the United States with the USA Selects and England with the England national under-18 team.
| Date of birth | September 1, 1999 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Place of birth | Tonga | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 245 lb (111 kg) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| School | Haileybury College | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Notable relative(s) | Fakaʻosi Pifeleti (brother) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Club career
editSaracens Academy
editPifeleti played for Saracens F.C. in 2017 and 2018, making appearances with the Saracens Storm and Saracens Under-18 sides.[5][6]
San Diego Legion
editIn late 2018, it was announced that Pifeleti would play for the San Diego Legion during Major League Rugby's 2019 season.[4] Pifeleti made his debut for the Legion on January 27, 2019, appearing as a substitute and playing at prop, in a 25–23 defeat to Rugby United New York.[7] Pifeleti made his first start for the Legion on February 9, 2019, playing at hooker, in a 17–13 victory over Houston.[8]
International career
editEngland under-18 team
editPifeleti was named to the roster for the England national under-18 team in 2018.[9]
USA Selects
editHaving lived several years in San Francisco while growing up, Pifeleti was eligible to play for the USA.[10] Pifeleti was named to the roster for the USA Selects ahead of the 2018 Americas Pacific Challenge.[11] However, he did not make an appearance for the team during the competition.[4]
USA Eagles
editPifeleti made his debut for the USA Eagles on February 23, 2019, appearing as a substitute, in the Eagles' 33–28 victory over Brazil during the 2019 Americas Rugby Championship.[12] Pifeleti qualified to represent the United States by meeting World Rugby's residency requirement.[13]
Personal life
editPifeleti has an older brother, Fakaʻosi Pifeleti, who also plays rugby as a prop for the San Diego Legion.[13] Their father, ʻOtenili Pifeleti, played rugby for the Tonga national and Samoa national teams,[14] and served as captain of the former during the 1980s.[15]
References
edit- ^ "Kapeli Pifelei". its rugby. Retrieved October 3, 2021.
- ^ "Kapeli Pifelei". espnscrum. Retrieved September 16, 2021.
- ^ "Kapeli Pifeleti". espn.co.uk. ESPN. Retrieved March 12, 2019.
- ^ a b c "San Diego Legion reveal 2019 MLR roster". Americas Rugby News. December 18, 2018. Retrieved March 12, 2019.
- ^ "Report: U18s Edge 11-Try Thriller at Allianz Park". Saracens F.C. January 30, 2017. Retrieved March 13, 2019.
- ^ "Storm Team to Face Richmond". Saracens F.C. August 24, 2018. Retrieved March 13, 2019.
- ^ "New York beat San Diego in MLR debut". Americas Rugby News. January 27, 2019. Retrieved March 13, 2019.
- ^ "Legion leave it late to beat SaberCats". Americas Rugby News. February 10, 2019. Retrieved March 13, 2019.
- ^ "Barlow Included in England U18s 2018 Squad". Harlequin F.C. February 19, 2018. Retrieved March 12, 2019.
- ^ "San Diego Legion Signs Kapeli Pifeleti". djcoilrugby. Retrieved February 25, 2021.
- ^ "USA add England hooker Pifeleti to APC roster". Americas Rugby News. September 27, 2018. Retrieved March 12, 2019.
- ^ "Americas Rugby Championship - TX, 23 February 2019, 19:10 local, 03:10 GMT +1d". espn.co.uk. ESPN. Retrieved March 12, 2019.
- ^ a b "Foreign-Born Players in 2019 Americas Rugby Championship". Americas Rugby News. January 31, 2019. Retrieved March 13, 2019.
- ^ "ʻOtenili Pifeleti". espn.co.uk. ESPN. Retrieved March 13, 2019.
- ^ "Kapeli Pifeleti". San Diego Legion. Retrieved March 13, 2019.