Christian Leali'ifano

{{Infobox rugby biography

| name = Christian Leali'ifano

| image = Christian Lealiifano July 2013.jpg

| image_size =

| caption = Leali'ifano representing ACT Brumbies during Super Rugby

| fullname = Christian Pharaoh Leali'ifano

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1987|09|24|df=y}}

| birth_place = Auckland, New Zealand

| height = {{convert|1.81|m|ftin|0|abbr=on}}

| weight = {{convert|92|kg|lb stlb|0|abbr=on}}

| school = Peter Lalor Secondary College

| university =

| relatives =

| position = Fly-half, Centre

| currentclub = RFCLA

| years1 = 2007

| clubs1 = Canberra Vikings

| apps1 = 6

| points1 = 10

| years2 = 2008–2019

| clubs2 = ACT Brumbies

| apps2 = 150

| points2 = 963

| years3 = 2010

| clubs3 = Waikato

| apps3 = 11

| points3 = 5

| years4 = 2014–2015

| clubs4 = Canberra Vikings

| apps4 = 10

| points4 = 90

| years5 = 2016–2017

| clubs5 = → Ulster (loan)

| apps5 = 17

| points5 = 47

| years6 = 2019

| clubs6 = Toyota Shuttles

| apps6 = 9

| points6 = 5

| years7 = 2020

| clubs7 = NTT Shining Arcs

| apps7 = 6

| points7 = 41

| years8 = 2022–

| clubs8 = Moana Pasifika

| apps8 = 29

| points8 = 146

| years9 = 2024

| clubs9 = Auckland

| apps9 = 2

| points9 = 13

| years10 = 2025–

| clubs10 = RFCLA

| apps10 =

| points10 =

| repyears1 = 2006

| repteam1 = Australia U19

| repcaps1 = 5

| reppoints1 = 10

| repyears2 = 2006

| repteam2 = Australia U21

| repcaps2 = 4

| reppoints2 = 3

| repyears3 = 2013–2019

| repteam3 = Australia

| repcaps3 = 26

| reppoints3 = 171

| repyears4 = 2023–

| repteam4 = Samoa

| repcaps4 = 9

| reppoints4 = 49

| clubupdate = 6 November 2024

| repupdate = 18 May 2024

| ru_sevensnationalyears1 =

| ru_sevensnationalteam1 =

| ru_sevensnationalcomp1 =

| ru_sevensupdate =

}}

Christian Pharaoh Leali'ifano (born 24 September 1987) is a professional rugby union player who plays as a fly-half for Super Rugby club Moana Pasifika. Born in New Zealand, he represents Samoa at international level after qualifying on ancestry grounds,{{cite web |title=Brumbies Profile: Christian Lealiifano |publisher=Brumbies |date=20 March 2012 |url=http://www.brumbies.com.au/Team/PlayerProfile/tabid/1208/playerid/16/Default.aspx |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120317133046/http://brumbies.com.au/Team/PlayerProfile/tabid/1208/playerid/16/Default.aspx |archive-date=17 March 2012 }}{{cite web|url=https://www.rugby.com.au/players/christian-lealiifano#Rugby-World-Cup |title=Christian Lealiifano |publisher=RUGBY.com.au |accessdate=2022-09-06}} having previously played over twenty-five times for Australia between 2013 and 2019.

Early life

Leali'ifano was born in Auckland, New Zealand, and moved with his family to Melbourne, Australia when he was seven years old. He attended Epping Primary School and Peter Lalor Secondary College.[https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-06-14/australian-rugby-union-wallabies-wallaroos-grassroots-schools/102464748 RA & the private schoolboy image ABC News 14 June 2023] He played rugby union for the Australian Schoolboys team in 2004 and 2005.{{cite web

| last = Ceddia

| first = Adrian

| title = Union world at Christian's feet

| work = Whittlesea-Mernda-Doreen Star

| publisher = Star News

| date = 2 May 2006

| url = http://www.starnewsgroup.com.au/star/Whittlesea-Mernda-DoreenStar/38/story/13891.html

| url-status = dead

| archive-url = https://archive.today/20130404155245/http://www.starnewsgroup.com.au/star/Whittlesea-Mernda-DoreenStar/38/story/13891.html

| archive-date = 4 April 2013

}}

Leali'ifano joined the Brumbies rugby academy program in 2006. Later that year he was selected for the Australian Under 19 and Under 21 rugby teams.{{Cite press release

| author = ARU

| title = Australian U21s selected for 2006 IRB World Championships

| publisher = Australian Rugby Union

| date = 22 May 2006

| url = http://my.rugby.com.au/news/australian_u21s_selected_for_2006_irb_world_champ,45120.html/news/archive/section/21893

| url-status = dead

| archive-url = https://archive.today/20130404173328/http://my.rugby.com.au/news/australian_u21s_selected_for_2006_irb_world_champ,45120.html/news/archive/section/21893

| archive-date = 4 April 2013

}} He played fly-half for the Australian Under 19 rugby team that won the IRB World Championship in 2006.

Club career

File:Christian Lealiifano, 2013, Loftus.jpg

In 2007, Leali'ifano signed with the Brumbies on a rookie contract. He played for the Australian Sevens rugby team, and for the Canberra Vikings in the Australian Rugby Championship in 2007.{{Cite press release |title= Lealiifano re-signs with ACT Brumbies

| publisher = Titan Management |date= 5 September 2007

| url = http://www.titanmanagement.com.au/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=251&Itemid=65

}}

{{Cite press release

| title = Lealiifano ready to take on the Highlanders

| author = Brumbies Media Unit

| publisher = Brumbies

| date = 20 March 2012

| url = http://www.brumbies.com.au/DesktopModules/PackFlashPublish/ArticleDetail/ArticleDetailPrint.aspx?ArticleID=5808&Template=Standard_Print.ascx&siteID=13

| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130404010101/http://www.brumbies.com.au/DesktopModules/PackFlashPublish/ArticleDetail/ArticleDetailPrint.aspx?ArticleID=5808&Template=Standard_Print.ascx&siteID=13

| archive-date = 4 April 2013

| url-status = dead

}}

Leali'ifano made his Super Rugby debut in 2008 against the Crusaders in Christchurch. He played fly-half in 2008 and 2009, before shifting to inside centre when Matt Giteau returned to the Brumbies in 2010.

{{cite web|last= Harris|first= Bret

| title = Christian Lealiifano will take some time before signing a new contract

| work = The Australian

| date = 17 February 2012

| url = http://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/christian-lealiifano-will-take-some-time-before-signing-a-new-contract/story-e6frg7mf-1226273230891

}} Leali'ifano played six Super 14 games for the Brumbies in 2010 before being sidelined with a knee injury (rupture to his posterior cruciate). He recovered by July to play in the ITM Cup for Waikato in 2010, and he played fourteen matches for the Brumbies in 2011.

In 2012, Leali'ifano was named Man of the Match by Super Rugby officials for eight out of the ten Super Rugby games he played. Unfortunately, he suffered a broken ankle in his tenth game which ended his season and any chance of being selected for the Wallabies in 2012.

In August 2017, after successful treatment for leukaemia, Leali'ifano signed for Irish Pro14 and European Rugby Champions Cup side Ulster on a 5-month loan deal.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/40998851|title=Pro14: Ulster sign Australia fly-half Christian Lealiifano on five-month deal|date=21 August 2017|publisher=BBC Sport|access-date=21 August 2017}}

For the 2022 Super Rugby Pacific season he has signed with the Moana Pasifika franchise.

On 7 May 2022 in a game against the Waratahs, Leali'ifano became the 7th player to reach 1,000 Super Rugby points.{{Cite news |title=Super Rugby Pacific: Christian Leali'ifano passes 1000 points in Moana Pasifika's loss to Waratahs |language=en |work=Newshub |url=https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/sport/2022/05/super-rugby-pacific-christian-leali-ifano-passes-1000-points-in-moana-pasifika-s-loss-to-waratahs.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230605062359/https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/sport/2022/05/super-rugby-pacific-christian-leali-ifano-passes-1000-points-in-moana-pasifika-s-loss-to-waratahs.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=5 June 2023 |access-date=2022-05-07}}

International career

Leali'ifano's test debut for the Wallabies lasted less than one minute. On 22 June 2013, he was knocked out attempting to tackle the British and Irish Lions centre Jonathan Davies in Brisbane.{{cite news | url=http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/1781210/Wallabies-Lealiifano-Barnes-injured-in-first-half | title=Wallabies Lealiifano, Barnes injured in first half | publisher=Special Broadcasting Service | access-date=8 July 2013}}

Personal life

In August 2016, two weeks after the Brumbies were knocked out of the Super Rugby finals, Leali'ifano was diagnosed with leukaemia. He has resumed playing after receiving a bone marrow transplant, and in 2017 signed for Ulster, who play in the Pro14, on loan. He has signed with the Moana Pasifika for the 2022 Super Rugby Pacific season.{{cite press release | url=https://moanapasifika.co.nz/moana-pasifika-community-celebrates-historic-first-super-rugby-squad/ | title=Moana Pasifika community celebrates historic first Super Rugby squad | website=Moana Pasifika | date=22 November 2021 | access-date=23 November 2021}}

Career statistics

= Club summary =

{{updated|22 July 2016}}{{cite web | url=http://www.itsrugby.co.uk/player-4905.html | title=Player Statistics | work=its rugby | access-date=26 July 2016}}

Season	Team	Games	Starts	Sub	Mins	Tries	Cons	Pens	Drops	Points	Yel	Red
class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; width:60%;"
2008	{{Rut\|Brumbies}}	13	13	0	1040	2	0	0	0	10	1	0
2009	{{Rut\|Brumbies}}	9	9	0	712	4	0	0	2	26	0	0
2010	{{Rut\|Brumbies}}	6	6	0	466	1	0	0	0	5	0	0
2011	{{Rut\|Brumbies}}	14	12	2	937	2	0	1	0	13	1	0
2012	{{Rut\|Brumbies}}	10	10	0	788	0	17	25	0	109	0	0
2013	{{Rut\|Brumbies}}	18	18	0	1393	4	22	58	0	238	0	0
2014	{{Rut\|Brumbies}}	13	10	3	904	0	12	15	0	69	0	0
2015	{{Rut\|Brumbies}}	18	18	0	1419	4	33	28	0	170	0	0
2016	{{Rut\|Brumbies}}	16	16	0	1267	3	41	22	0	163	0	0
2022 \|Moana Pasifika \|8 \|7 \|1 \|541 \|0 \|11 \|7 \|0 \|43 \|1 \|0
colspan="2"\|Total \|\| 117 \|\| 112 \|\| 5 \|\| 8926 \|\| 20 \|\| 125 \|\| 149 \|\| 2 \|\| 803 \|\| 3 \|\| 0

References

External links

{{sports links}}
[http://www.rugby.com.au/wallabies/TheTeam/WallabiesProfiles/ProfilePage/tabid/1513/playerid/114/Default.aspx Wallabies Profile]
{{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120317133046/http://brumbies.com.au/Team/PlayerProfile/tabid/1208/playerid/16/Default.aspx |date=17 March 2012 |title=Brumbies Profile }}

Category:1987 births

Category:Rugby union players from Auckland

Category:Samoan rugby union players

Category:Samoa international rugby union players

Category:Australian rugby union players

Category:Australia international rugby union players

Category:New Zealand rugby union players

Category:New Zealand emigrants to Australia

Category:Australian sportspeople of Samoan descent

Category:New Zealand sportspeople of Samoan descent

Category:ACT Brumbies players

Category:Canberra Vikings players