Francis Meli

Francis Meli (born 27 April 1979) is a former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1990s, 2000s and 2010s. A Samoa and New Zealand international representative centre or winger, he played in the National Rugby League for New Zealand club, Auckland Warriors before playing in the Super League for English clubs, St Helens and Salford.[2]

Francis Meli
Meli playing for Samoa in 2008
Personal information
Born (1979-04-27) 27 April 1979
Apia, Western Samoa
Playing information
Height188 cm (6 ft 2 in)
Weight100 kg (15 st 10 lb; 220 lb)[1]
PositionWing, Centre
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1998–05 NZ Warriors 110 60 0 0 240
2006–13 St. Helens 223 145 0 0 580
2014 Salford Red Devils 19 14 0 0 56
Total 352 219 0 0 876
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
2000–10 Samoa 7 2 0 0 8
2001–04 New Zealand 14 6 0 0 24
2011–12 Exiles 3 4 0 0 16
Source: [2][3]

Background

Born in Apia, Samoa on 27 April 1979, Meli grew up in the Auckland suburb of Titirangi,[4] Meli began his rugby league career at the age of 9 when he joined the Avondale Wolves.[5] He eventually joined City Marist and played for the Marist Saints in the Auckland Rugby League.

Playing career

National Rugby League

Meli was then signed by the Auckland Warriors, and made his NRL début against the South Sydney Rabbitohs on 2 May 1999. Due to a feeder arrangement with the Warriors, Meli also played several games for Brisbane Souths in the Queensland Cup.[6] Meli played for Samoa in the 2000 World Cup.[7] In 2001 he then switched allegiance to New Zealand, playing in 14 test matches between 2001 and 2004. He played for the Warriors on the wing in their 2002 NRL Grand Final loss to the Sydney Roosters. In the post-season Meli was selected to go on the 2002 New Zealand rugby league tour of Great Britain and France. He was played on the wing in five test matches and scored 4 tries.

Meli scored a club record 23 tries for the Warriors in the 2003 NRL season. He scored 5 of those tries in a single finals game against the Canterbury Bulldogs, a feat still unbeaten in the finals. He played his 50th match for the club on 6 April 2003 and his 100th match against the Wests Tigers on 9 April 2005.[8][9] He was named the 2003 New Zealand Warriors’ Player of the Year. Meli was selected to play on the wing for New Zealand in the 2004 Anzac Test against Australia in Newcastle, New South Wales, the Kiwis losing to the Kangaroos 10-37. At the end of the season he was also selected to play for New Zealand on the wing in all four of their matches at the 2004 Rugby League Tri-Nations.

Super League
Meli warming up for St. Helens in the 2006 Super League Grand Final against Hull F.C. at Old Trafford

At the start of 2006 Meli joined St. Helens. He played for St Helens on the wing in their 2006 Challenge Cup Final victory against the Huddersfield Giants. St Helens reached the 2006 Super League Grand final to be contested against Hull FC, and Meli played on the wing, scoring a try in Saints' 26-4 victory. As 2006 Super League champions, St Helens faced 2006 NRL Premiers the Brisbane Broncos in the 2007 World Club Challenge. Meli played on the wing in the Saints' 18-14 victory. In his first three years at the club he acquired three Challenge Cup winning medals, a World Club Challenge winning medal and a Grand Final winning ring. He also played in 2008's Super League XIII Grand Final defeat by the Leeds Rhinos.[10] In 2008 Meli played for Samoa in the World Cup.[11][12] Visa issues due to the United Kingdoms new requirements curtailed the start of his 2009 campaign, however these issues were suffered by many imports that season.[13] He arrived back in the country five rounds late and was forced to start his season in the reserves.[14]

He played in the 2009 Super League Grand Final defeat by the Leeds Rhinos at Old Trafford.[15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26]

Meli was named in the Samoan squad for the 2009 Pacific Cup.[27]

At the start of 2010 Meli was granted compassionate leave to briefly return to New Zealand.[28][29]

Meli was selected to play for the Exiles by coach Brian McLennan. He started the game on the wing against England, and scored a try in the 16-12 Exiles win. Francis was selected again to represent the Exiles by new coach Daniel Anderson, Meli started Game 1 on the wing and scored a try in the 18-10 loss to England. Meli also featured on the wing for Game 2 and was instrumental in helping the Exiles to a 32-20 win by scoring 2 tries and helping the Exiles retain the International Origin trophy.

He played in the 2011 Super League Grand Final defeat by the Leeds Rhinos at Old Trafford.[30][31]

Meli played for Super League side Salford Red Devils for the 2014 season after signing a one-year contract at the club. Meli retired at the conclusion of the 2014 season after failing to be offered a new contract.[32]

References
  1. "Meet the Teams First Team Players". web page. Saints RFC. 2011. Retrieved 11 June 2011.
  2. "Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org". rugbyleagueproject.org. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  3. loverugbyleague
  4. Meli gets ready to sock it to them Western Leader, 13 March 2003
  5. "Warriors profile: Francis Meli". One Sport. 14 April 2005. Retrieved 30 September 2011.
  6. Richard Becht Backs To The Future Scoop Sport, 16 March 2000
  7. Shawn Dollin, Andrew Ferguson and Bill Bates. "Samoa vs. New Zealand Maori". Rugby League Project. Retrieved 9 February 2012.
  8. Francis Meli will play his 50th NRL match for the Warriors Western Leader, 4 April 2003
  9. Warrior makes it to 100 Western Leader, 27 May 2005. p.1.
  10. "2008 Grand Final". BBC. 4 October 2008. Retrieved 5 October 2008.
  11. "Samoa name World Cup Squad". League Unlimited. 5 August 2008. Archived from the original on 17 July 2011. Retrieved 2008-08-06.
  12. "Samoa, Tonga and Fiji name squads". BBC. 8 October 2008. Retrieved 9 October 2008.
  13. Brad Walter and Maria Tsialis Held up: Australian players in limbo after changes to processing of visa applications Sydney Morning Herald, 6 February 2009
  14. https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2009/mar/18/francis-meli-st-helens-leeds
  15. "Rhinos Take Super League Title". Sky News. 11 October 2009. Retrieved 22 November 2019.
  16. Burke, David (11 October 2009). "Smith's Crisp". The Daily Mirror. Retrieved 22 November 2019.
  17. AFP (11 October 2009). "Leeds makes it Super League hat-trick". ABC News. Retrieved 22 November 2019.
  18. AAP (11 October 2009). "Leeds claim third successive Grand Final". nrl.com. Archived from the original on 3 October 2012. Retrieved 22 November 2019.
  19. Linfoot, Ben (10 October 2009). "Grand Final: Leeds Rhinos 18 St Helens 10". Sky Sports. Retrieved 22 November 2019.
  20. Correspondent (12 October 2009). "Potter refuses to blame video ref". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 22 November 2019.
  21. Fletcher, Paul (10 October 2009). "St Helens 10-18 Leeds Rhinos". BBC Sport. Retrieved 22 November 2019.
  22. "Third time unlucky as Saints fail to halt Rhinos' charge to title". Liverpool Daily Post. 12 October 2009. Retrieved 22 November 2019.
  23. "Sinfield hails winning culture". The Daily Mirror. 11 October 2009. Retrieved 22 November 2019.
  24. Stewart, Rob (12 October 2009). "Lee Smith targets place in England rugby union team after Grand Final victory". The Telegraph. Retrieved 22 November 2019.
  25. "Sinfield hails historic title win". BBC Sport. 11 October 2009. Retrieved 22 November 2019.
  26. "Leeds Rhinos fans in homecoming welcome". Yorkshire Evening Post. 12 October 2009. Retrieved 22 November 2019.
  27. Poching names strong Samoan squad Archived 10 October 2009 at the Wayback Machine therhinos.co.uk, 6 October 2009
  28. Francis Meli returns home as St Helens impress in testimonial The Guardian, 22 January 2010
  29. Saints Clear Meli to Head Home sportinglife.com
  30. "Leeds claim Grand Final glory as inspired Rob Burrow sinks St Helens". Guardian. 8 October 2011. Retrieved 21 November 2019.
  31. "St Helens 16 Leeds 32". Daily Telegraph. 8 October 2011. Retrieved 21 November 2019.
  32. http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/meli-wont-offered-new-salford-7649451
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