Taleni Seu

{{Short description|New Zealand-born Samoan rugby union player (born 1993)}}

{{Infobox rugby biography

| name = Taleni Seu

| image = Taleni Seu 2022.jpg

| image_size =

| caption = Seu representing Samoa during the November Internationals

| fullname =

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1993|12|26|df=y}}

| birth_place = Auckland, New Zealand

| height = {{convert|2.02|m|ftin|0|abbr=on}}

| weight = {{convert|109|kg|lb stlb|0|abbr=on}}

| school = Onehunga High School

| university =

| relatives =

| position = Flanker, Number 8, Lock

| currentclub = Toyota Shuttles

| years1 = 2015–2018

| clubs1 = Auckland

| apps1 = 21

| points1 = 25

| years2 = 2016–2019

| clubs2 = Chiefs

| apps2 = 44

| points2 = 20

| years3 = 2019–2022 2023–

| clubs3 = Toyota Shuttles

| apps3 = 7

| points3 = 10

| years4 = 2023

| clubs4 = Waratahs

| apps4 = 13

| points4 = 10

| repyears1 = 2022–

| repteam1 = Samoa

| repcaps1 = 6

| reppoints1 = 5

| clubupdate = 28 August 2023

| repupdate = 28 August 2023

| ru_sevensnationalyears1 =

| ru_sevensnationalteam1 =

| ru_sevensnationalcomp1 =

| ru_sevensupdate =

}}

Taleni Seu (born 26 December 1993) is a professional rugby union player who plays as a flanker for Japan Rugby League One club Toyota Shuttles. Born in New Zealand, he represents Samoa at international level after qualifying on ancestry grounds.{{cite web | url=http://files.allblacks.com/comms/2016-ISR/2017_ISR_Squad_Naming_Chiefs-PUBLISHED-01.pdf | title=Chiefs 2017 Squad Guide | publisher=All Blacks.com | access-date=9 December 2016}}{{cite web | url=http://www.chiefs.co.nz/team/team/player-list/player/4-Investec+Super+Rugby+2017/56-Taleni+Seu | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170806192802/https://www.chiefs.co.nz/team/team/player-list/player/4-Investec+Super+Rugby+2017/56-Taleni+Seu | archive-date=6 August 2017 | title=Taleni Seu Chiefs Player Profile | publisher=Chiefs Rugby | access-date=19 October 2021}}{{cite web | url=http://www.itsrugby.co.uk/player_35589.html | title=Taleni Seu itsrugby.co.uk Player Statistics | work=itsrugby.co.uk | access-date=9 December 2016}}{{cite web | url=http://www.aucklandrugby.co.nz/mitre-10-cup/player-profiles | title=Taleni Seu Auckland Player Profile | work=Auckland Rugby | access-date=9 December 2016}}

Early life

Born in Auckland and raised in Māngere, Seu attended school at Onehunga High School in the city's suburbs where he played first XV rugby as well as playing for the school's basketball team. After graduating from high school, he joined the Auckland academy and went on to play for them at under-18, under-19 and 'B' level while playing his club rugby for Grammar TEC.{{cite web | url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/super-rugby/76607153/From-struggle-street-to-a-chance-at-Super-Rugby-for-Taleni-Seu | title=From struggle street to a chance at Super Rugby for Taleni Seu | work=Rugby Heaven | date = 5 February 2016 | access-date=9 December 2016}}

Club career

Despite originally not being named in the Auckland squad for the 2015 ITM Cup, Seu was called up as injury cover and managed to force his way into the team over the course the season. He made 8 appearances and scored 2 tries in his side's run to the Premiership final where they narrowly lost to {{rut|Canterbury}}. A full squad member in 2016, he made a further 7 Mitre 10 Cup appearances in what turned out to be a disappointing campaign overall for Auckland, which ended up with them finishing outside of the play-off places, in 5th position. It was announced in April 2019 that Taleni will be joining Waikato in the Mitre 10 Cup in the 2019 season.{{cite web | url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=11478906 | title=Rugby: Auckland ITM Cup squad has young, vibrant look | work=New Zealand Herald | date = 10 July 2015 | access-date=9 December 2016}}{{cite web | url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=11676822 | title=Auckland names talented Mitre 10 Cup squad | work=New Zealand Herald | date = 18 July 2016 | access-date=9 December 2016}}

An impressive debut season in provincial rugby was enough to earn Seu a Super Rugby contract with the Hamilton-based {{rut|Chiefs}} for the 2016 Super Rugby season. He enjoyed plenty of game time in his first year in Hamilton, playing in all 17 of the Chiefs games and scoring 2 tries as they reached the competition's semi-finals before going down 25-9 to the {{rut|Hurricanes}}.{{cite web | url=http://files.allblacks.com/comms/2016_ISR/2016_ISR_Squad_Naming_Chiefs-F01.pdf | title=Chiefs 2016 Squad Guide | work=All Blacks Rugby | access-date=29 October 2015}} He was retained in the squad for 2017.

Career statistics

= Club summary =

Season	Team	Games	Starts	Sub	Mins	Tries	Cons	Pens	Drops	Points	Yel	Red
class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; line-height:90%; font-size:95%; width:70%;"
2016	{{Rut\|Chiefs}}	17	12	5	988	2	0	0	0	10	0	0
colspan="2"\|Total \|\| 17 \|\| 12 \|\| 5 \|\| 988 \|\| 2 \|\| 0 \|\| 0 \|\| 0 \|\| 10 \|\| 0 \|\| 0