Josevata Taliga "Joe" Rokocoko (ROCK-o-THO-ko) (IPA: [rɒkɒˈðɒkɒ], born 6 June 1983 in Nadi, Fidschi) is a professional Neuseeland rugby union player.
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| Height | 1.89 m (6 ft 2+1⁄2 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Weight | 98 kg (15 st 6 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| School | Saint Kentigern College | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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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. However due to Sivivatu's poor form in 2007 there have been several calls to re instate him to no. 11 and add leile masaga to the no. 14 role.
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.
He is widely regarded as the best rugby player in the world but has been snubbed by the irb for this title due to generally poor club form and his international team, the all blacks, failiure to win the rugby world cup..
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.[1] 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.[2]
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.[3]
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[4]
References
- ^ Jan de Koning. ""Joe Rokocoko - An ace up the Blues' sleeve"". Rugby World. Retrieved 2006-01-30.
- ^ "Traditional post-match kava will have to wait this time", New Zealand Herald, 1 September 2006
{{citation}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link) - ^ Smith, Tony (11 November 2006). "Joe becomes Josevata". Fairfax Media / Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 2006-11-11.
- ^ "All Black getting married". Fairfax Media / Stuff.co.nz. 04 January 2008. Retrieved 2008-01-04.
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