Joe Rokocoko – Player Profile
Josevata Taliga Rokocoko, more popularly known as Joe Rokocoko, is a rugby player with the New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU). He plays at the positions of left wing or at the right wing for teams like New Zealand, Auckland, Barbarians and Blues.
The player, though born in Fiji in June 1983, shifted along with his family to New Zealand early in his life. He finished his schooling at the James Cook High School and graduated from Saint Kentigern College under a scholarship.
The player had experience in the game of rugby from his school days. He played in the Under-16, Under-19 and Under-21 teams. His official rugby career with the NZRU started with the Blues in 2003. He played under the Blues from the 2003 Super 12 and led
them to win the cup. This performance resulted in Rokocoko being asked to join the All Blacks as their youngest player. Previously in 1994, the All Blacks player and wing Jonah Lomu held the youngest player label. The debut match for Rockocoko in the All Blacks
was against England.
He played several Test matches with the All Blacks in the 2003 season and got 20 tries in almost 20 Tests played. This was a record breaking first season for a debutant both nationally and internationally. A similar All Blacks record was made by both Christian
Cullen and Jonah Lomu and the world record had been made by the Japanese player, Daisuke Ohata.
Joe was also on the team for the Rugby World Cup (RWC) 2003. This tournament had him taking six tries in five of his scheduled matches and three hat-tricks in matches with Australia and France. All his records and performances resulted in him being awarded
the International Rugby Players Association Player of the Year for 2003.
In 2004, Rokocoko, keeping in line with his winning streak, helped the All Blacks achieve a victory of 36-12 against England in a Test match. The same year had him playing for his provincial team Auckland in his first ever National Provincial Championship
(NPC) 2004. His feats in 2004 earned him a place in the All Blacks Tri-Nations 2005 squad.
He and the All Blacks won from all the competing teams in their 2005 tour in Ireland and UK. The season of 2006 was also a successful one for the player, although he had changed his playing positions from the left-wing to the right-wing. His achievements
in 2006 led him into the RWC 2007. In a Test match against Romania, he scored another hat-trick, making his number of hat-tricks four to date. He also ended up achieving five tries in three RWC matches.
The year 2008 saw New Zealand take the Tri-Nations cup. Rokocoko was drafted to play in the Super 14 of that year but he could not do so due to a wrist injury and its subsequent surgery and recovery. He rejoined the All Blacks after his recovery for a tour
to Ireland and UK. This tour turned into a Grand Slam victory with New Zealand.
2009 was not that remarkable for the fast paced runner as he failed to make it to the years’ All Blacks tour. He came into the 2010 season with a bang, playing for the All Blacks against Australia in the Bledisloe Cup. The year saw him earn the most caps
in All Blacks history. He was also part of the Blues for several games in the 2010 season.
The 2010 Tri-Nations was won by the All Blacks, who once again obtained a Grand Slam victory by winning all six of their scheduled matches. This prompted the NZRU to re-sign with the player. Rokocoko signed on with the NZRU to play until the end of the RWC
2011.
He has furthered his reputation as a rugby player by taking the Blues to the semi-final in Super Rugby 2011. However, the All Blacks coach Graham Henry has not chosen him to be on the 2011 Tri-Nations team. Nonetheless, he is scheduled to play in the 2011
ITM cup and still has a chance to play in the RWC 2011 squad. After the RWC 2011 finishes, Rokocoko is supposed to appear in the Top 14 tournament under the umbrella of Bayonne.
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