Peni Ravai

Peni Ravai

Ravai in 2014
Full name	Peni Ravai Kovekalou
Date of birth	(1990-06-16) 16 June 1990
Place of birth	Natuva, Vugalei, Tailevu, Fiji
Height	1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Weight	119 kg (18 st 10 lb)
Rugby union career
Playing career
Position	Hooker/Prop/Centre/Wing
Amateur clubs
Years	Club / team
2009−16	Nadroga
Professional / senior clubs
Years	Club / team	Caps	(points)
2014 2016	Rams Woodlands	4	(0)
Provincial/State sides
Years	Club / team	Caps	(points)
2016−	Southland	9	10
National team(s)
Years	Club / team	Caps	(points)
2013	Fiji	18	(5)
correct as of 28 November 2016.
Sevens national teams
Years	Club / team		Comps
2013	Fiji		2013 USA Sevens

Peni Ravai Kovekalou (born 16 June 1990) in Tailevu, Fiji is a Fijian rugby union footballer. He currently plays at hooker and prop for the Flying Fijians and for Southland in the Mitre 10 Cup in New Zealand. He has also played at centre and on the wings.

Career

Ravai grew up playing rugby in the backline. He played wing and centre. When he made it to provincial level, he started playing in the forwards as there was no place in the backline. He became Nadroga's starting prop and at times played on the flanks as well as in the backline. He has also played 7's rugby for Davetalevu. He joined the Fiji Barbarians team at the Uprising 7's tournament and helped them win the title.^[1]

In February 2013, He was selected into the Fiji 7's team to replace the injured Josua Tuisova.^[2] He made his international 7's debut at the 2013 USA Sevens. He is also Fiji's first international prop to play international 7's rugby for Fiji.

He was then recruited by Inoke Male, the Fiji 15's coach to join the team on their 2013 end-of-year rugby union internationals. He made his debut off the bench at hooker against Romania.

In August 2014, he was signed by Greater Sydney Rams to join the newly created, National Rugby Championship in Australia.^[3] He made his debut at hooker for the RAMS in October.^[4]

In May 2015, he was named in the Fiji Warriors team to tour Uruguay in the 2015 mid-year rugby union internationals.^[5] He started at Loosehead prop in the first match against Uruguay and kept his place in the starting XV a few days later when the Warriors faced Argentina Jaguars. The Warriors won all their games on tour. He was included in the Fiji side for the 2015 World Rugby Pacific Nations Cup. He came off the bench against the Māori All Blacks in their one-off test. He then came off the bench against Tonga scoring a try in the 73rd minute to seal Fiji a win. He started at Loose-head prop against Samoa a week later. In May 2016, he captained the Fiji Warriors side to a 2 match win against the Uruguay national team during the 2016 mid-year rugby union internationals. The same month he was signed by the Woodlands Rugby Club and would be in the hunt to make the Southland Stags side for the 2016 Mitre 10 Cup.^[6]

In July 2016, he was included in the Southland Stags side for the 2016 Mitre 10 Cup.^[7] He made his debut against Otago in the first round.

In November 2016, he joined Fiji for the 2016 end-of-year rugby union internationals. He came off the bench against England national rugby union team in the 5th minute after Campese Ma’afu was taken off and gained metres with ball in hand. He then started at loosehead against Japan and played just as well^[8]

References

External links

• Peni Ravai at ESPNscrum