Paul Koloi (born 25 December 1972) is a Tongan

rugby league Rugby league football, commonly known as just rugby league and sometimes football, footy, rugby or league, is a full-contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular field measuring 68 metres (75 yards) wide and 11 ...

footballer who represented

Tonga Tonga (, ; ), officially the Kingdom of Tonga ( to, Puleʻanga Fakatuʻi ʻo Tonga), is a Polynesian country and archipelago. The country has 171 islands – of which 45 are inhabited. Its total surface area is about , scattered over in ...

in the 2000 World Cup.

Playing career

A Riccarton-Lincoln junior in the

Canterbury Rugby League Canterbury Rugby League is the regional body that administers rugby league in Canterbury, New Zealand. CRL manages local competitions from senior level down to age group competitions. Canterbury Rugby League also manages the Canterbury rugby lea ...

, Koloi played for the Canterbury Cardinals in the 1995 and 1996 Lion Red Cups. He played for

in the 1996

Pacific Challenge The 1996 Pacific Challenge was a rugby league tournament held between Pacific teams. The tournament was played over eight days and in six countries. It featured an uneven draw with every team playing twice, except for Tonga and the New Zealand XII ...

.Pacific Challenge
''The Vault'' Koloi was signed by the

Wigan Warriors The Wigan Warriors are a professional rugby league club in Wigan, Greater Manchester, England, which competes in the Super League. Formed in 1872 as Wigan Football Club, Wigan was a founding member of the Northern Rugby Football Union followin ...

in 1997 on a two-year deal. However he was released at the end of his first season. In 1998 Koloi returned to Riccarton-Lincoln and again represented

Canterbury Canterbury (, ) is a cathedral city and UNESCO World Heritage Site, situated in the heart of the City of Canterbury local government district of Kent, England. It lies on the River Stour. The Archbishop of Canterbury is the primate of ...

. He made his debut for

in 1999 and was included in their 2000 World Cup squad where he played in three matches. In 2000 he was playing for

Mackay Mackay may refer to: *Clan Mackay, the Scottish clan from which the surname "MacKay" derives Mackay may also refer to: Places Australia * Mackay Region, a local government area ** Mackay, Queensland, a city in the above region *** Mackay Airpor ...

in Queensland. In 2003 he returned to England, joining the

London Skolars The London Skolars are a professional rugby league club based at the New River Stadium, Wood Green, Haringey in north London. They were founded in 1995 and have been professional since 2003, operating in the Betfred League 1. They also run an ...

.Skolars eager to gain professional qualifications
''The Times'', 18 January 2003

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Koloi, Paul Living people Tongan rugby league players Tonga national rugby league team players 1972 births Wigan Warriors players Canterbury rugby league team players London Skolars players Mackay Cutters players Riccarton Knights players Rugby league fullbacks Rugby league centres