Lome Fa'atau

Who is Lome Fa'atau?

Lome Fa'atau is a rugby union player. He currently plays for the Rugby Nice Côte d'Azur in the French Fédérale 1. The speedy winger is recognisable by his traditional Samoan tattoo. Before his rugby career took off, he attended St Patricks College in Wellington, where he was a star basketball player for his college team. It was not until he left college did he begin playing rugby union for the local club Marist St.Pat's, where he made his debut in the third grade division at fullback.

He made his provincial debut in the 1999 season of the National Provincial Championship in New Zealand, playing for Wellington. The next year he joined Taranaki and became the leading try scorer for the province that season. The following year he returned to his old province in Wellington. In 2002 he played for the Hurricanes in the international Super 12 competition. Two years later he joined the Chiefs before returning to the Hurricanes.

He made his debut for Manu Samoa in 2002. Fa'atau played on the wing in all matches for Samoa in the 2003 World Cup in Australia, except for the match against Georgia, Fa'atau scored one try during the World Cup. Fa'atau describes his best rugby memory as making the Manu Samoa team.