Joe Rokocoko

Rugger
name = Joe Rokocoko


caption =
birthname = Josevata Taliga Rokocoko
nickname = Rocket Man, Roks, Smokin Joe, The Flying Fijian
birthyear = 1983
birthmonth = 6
birthday = 6
placeofbirth = Nadi, Fiji
dateofdeath =
placeofdeath =
height = height|m=1.89
weight = convert|98|kg|stlb|abbr=on
ru_position = Wing
allblackno = 1032
allblackid = 1034
ru_amateuryears =
ru_amateurclubs = University
ru_amupdate = 1 Sept 2006
ru_nationalteam = flagicon|New Zealand New Zealand
ru_nationalyears = 2003-current
ru_nationalcaps = 48
ru_nationalpoints = (215) T43
ru_ntupdate = 29 September 2007
ru_clubyears =
ru_proclubs =
ru_clubcaps =
ru_clubpoints =
ru_clubupdate =
ru_currentclub =
super14 = flagicon|New Zealand Blues
super14years =2003-current
super14caps = 46
super14points =(80)
super14currentclub =
super14update =8 June 2006
ru_province = flagicon|New Zealand Auckland
ru_provinceyears = 2004-current
ru_provincecaps = 16
ru_provincepoints = (25)
ru_provinceupdate = 2006
ru_sevensnationalyears =
ru_sevensnationalteam =
ru_sevensnationalcaps(points) =
ru_sevensupdate =
ru_coachclubs =
ru_coachyears =
ru_coachupdate =
other = yes
occupation =
family =
spouse = Beverly Politini
children =
relatives =
school = Saint Kentigern College
university =

Josevata Taliga "Joe" Rokocoko (ROCK-o-THO-ko) (IPA2|rɒkɒˈðɒkɒ, born 6 June 1983 in Nadi, Fiji) is a professional New Zealand rugby union player.

Rokocoko is known for his speed and strength which has accounted for his incredible try strike rate. He is a specialist left-winger but has occasionally played on the right wing for New Zealand to accommodate another left-wing specialist, Sitiveni Sivivatu.

Biography

Joe Rokocoko migrated to New Zealand with his family at the age of 5, settling in South Auckland, and attending James Cook High School. He later won a scholarship to Saint Kentigern College, where he was a member of the 2001 National Secondary Schools team. After an outstanding career with New Zealand international sides at under-16, under-19, and under-21 level, he started playing Super 12 rugby for the Blues in 2003.

Rokocoko made his first appearance for the All Blacks on 14 June 2003 against England. He has so far had a high strike rate for the All Blacks, scoring 25 tries in his first 20 tests, and breaking the All Blacks single-season record for test tries previously shared by Jonah Lomu and Christian Cullen—his 17 test tries scored in 2003 equals the world record held by Daisuke Ohata of Japan. The International Rugby Players' Association named him new player of the year in 2003.

His incredible speed has been seen many a time through out his career and has a standing 40 meter sprint time of 4.66 seconds.

On 19 June 2004, in the All Blacks' second 2004 test with England, Rokocoko shredded the England defence for three tries in a 36-12 All Blacks victory over the reigning Rugby World Cup champions.

Rokocoko made his NPC debut for Auckland in 2004. Rokocoko returned to the All Blacks line-up for the 2005 Tri Nations, punctuating his comeback with a two-try effort in the All Blacks' pivotal home fixture against South Africa. As from the end of the 2006 season he has scored 35 tries in 39 test matches.

Rokocoko is a cousin of former Auckland Blues and All Black winger Joeli Vidiri and NPC, Super 12, and New Zealand sevens player Iliesa Tanivula. [cite news
title="Joe Rokocoko - An ace up the Blues' sleeve"
url=http://www.rugbyworld.com/Super_12/Tournament_News/story_28101.shtml
author=Jan de Koning
accessdate=2006-01-30
publisher=Rugby World] He and fellow All Black wing Sitiveni Sivivatu regard themselves as "cousins" as Sivivatu lived with the Rokocoko family, but they are not actual cousins. [Citation | title =Traditional post-match kava will have to wait this time | newspaper =New Zealand Herald | pages = | year =2006 | date =1 September 2006 | url = ]

In November 2006, Rokocoko asked New Zealand rugby management to list his name on team releases as Josevata, his Christian birth name, as opposed to Joe. [cite news
last=Smith
first=Tony
title=Joe becomes Josevata
url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3856837a10295,00.html
publisher= Fairfax Media / Stuff.co.nz
date=11 November 2006
accessdate=2006-11-11]

In January 2008, Joe got married to his long-time sweetheart Beverly Politini, the daughter of Howard Politini, a Major in the Fiji Military. The wedding was attended by a large number of All Blacks [cite news
title=All Black getting married
url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/4344739a1823.html
publisher= Fairfax Media / Stuff.co.nz
date=4 January 2008
accessdate=2008-01-04] .

References

Joe Rokocoko has scored 43 tries in 48 testsHe has scored 4 hat-tricks in his career -one against France 2003-one against Australia 2003-one against England 2004-one against Romania 2007

External links

*
* [http://www.rugbymuseum.co.nz/ABProfilee.asp?level1=All_Blacks&Level2=ABC&IDID=1034 New Zealand Rugby Museum article on Rokocoko]
* [http://www.theblues.co.nz/player/profile.html?playerid=804429 Rokocoko profile from official Blues Super 12 site]
* [http://www.itsrugby.co.uk/player_2045.html Statistics itsrugby.co.uk]