Joe Rokocoko
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Template:IPA notice Josevata Taliga "Joe" Rokocoko (Template:IPA2, born 6 June 1983 in Nadi, Fiji) is a New Zealand rugby union player, generally regarded as one of the rising stars in today's game.
He moved to New Zealand with his family when he was five years old, and grew up in South Auckland, attending Papakura High School. He later won a scholarship to Saint Kentigern College, where he was a member of the 2001 National Secondary School Boys First XV. 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 is a large (98kg and 1.89 m tall) and blazingly fast winger of Fijian heritage; he has often been compared to another large All Blacks wing of Pacific Islander heritage, Jonah Lomu.
Rokocoko made his first appearance for the All Blacks on 14 June 2003 against England. He has so far had a mind-boggling 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 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.
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. As of 1 January 2005 he has scored 27 tries in 23 test matches, but having struggled in NPC and Super 12 in 2004 has struggled to maintain his All Blacks starting place in 2005. Ironically, one of his main competitors for an All Blacks spot is his cousin Sitiveni Sivivatu. Rokocoko returned to the All Blacks lineup for the 2005 Tri Nations, punctuating his comeback with a two-try effort in the All Blacks' pivotal home fixture against South Africa.
Rokocoko is also a cousin of former Auckland Blues and All Black winger Joeli Vidiri and NPC, Super 12, and New Zealand sevens player Iliesa Tanivula.Template:Ref
References
- Template:Note {{cite news
|title="Joe Rokocoko - An ace up the Blues' sleeve" |url=http://www.rugbyworld.com/Super_12/Tournament_News/story_28101.shtml |author=Jan de Koning |accessdate=2006-01-30 |publisher=Rugby World }}