Kemu Valetini
Date of birth | 26 August 1994 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Place of birth | Melbourne, Australia | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Height | 185 cm (6 ft 1 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Weight | 110 kg (243 lb; 17 st 5 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Notable relative(s) | Rob Valetini (brother) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Kemueli Valetini (born 26 August 1994) is a Fijian rugby union player, currently playing for the Drua. His preferred position is fly-half or centre.[1]
Early career
[edit]Valetini grew up in Melbourne, and played in the Dewar Shield for the Harlequins club.[2] He is the brother of Australia international Rob Valetini.[3]
Professional career
[edit]Valetini began his professional career in Melbourne with the Melbourne Rising, and trained with the full Rebels side.[4] Following a knee injury, he moved to Spain to represent Valladolid RAC but returned due to the COVID-19 pandemic and another knee injury.[5] In 2022, he joined Manly, where he impressed.[6] He was picked up by the Drua on a short-term contract during the 2023 Super Rugby Pacific season,[7] and made his debut in Round 3 of the season against the Crusaders,[8] where he kicked the winning penalty to seal the victory.[9]
References
[edit]- ^ "Kemu Valetini". Ultimate Rugby. Retrieved 19 March 2023.
- ^ "Kemu Valetini". Harlequins Rugby. Retrieved 19 March 2023.
- ^ "'Never too old to debut': Wallaby star's brother becomes the hero for the Fijian Drua". Rugby Pass. 12 March 2023. Retrieved 19 March 2023.
- ^ "Rising Star: Kemu Valetini". Melbourne Rebels. 29 August 2018. Retrieved 19 March 2023.
- ^ "'It hasn't come easy': Drua hero Kemu Valetini opens up on tough '10 years'". Rugby Pass. 18 March 2023. Retrieved 19 March 2023.
- ^ "Kemu Valetini: Wallabies' brother leading Manly's Shute Shield revival". Rugby News. 5 July 2022. Retrieved 19 March 2023.
- ^ "Kemu Valetini on short term contract with Drua". FBC News. 23 January 2023. Retrieved 19 March 2023.
- ^ "Sau to make debut, potential debut for Valetini" (Press release). Fijian Drua. 9 March 2023. Retrieved 9 March 2023.
- ^ "Valetini takes back seat to brother's special Fiji win". Yahoo News. 13 March 2023. Retrieved 19 March 2023.
External links
[edit]- 1994 births
- Living people
- Australian rugby union players
- Fijian rugby union players
- Rugby union fly-halves
- Rugby union centres
- Melbourne Rising players
- Fijian Drua players
- Rugby union players from Melbourne
- Manly RUFC players
- Valladolid RAC players
- Expatriate rugby union players in Spain
- Fiji international rugby union players
- Fijian rugby union biography stubs