Sam Rapira

Sam Rapira (born 8 April 1987) is a New Zealand former professional rugby league footballer who last played for Toulouse Olympique in the Betfred Championship. He played as a prop.[2]

For the New Zealand boxing promoter and boxer, see Sam Rapira (boxer).

Sam Rapira
Personal information
Born (1987-04-08) 8 April 1987
Hamilton, New Zealand
Playing information
Height1.84 m (6 ft 1⁄2 in)
Weight110 kg (17 st 5 lb)
PositionProp
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
2006–15 New Zealand Warriors 173 14 0 0 56
2016–17 Huddersfield Giants 43 3 0 0 12
2018 Toulouse Olympique 14 0 0 0 0
Total 230 17 0 0 68
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
2007–11 New Zealand 13 0 0 0 0
New Zealand Māori
Source: [1][2]

A New Zealand international representative he previously played in the National Rugby League for the New Zealand Warriors and the Huddersfield Giants in the Super League. Rapira was also part of the New Zealand team that won the 2008 World Cup.

Background

Rapira was in Hamilton, New Zealand.

Early years

The older brother of Steve, Sam Rapira attended Hamilton Boys' High School and played for the Hukanui club.[3] He later played for the Waicoa Bay Stallions in the Bartercard Cup. Rapira first made the Junior Kiwis in 2004, and played for them again in 2005. Also in 2005 he was named in the New Zealand Residents squad.

Rapira playing for the Warriors in 2013

Playing career

New Zealand Warriors

Rapira made his NRL debut for the Warriors in 2006 against the Wests Tigers.

In 2007 he played in all 26 games for the club.

In 2011 Rapira extended his contract with the club until the end of the 2014 season.[4] Rapira announced that he was leaving the Warriors at the end of the 2015 NRL season to join the Huddersfield Giants on a two season deal from 2016 [5]

Huddersfield Giants

Rapira spent the 2016 and 2017 seasons playing for the Huddersfield Giants in the Super League.

Toulouse Olympique

Rapira joined Toulouse ahead of the 2018 season.[6]

International career

In 2006 he played for New Zealand 'A'.

Rapira was first selected to play for the New Zealand national team from the interchange bench in the 2007 ANZAC Test loss against Australia.[7]

In August 2008, Rapira was named in the New Zealand training squad for the 2008 World Cup,[8] and in October 2008, he was named in the final 24-man Kiwi squad.[9] He was part of the team that won the World Cup Final.

For the 2010 Anzac Test, Rapira was selected to play for New Zealand at prop forward in their loss against Australia.

References
  1. loverugbyleague
  2. "Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org". rugbyleagueproject.org. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  3. World Cup Stars for Vodafone Warriors trial in Hamilton Warriors Official Site
  4. Rapira commits to Warriors rleague.com, 13 November 2011
  5. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 26 June 2015. Retrieved 30 July 2015.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  6. "Sam Rapira: Huddersfield Giants prop to join Toulouse". BBC Sport. 6 September 2017. Retrieved 13 December 2017.
  7. "Anzac Test Match 2007". rugbyleagueproject.org. Shawn Dollin, Andrew Ferguson and Bill Bates. Retrieved 1 September 2013.
  8. "Kiwis select Sonny Bill". Sky Sports. 8 August 2008. Retrieved 8 August 2008.
  9. "Kiwis to wait on Webb and Matai". BBC. 7 October 2008. Retrieved 7 October 2008.
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