Joe Cokanasiga

Joe Cokanasiga
Birth name Ratu Josateki Tuivanuavou Waqanivalu Cokanasiga
Date of birth (1997-11-15) 15 November 1997
Place of birth Fiji
Height 1.92 m (6 ft 3 1⁄2 in)
Weight 112 kg (247 lb; 17 st 9 lb)
School Bushey Academy
Rugby union career
Position(s) Wing
Amateur team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2016–2018
2018		 London Irish
Bath		 12
 (20)
Correct as of 10 May 2018
National team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
2017 England U20 4 (5)1t
Correct as of 9 May 2017

Ratu Josateki Cokanasiga (born 15 November 1997) is an English professional rugby union player. He plays at wing for Bath, having helped former team London Irish win promotion from the RFU Championship in 2016–17 season back to the English Premiership for the 2017–18 season.[1]

Early life and career

Cokanasiga was born in Fiji but at the age of three, moved to England with his father, Ilaitia, who was in the British Army. He has lived in Germany and Brunei as his father toured those countries and learned to play rugby. They formed a father-son centre partnership for the Army Vets team before returning to the UK in 2013.[2] He has also played for the Old Merchant Taylors' FC U16s side as well. In February 2017. He cites All Black Jonah Lomu as his hero as well as Julian Savea and Bath wing Semesa Rokoduguni as his idols.[3]

He joined the London Irish academy in 2015 and played for their sevens team in the Premiership Rugby Sevens Series[4] and in October 2016, he signed a two-year deal to stay with the club.[5] He made his debut in the 2016–17 RFU Championship on 30 October 2016 against London Scottish and scored a brilliant individual try.[6]

International career

Cokanasiga played for the England U20 side against France in the 2017 Six Nations Under 20 Championship in which he scored a try.[7] He was also part of the England U18 side that toured South Africa in 2016.[8]

Cokanasiga was called up to the senior England squad by Eddie Jones for their 2017 summer tour of Argentina.[9] He did not actually play due to picking up an injury in London Irish's end-of-season playoff battles for promotion from the Championship back to the Premiership.[10]

References

  1. ↑ "London Irish confirm squad for the 2017/18 campaign". London Irish. Retrieved 25 August 2017.
  2. ↑ "Joe Cokanasiga's meteoric ascent and how England came calling". The Telegraph. 29 April 2017. Retrieved 9 May 2017. formed a father-son centre partnership
  3. ↑ "No ordinary Joe: England U20's flying winger". Rugby Football Union. Retrieved 9 May 2017.
  4. ↑ "London Irish Name Squad for Singha Premiership Rugby 7s Series". London Irish. Retrieved 9 May 2017. Singha Premiership Rugby
  5. ↑ "Seven Academy players commit future to London Irish". London Irish. Retrieved 9 May 2017. Joe Cokanasiga has penned a two-year deal with Irish
  6. ↑ "London Irish move in to top gear to overpower Scottish at the Athletic Ground". londonscottish.com. Retrieved 9 May 2017. with a brilliant individual try from Joe Cokanasiga.
  7. ↑ "Malins on fire as England Under-20s get off to a flyer". rbs6nations.com. Retrieved 9 May 2017.
  8. ↑ "U18 name squad for South Africa Schools A clash". Rugby Football Union. 15 October 2016. Retrieved 9 May 2017.
  9. ↑ "England v Argentina: Dylan Hartley, Joe Launchbury & George Ford in squad". BBC Sport. 20 April 2017. Retrieved 20 April 2017.
  10. ↑ "REACTION: Kennedy on reaching the final, Cokanasiga injury and facing Yorkshire – The Wokingham Paper". The Wokingham Paper. 6 May 2017. Retrieved 25 August 2017.


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