- Mateaki Mafi
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Mateaki Mafi Personal information Full name Mateaki Fonnama'atonga Mafi Nickname Matti[1] Born 19 September 1972 Height 178 cm (5 ft 10 in) Weight 86 kg (13 st 8 lb) Playing information Rugby league Position Wing Club Years Team Pld T G FG P 1995–1997 Warrington Wolves Representative Years Team Pld T G FG P 1995 Tonga Rugby union Position Wing Club Years Team Pld T G FG P 199?–1999 Dunvant RFC 2000–200? Bridgend RFC 200?–2004 Taibach RFC Total 0 0 0 0 0 Source: RLP Mateaki Fonnama'atonga Mafi is a Tongan rugby football player who represented his country in both rugby league and rugby union, most notably at the 1995 Rugby League World Cup, and at the 1992 Summer Olympics as a 200m sprinter.
Contents
Athletic career
Mafi was a 200m sprinter and as a 19 year old represented Tonga at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona. He finished fifth in his heat and failed to make the quarterfinals.[2]
Rugby union career
Mafi was a rugby union player in the Tongan domestic competition.[3]
Rugby league career
Mafi switched to rugby league in 1995, joining the Warrington Wolves in England. He was named in the Tongan squad for the 1995 World Cup.[4] Along with Willie Swann and Martin Dermott, Mafi was sacked by Warrington early in the 1997 season after the club had a poor start to the season.[3]
Return to rugby union
Mafi then returned to rugby union, joining Dunvant RFC in Wales.[5] In 2000 he moved to the Bridgend RFC,[6] before finishing his career with the Taibach RFC. He retired in 2004.[7]
During his time in rugby union he represented Tonga at rugby sevens and also played for the Barbarians FC.[8]
Later years
Mafi now works as a security guard at the Queens Arcade in Cardiff.[1] He also shows his Neapolitan Mastiffs at dog shows, winning two awards at the 2008 Crufts.[8]
References
- ^ a b Queens Arcade racers get top tips from Olympian South Wales Echo, 26 August 2009
- ^ Mateaki Mafi Sports Reference LLC
- ^ a b Warrington sack three players The Independent, 18 March 1997
- ^ Offiah kicks off on winning note; New Broncos star fails to score but shows glimpse of his magic The Daily Mail, 5 August 1996
- ^ Welsh / Scottish League Premier Division: Dunvant Need Slade; Dunvant 22 Edinburgh Reivers 29 The Mirror, 20 September 1999
- ^ Cardiff crash to Newport BBC Sport, 27 February 2000
- ^ season 2004 Taibach RFC
- ^ a b Rugby player’s new Crufts success South Wales Echo, 15 March 2008
Tonga squad – 1995 Rugby League World Cup Categories:- Living people
- Tongan rugby league players
- Tonga national rugby league team players
- Warrington Wolves players
- 1972 births
- Olympic athletes of Tonga
- Tongan rugby union players
- Athletes (track and field) at the 1992 Summer Olympics
- Tonga international rugby union players
- Bridgend RFC players
- Security guards
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