Fereti Tuilagi

OVERALL STATISTICS

BIRTHAGESIGNED ONFROM
09-06-1971
N/A
Date unknown.
Halifax Blue Sox
DEBUTLAST MATCHLEFT
14-02-1999 v Hunslet Hawks
Wigan Warriors
2000- Leicester RU
CAREERAPPEARANCES (SUBS)
1999-2000
62 (17)
TRIESGOALSDGOALSPTS
21
0
0
84

Biography of Fereti Tuilagi



HERITAGE NO : 1088
Fereti Tuilagi by Alex Service

The oldest of seven brothers Fereti Tuilagi was born in Apia, Western Samoa in June 1971 and universally known to rugby fans as Freddie. He first came to prominence in the Union code, playing for Samoa in their 1991 tour to New Zealand. A squad member in the Samoan World Cup squad that same year, he continued to play at international level, including the 1995 World Cup before turning to the 13 a side code with Halifax. He scored 57 tries in two seasons with the Blue Sox and became a flagship signing for the Saints under Coach Ellery Hanley in 1999.

Although considered intially to be a barnstorming winger, in the mould of Bradford Bulls winger Lesley Vainikolo, Freddie was used as an impact player by the Saints to great effect, operating as an extra centre, where his pace would help to break down the toughest of defences. The St.Helens team won their first Grand Final in 1999, against Bradford Bulls at Old Trafford and Freddie more than played his part in bringing the silverware back to Knowsley Road. He was a bundle of enthusiasm on the field and had a tackling technique which, at times, could only be described as reckless!

The Saints won their second title twelve months later against Wigan at Old Trafford and once again, Freddie had a major impact on th game with his penetrative running and thunderous tackles. In his Testimonial Brochure, full-back Paul Wellens describes the pre-match team talk, when Freddie was given a specific role to do, which he did to perfection:

"One player who had enjoyed a brilliant season was �Freddie� Tuilagi, who had been converted by Ellery Hanley from a �Vaikona� type winger into a superb impact player, operating almost as an extra centre. Freddie spoke in broken English, just like Maurie [Fa�savalu] did when he first came. We all agreed that Andy Farrell was Wigans most important player. Everything came through him on the field. From the back of the meeting, Freddie uttered this sentence of which the only recognisable word seemed to be �Farrell.� Kevin Iro used to be Freddie�s translator at times and Ian Millward asked him what he had said. It was something like �Don�t worry lads. I�ll bash Farrell!� It was a case of �Ok. Freddie�s going to take care of Farrell. Let�s move on to something else!�

It was his last game for the club and when the team returned to Knowsley Road with the trophy he danced around the pitch in what can only be described as Pacific Islands garb, together with team-mate Apollo Perelini, who was also leaving the club. Freddie returned to Union with Leicester Tigers and took up where he left off with Samoa. He also had spells with Cardiff Blues and the French outfit Castres Olympique before retirement. He now acts as an agent for players through his company which is called Global Bro Sports. Those who watched him in the famous red vee will never forget his total commitment to the cause and he remains a favourite of the fans to this day.



SEASON STATISTICS

Season (Official Matches)TriesGoalsDGoalsMatches
1999 11 0 0 34
200010 0 0 28
TOTALS:21 0 0 62
Season (Other Matches)TriesGoalsDGoalsMatches
20000002
TOTALS:0002

ALL MATCHES

DateMatchPosOpponentsCompVenueFTFTOTGDG
14th Feb 1999 1
W
 14 Hunslet Hawks SCCC4 A 40 10 VIEW
27th Feb 1999 2
L
 5 Leeds Rhinos SCCC5 A 16 24 VIEW
7th Mar 1999 3
W
 5 Salford Reds SL A 30 12 VIEW
21st Mar 1999 4
W
 5 Gateshead Thunder SL H 34 22 VIEW
2nd Apr 1999 5
W
 2 Wigan Warriors SL A 14 12 VIEW
5th Apr 1999 6
W
 2 Bradford Bulls SL H 58 14 1 VIEW
9th Apr 1999 7
W
 2 London Broncos SL A 34 18 VIEW
18th Apr 1999 8
W
 2 Sheffield Eagles SL H 39 30 VIEW
25th Apr 1999 9
W
 2 Hull Sharks SL A 30 10 VIEW
4th May 1999 10
W
 2 Leeds Rhinos SL H 62 18 VIEW
7th May 1999 11
W
 2 Huddersfield Giants SL A 11 0 1 VIEW
19th May 1999 12
W
 14 Castleford Tigers SL A 33 14 VIEW
23rd May 1999 13
W
 14 Warrington Wolves SL H 57 20 VIEW
30th May 1999 14
W
 11 Halifax Blue sox SL A 28 22 1 VIEW
6th Jun 1999 15
W
 11 Salford Reds SL H 48 0 1 VIEW
13th Jun 1999 16
L
 11 Gateshead Thunder SL A 20 32 1 VIEW
20th Jun 1999 17
L
 3 Wigan Warriors SL H 18 24 VIEW
25th Jun 1999 18
L
 3 Bradford Bulls SL A 22 46 VIEW
30th Jun 1999 19
W
 12 Halifax Blue sox SL H 46 10 1 VIEW
10th Jul 1999 20
W
 14 Sheffield Eagles SL A 21 16 VIEW
18th Jul 1999 21
W
 14 Hull Sharks SL H 74 16 1 VIEW
23rd Jul 1999 22
W
 14 Leeds Rhinos SL A 28 12 VIEW
30th Jul 1999 23
W
 4 Huddersfield Giants SL H 64 16 1 VIEW
8th Aug 1999 24
W
 14 Wakefield Trinity Wildcats SL H 42 34 1 VIEW
15th Aug 1999 25
W
 4 Warrington Wolves SL A 35 12 VIEW
22nd Aug 1999 26
W
 3 Salford Reds SL A 23 10 VIEW
25th Aug 1999 27
W
 3 Castleford Tigers SL H 42 14 1 VIEW
30th Aug 1999 28
L
 1 Gateshead Thunder SL H 32 36 VIEW
5th Sep 1999 29
L
 14 Wigan Warriors SL A 20 28 VIEW
10th Sep 1999 30
W
 14 Bradford Bulls SL H 25 16 VIEW
17th Sep 1999 31
W
 14 Leeds Rhinos SLQPO H 38 14 1 VIEW
26th Sep 1999 32
L
 14 Bradford Bulls SLQF A 4 40 VIEW
3rd Oct 1999 33
W
 11 Castleford Tigers SLEF H 36 6 VIEW
9th Oct 1999 34
W
 11 Bradford Bulls SLGF N 8 6 VIEW
9th Jan 2000 --
W
 11 Halifax Blue Sox* Fr A 29 26 VIEW
24th Jan 2000 35
L
 15 Melbourne Storm WCC N 6 44 VIEW
28th Jan 2000 --
L
 11 Huddersfield-Sheffield Giants* Fr H 10 20 VIEW
13th Feb 2000 36
W
 12 Swinton Lions SCCC4 A 36 22 VIEW
26th Feb 2000 37
L
 16 Leeds Rhinos SCCC5 A 20 26 VIEW
3rd Mar 2000 38
L
 15 Bradford Bulls SL H 10 32 VIEW
17th Mar 2000 39
W
 12 Hull Sharks SL A 28 20 VIEW
2nd Apr 2000 40
W
 12 Wakefield Trinity SL H 29 22 VIEW
7th Apr 2000 41
W
 12 Leeds Rhinos SL A 42 14 VIEW
16th Apr 2000 42
W
 12 Halifax Blue Sox SL H 52 20 VIEW
21st Apr 2000 43
W
 12 Wigan Warriors SL H 38 14 VIEW
24th Apr 2000 44
W
 12 Warrington Wolves SL A 47 34 1 VIEW
1st May 2000 45
W
 12 Huddersfield-Sheffield Giants SL H 50 30 VIEW
7th May 2000 46
W
 12 Castleford Tigers SL A 32 22 VIEW
12th May 2000 47
W
 12 London Broncos SL A 26 20 VIEW
21st May 2000 48
W
 12 Salford Reds SL H 46 22 VIEW
28th May 2000 49
W
 12 Hull Sharks SL H 27 14 VIEW
16th Jul 2000 50
W
 3 Huddersfield-Sheffield Giants SL A 40 24 2 VIEW
21st Jul 2000 51
W
 12 Castleford Tigers SL H 42 18 VIEW
30th Jul 2000 52
W
 12 Salford Reds SL A 58 4 1 VIEW
6th Aug 2000 53
W
 12 London Broncos SL H 46 12 1 VIEW
13th Aug 2000 54
L
 12 Wakefield Trinity SL A 16 32 2 VIEW
20th Aug 2000 55
W
 12 Warrington Wolves SL H 58 18 VIEW
27th Aug 2000 56
W
 12 Salford Reds SL H 50 28 VIEW
1st Sep 2000 57
W
 12 Leeds Rhinos SL A 35 20 VIEW
9th Sep 2000 58
W
 12 London Broncos SL A 38 12 2 VIEW
15th Sep 2000 59
L
 12 Wigan Warriors SL H 4 42 VIEW
22nd Sep 2000 60
W
 17 Bradford Bulls SLQPO H 16 11 VIEW
29th Sep 2000 61
W
 15 Wigan Warriors SLQF A 54 16 VIEW
14th Oct 2000 62
W
 15 Wigan Warriors SLGF N 29 16 1 VIEW
*Unofficial Match. **Non Playing Sub.
WINS : 51 | LOSSES : 13 | DRAWS :

GALLERY





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