Kirisi Kuridrani (born 12 December 1991), formerly Kirisi Nasiganiyavi, is an Australian

rugby union Rugby union, commonly known simply as rugby, is a close-contact team sport that originated at Rugby School in the first half of the 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand. In it ...

player of Fijian descent. He is currently signed to Japanese club

Honda Heat Mie Honda Heat is a Japanese rugby union team based in Suzuka City, Mie Prefecture, Japan. The owner of the club is Honda Motor. (Suzuka is known for the Suzuka Circuit and the presence of car companies.) They play in the Japan Rugby League One, ...

and previously played for the

Queensland Reds The Queensland Reds is the rugby union team for the Australian state of Queensland that competes in the Southern Hemisphere's Super Rugby competition. Prior to 1996, they were a representative team selected from the rugby union club competitions ...

in Super Rugby. His usual position is

wing A wing is a type of fin that produces lift while moving through air or some other fluid. Accordingly, wings have streamlined cross-sections that are subject to aerodynamic forces and act as airfoils. A wing's aerodynamic efficiency is e ...

Family and early life

Kirisi Nasiganiyavi was born in

Brisbane Brisbane ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Queensland, and the third-most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a population of approximately 2.6 million. Brisbane lies at the centre of the South ...

, where his father Isei Nasiganiyavi played rugby for

Queensland ) , nickname = Sunshine State , image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , establishe ...

. He is the younger brother of

Nemani Nadolo Nemani Nadolo (formerly Ratu Nasiganiyavi; born 31 January 1988) is a Fijian-Australian rugby union player. He currently plays for New South Wales Waratahs in Super Rugby, usually as a wing or centre, and the Fiji national team. Nadolo was t ...

(who was named Ratu Nasiganiyavi before he adopted their mother's maiden name of Nadolo in 2009) and a cousin of

Tevita Kuridrani Tevita Kuridrani (born 31 March 1991) is a Fijian-born Australian rugby union player. His usual position is outside-centre. He is currently with French club Biarritz and previously played for the Brumbies and Western Force in Super Rugby. Kur ...

; in 2011 he adopted the Kuridrani family name. During his junior career he was selected for several representative teams, including Queensland Under 16s. He attended

Marsden State High School Marsden State High School (MSHS) is a secondary school in Waterford West, Queensland for students between years 7 and 12. Marsden State High School is located on the corner of Chambers Flat Road and Muchow Road between the suburbs of Marsden and ...

and Ipswich Grammar, and represented Queensland at the Australian Schools Rugby Championships in 2008 and 2009.

Rugby career

In 2010, he played colts rugby for GPS Old Boys and was chosen for the Brisbane Under-19 team later that year. He was selected for the Fiji Under-20 team and played in the

2010 IRB Junior World Championship The 2010 IRB Junior World Championship was the third annual international rugby union competition for Under 20 national teams, this competition replaced the now defunct under 19 and under 21 world championships. The event was organised by rugby's ...

in Argentina, and scored a try against New Zealand in the opening pool game. Chris Kuridrani briefly switched codes at the start of 2011. He played rugby league in the Toyota Cup for the

Brisbane Broncos The Brisbane Broncos Rugby League Football Club Ltd., commonly referred to as the Broncos, is an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Brisbane, Queensland. Founded in April 1987, the Broncos play in Australia's elite c ...

for five rounds before returning to play Premier Rugby with GPS and train with the Queensland Reds squad. He was selected as an injury replacement for the Australia Under-20 team at the

2011 IRB Junior World Championship The 2011 IRB Junior World Championship was the fourth annual international rugby union competition for Under 20 national teams, this competition replaced the now defunct under 19 and under 21 world championships. The event was organised by rugby' ...

in Italy, and scored a try in the semi final against New Zealand. He was a member of the ARU's National Academy in 2013, and participated in the

Pacific Rugby Cup The World Rugby Pacific Challenge, formerly the IRB Pacific Rugby Cup, is an annual rugby union football tournament held in Oceania since 2006. It is contested by national 'A' teams (formed from the best locally based players, with most not alr ...

, including playing one match for the Brisbane Academy against his brother, Nemani Nadolo, who played for Fiji Warriors. He currently plays for Counties Manukau in the Mitre 10 Cup. On the 12 November 2019 he was selected in the Highlanders squad for the 2020 Super Rugby tournament.

Reference list

External links

statistics
on It's Rugby {{DEFAULTSORT:Kuridrani, Kirisi 1991 births Living people Rugby union players from Brisbane Australian people of I-Taukei Fijian descent Australian rugby union players Queensland Reds players Brisbane City (rugby union) players Rugby union wings Rugby league wingers Rugby union fullbacks Mie Honda Heat players Counties Manukau rugby union players Highlanders (rugby union) players