Sipili Falatea (born 6 June 1997) is a French professional

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 its m ...

player who plays as a

prop A prop, formally known as (theatrical) property, is an object used on stage or screen by actors during a performance or screen production. In practical terms, a prop is considered to be anything movable or portable on a stage or a set, distinct ...

for

Top 14 The Top 14 () is a professional rugby union club competition that is played in France. Created in 1892, the Top 14 is at the top of the national league system operated by the French National Rugby League, also known by its French initialism o ...

club Bordeaux Bègles and the France national team. Born on the island of Futuna, he joined mainland France in 2015 and began his professional career with Clermont in 2017.

Early life

Originally from Futuna, Sipili Falatea was born into a rugby household with his brother Tapu Falatea and his nephew Yoram Moefana being professional rugby players. He arrived in

Metropolitan France Metropolitan France (french: France métropolitaine or ''la Métropole''), also known as European France (french: Territoire européen de la France) is the area of France which is geographically in Europe. This collective name for the European ...

in 2015 thanks to his brother, joining

Colomiers Colomiers (; oc, Colomèrs; Languedocien dialect: ''Colomièrs'') is a Communes of France, commune in the Haute-Garonne Departments of France, department in the Occitania (administrative region), Occitania Regions of France, region in Southwester ...

academy.

Professional career

Sipili Falatea was recruited by

club Clermont in the summer of 2017. In July 2022, he joined Bordeaux Bègles from the 2022-23 Top 14 season until 2024. Falatea was called by

Fabien Galthié Fabien Galthié (; born 20 March 1969) is a French rugby union coach and former player, he is currently the head coach of the French national team. His usual position was at scrum-half. He played much of his club rugby for Colomiers, and later ...

to the French national team for the first time in June 2021, for the summer tour of Australia.

Career statistics

List of international tries

References

External links

France profile
at FFR * {{DEFAULTSORT:Falatea, Sipili 1997 births Living people French rugby union players ASM Clermont Auvergne players Union Bordeaux Bègles players Rugby union players from Wallis and Futuna Rugby union props France international rugby union players 2023 Rugby World Cup players French people of New Caledonian descent