Former Samoa international rugby league footballer
Kylie Leuluai
Full name Kylie Macgraff Leuluai
[1] Born (1978-03-29 ) 29 March 1978 (age 46)
Auckland , New ZealandHeight 178 cm (5 ft 10 in)
[2] Weight 107 kg (16 st 12 lb)
[2] Position
Prop
Kylie Leuluai (born 29 March 1978) is a New Zealand former professional
rugby league footballer. A
New Zealand Māori
and Samoa international representative
prop , he most notably played at club level for the
Leeds Rhinos in the
Super League . He also played club football in Australia for
National Rugby League clubs; the
Balmain Tigers ,
Wests Tigers ,
Sydney Roosters ,
Parramatta Eels , and the
Manly Warringah Sea Eagles .
Leuluai was a massive part of the Leeds Rhinos success during his nine seasons at the club, winning a total of six
Grand Finals , two
World Club Challenges and two
Challenge Cups in that time to make him the most successful overseas player in the club's history.
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Background
Leuluai was born in
Auckland , New Zealand.
He attended the Church College of New Zealand in Hamilton, New Zealand, playing both Rugby union and league.
Playing career
Leuluai played for
Balmain ,
Wests Tigers ,
Sydney Roosters ,
Parramatta , and Manly in the
NRL . In 2007, he joined
Super League club
Leeds .
In 2007 Leuluai played for
Leeds in the
2007 Super League Grand Final victory over
St. Helens . The
Leeds club defeated the
Saints 33–6.
In 2008 Leuluai played for
Leeds in the
2008 World Club Challenge against
Melbourne . The
Leeds side defeated
Melbourne 18–10. Later that year, Leeds once again made it to the
2008 Super League Grand Final against
St. Helens . They defeated
Saints 24–16.
In 2009, Leuluai played for the
Leeds in the
2009 World Club Challenge against
Manly . The Leeds side were defeated by Manly 28–20.
He played in the
2009 Super League Grand Final victory over
St. Helens at
Old Trafford .
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In 2010, Leuluai played for Leeds in the
2010 World Club Challenge against
Melbourne . The Leeds side were defeated by Melbourne 18–10. It was later found that Melbourne were in serious breach of the NRL Salary Cap Rules and they had the Title stripped from them. It is well known, yet unofficial that this action automatically made the
Leeds outfit World Club Champions of 2010.
Leuluai playing for Leeds
He played in the
2010 Challenge Cup Final defeat by the
Warrington Wolves at
Wembley Stadium .
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In June 2011, Leuluai announced he will retire at the end of the 2012 season, signing a new one-year contract with
Leeds in the process.
Later that year he played at
prop for Leeds in the
2011 Challenge Cup Final defeat by
Wigan at
Wembley Stadium .
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He played in the
2011 Super League Grand Final victory over
St. Helens at
Old Trafford .
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Towards the end of 2011, Leuluai announced he would play on into 2012, but would retire at the end of the 2013
Super League Season.
In 2012 Leuluai played for the Leeds in the
2012 World Club Challenge against
Manly . Leeds beat Manly 26–12. He played in the
2012 Challenge Cup Final defeat by
Warrington at
Wembley Stadium .
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Leeds went on to win the
2012 Super League Grand Final with victory over
Warrington at
Old Trafford .
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[39] Towards the end of 2012, Leuluai announced he would play on into 2013, but would retire at the end of the 2014
Super League Season.
In 2013 Leuluai played for Leeds in the
2013 World Club Challenge against
Melbourne . Leeds were defeated by Melbourne 18–14. Leuluai once again halted his retirement plans by announcing he would play on into the 2014
Super League Season, but would hang up his boots at the end of 2014.
In 2014, Leuluai played in the
2014 Challenge Cup Final victory over the
Castleford Tigers at
Wembley Stadium .
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Surprisingly enough, Leuluai halted his retirement plans yet again and announced he would play on into the 2015
Super League Season, but would most definitely hang up his boots at the end of 2015 along with fellow
Prop Forward
Jamie Peacock MBE.
In June 2015, Leuluai once again announced his intention to retire at the end of 2015,
[44] saying that he felt it was time to move on to a new challenge. Leuluai expected to be staying on and working with the club on a part-time basis while studying at university as well. He played in the
2015 Challenge Cup Final victory over
Hull Kingston Rovers at
Wembley Stadium .
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On 3 July 2015, Leuluai scored a try on his 250th appearance for
Leeds
[48] against reigning Super League champions St Helens as Leeds completed the double with a ruthless 46–18 victory to go three points clear of them with just three games left before the start of the Super 8s. Leuluai would finish his career with a sixth Grand Final victory with Leeds after defeating Wigan in the
2015 Grand Final at
Old Trafford .
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Representative career
Leuluai played for
New Zealand Māori in 1998 and at the
2000 World Cup .
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Leuluai was named in the
Samoa training squad for the
2008 Rugby League World Cup .
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In 2009 he was named as part of the
Samoan side for the
Pacific Cup .
[52] He was named
Samoan player of the year for 2009.
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Rugby League International Origin Match
Kylie Leuluai was selected for the
Exiles squad for the
Rugby League International Origin Match against
England at
Headingley on 10
June 2011.
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Honours
Club
Personal life
He is the father of
Burnley FC defender
Marley Leuluai .
James Leuluai is his uncle and his cousins are
Thomas Leuluai and
Macgraff Leuluai .
Kylie belongs to
the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and is renowned for being able to bench press 225 kg – the heaviest weight lifted by an NRL player.
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Career highlights and honours
References
^
"Rhinos squad: Kylie Leuluai" .
Yorkshire Post . 13 February 2007. Retrieved 4 April 2010 .
^
a
b
"Kylie Leuluai Leeds Rhinos" . www.superleague.co.uk . Rugby Football League. 2015. Retrieved 18 July 2015 .
^
loverugbyleague
^
Rugby League Project
^
SL Stats
Archived 8 January 2011 at the
Wayback Machine
^ Rhino, Ronnie (1 January 2015).
"Player Biography Kylie Leuluai" .
Leeds Rhinos Official Website .
^
"Rhinos Take Super League Title" . Sky News. 11 October 2009. Retrieved 22 November 2019 .
^ Burke, David (11 October 2009).
"Smith's Crisp" . The Daily Mirror . Retrieved 22 November 2019 .
^ AFP (11 October 2009).
"Leeds makes it Super League hat-trick" .
ABC News . Retrieved 22 November 2019 .
^
AAP (11 October 2009).
"Leeds claim third successive Grand Final" .
nrl . Archived from
the original on 3 October 2012. Retrieved 22 November 2019 .
^
^ Correspondent (12 October 2009).
"Potter refuses to blame video ref" .
Liverpool Echo . Retrieved 22 November 2019 .
^ Fletcher, Paul (10 October 2009).
"St Helens 10-18 Leeds Rhinos" . BBC Sport . Retrieved 22 November 2019 .
^
"Third time unlucky as Saints fail to halt Rhinos' charge to title" . Liverpool Daily Post . 12 October 2009. Retrieved 22 November 2019 .
^
"Sinfield hails winning culture" . The Daily Mirror . 11 October 2009. Retrieved 22 November 2019 .
^ Stewart, Rob (12 October 2009).
"Lee Smith targets place in England rugby union team after Grand Final victory" . The Telegraph . Retrieved 22 November 2019 .
^
"Sinfield hails historic title win" . BBC Sport . 11 October 2009. Retrieved 22 November 2019 .
^
"Leeds Rhinos fans in homecoming welcome" .
Yorkshire Evening Post . 12 October 2009. Retrieved 22 November 2019 .
^ Scott, Ged (28 August 2010).
"Leeds 6–30 Warrington" . BBC. Retrieved 22 November 2019 .
^ Wilson, Andy (28 August 2010).
"Chris Hicks hat-trick leads Warrington to Challenge Cup triumph over Leeds" . The Guardian . London.
Archived from the original on 31 August 2010. Retrieved 22 November 2019 .
^
"Wigan edge thrilling cup final" . uk.eurosport.yahoo.com . 27 August 2011. Retrieved 21 November 2019 .
^ Scott, Ged (27 August 2011).
"Wigan's Challenge Cup win a team effort - Joel Tomkins" .
BBC Sport . Retrieved 21 November 2019 .
^ skysports.com (27 August 2011).
"Maguire salutes Wembley heroes" . Sky Sports . Retrieved 21 November 2019 .
^ ESPN staff (27 August 2011).
"Challenge Cup glory for Wigan Warriors" . espn.co.uk . Retrieved 26 August 2012 .
^ wiganwarriors.com (28 August 2011).
"Wigan are 2011 Cup Champions" . rleague.com . Archived from
the original on 20 June 2012. Retrieved 21 November 2019 .
^ Scott, Ged (27 August 2011).
"Leeds 18-28 Wigan" .
BBC Sport . Retrieved 21 November 2019 .
^ Wilson, Andy (27 August 2011).
"Leeds Rhinos 18-28 Wigan Warriors – Challenge Cup final match report" . The Guardian . London.
^ therfl.co.uk (28 August 2011).
"Challenge Cup: Lima inspires Wigan win" . rleague.com . Archived from
the original on 20 June 2012. Retrieved 26 August 2012 .
^ Brown, Oliver (27 August 2011).
"Challenge Cup final: Leeds Rhinos 18 Wigan Warriors 28" . The Telegraph . Retrieved 21 November 2019 .
^ Chisnall, Craig (28 August 2011).
"Lima double inspires Wigan to Cup win" .
Wide World of Sports . Archived from
the original on 30 December 2012. Retrieved 21 November 2019 .
^ Henson, Mike (27 August 2011).
"Challenge Cup final - as it happened" .
BBC Sport . Retrieved 21 November 2019 .
^ Brown, Oliver (28 August 2011).
"Challenge Cup final 2011: Wigan's warrior spirit shades controversy in emphatic win over Leeds Rhinos" . The Telegraph . Retrieved 21 November 2019 .
^
Press Association (27 August 2011).
"Wigan edge thrilling cup final" . Free Press . Archived from
the original on 26 February 2017. Retrieved 21 November 2019 .
^
"O'Loughlin savours special cup win" . uk.eurosport.yahoo.com . 28 August 2011. Retrieved 21 November 2019 .
^ bbc.co.uk (30 August 2011).
"Wigan's Sam Tomkins punished for gesture at Leeds fans" .
BBC Sport . Retrieved 21 November 2019 .
^
"Leeds claim Grand Final glory as inspired Rob Burrow sinks St Helens" . The Guardian . 8 October 2011. Retrieved 21 November 2019 .
^
"St Helens 16 Leeds 32" . The Daily Telegraph . 8 October 2011. Retrieved 21 November 2019 .
^
"Warrington's battered Brett Hodgson recovers to see off Leeds in final" . Guardian UK . 25 August 2012. Retrieved 20 November 2019 .
^
a
b
"Leeds' Kevin Sinfield stars in Grand Final triumph against Warrington" . The Guardian . 6 October 2012. Retrieved 20 November 2019 .
^
"Leeds Rhinos 18–35 Warrington Wolves" . BBC Sport . 25 August 2012. Retrieved 20 November 2019 .
^
"Warrington Wolves Are Challenge Cup Winners 2012!" . Warrington Wolves Official Site . 25 August 2012. Archived from
the original on 17 December 2013. Retrieved 20 November 2019 .
^
"Grand Final: Warrington 18-26 Leeds" . BBC Sport . 6 October 2012. Retrieved 20 November 2019 .
^
"Leeds lift Challenge Cup after Ryan Hall's double stuns Castleford" . The Guardian . 23 August 2014. Retrieved 13 November 2019 .
^ Smith, Peter (9 June 2015).
"Leeds Rhinos: Prop Leuluai confirms retirement at the end of the season" .
Yorkshire Evening Post .
^
"Leeds emphatically shut out Hull KR to lift Challenge Cup" . The Guardian . 29 August 2015. Retrieved 8 November 2019 .
^ "Scoreboard".
Rugby Leaguer & League Express . No. 2982. 31 August 2015. p. 31.
^
"Challenge Cup final: Hull KR 0-50 Leeds Rhinos" . BBC Sport . 29 August 2015. Retrieved 29 August 2015 .
^
"Leeds 46-18 St Helens" . BBC Sport .
^
"Leeds pip Wigan to seal treble after brilliant, breathless Grand Final" . The Guardian . 10 October 2015. Retrieved 7 November 2019 .
^ New Zealand Rugby League Annual '98 ,
New Zealand Rugby Football League , 1998. p.118
^
"Samoa name World Cup Squad" . League Unlimited. 5 August 2008. Archived from
the original on 17 July 2011. Retrieved 6 August 2008 .
^
Poching names strong Samoan squad
Archived 10 October 2009 at the
Wayback Machine therhinos.co.uk , 6 October 2009
^
"Hayne named Player of the Year" . The Daily Telegraph . 10 November 2009.
Archived from the original on 20 July 2011. Retrieved 19 April 2011 .
^
"Warrington dominate Exiles picks for Origin fixture" . BBC Sport . 5 April 2011.
Archived from the original on 5 December 2012. Retrieved 5 April 2011 .
^ Hooper, James (15 September 2006).
"The Eagle Rock" .
The Daily Telegraph .
External links