31 Facts About Lote Tuqiri

Lote Daulako Tuqiri was born on 23 September 1979 and is a former professional dual-code rugby footballer who primarily played as a winger across both codes.

Lote Tuqiri represented Australia in both rugby league and rugby union, and Fiji in rugby league.

Lote Tuqiri was therefore a high-profile signing for rugby union in 2002, winning 67 caps for Australia and being a part of their 2003 and 2007 World Cup squads.

Just 6 weeks out from the 2014 NRL season, Lote Tuqiri signed with his third NRL club, the South Sydney Rabbitohs, on a one-year deal.

Lote Tuqiri was born in Korolevu, Fiji to mother Titilia and father Tukula and grew up in Namatakula with family including older sister Mela, older brother Tevita and sister Sereana.

Lote Tuqiri moved to Australia with his family at the age of 4, settling at Sunnybank, Queensland where he began playing competitive sport for the Souths Sunnybank Rugby League while attending school at Sunnybank State High School.

Lote Tuqiri won the 1999 Brisbane Broncos season's rookie of the year award.

The Bati failed to advance past the group stage, winning one of their three matches, but Lote Tuqiri was his team's top try and goal scorer for the tournament.

Lote Tuqiri was one of many players picked by Queensland for their debut appearance during the 2001 State of Origin series.

Lote Tuqiri played in all three matches, scored Queensland's opening try and played impressively throughout the series, which was won by the Maroons.

Lote Tuqiri was the Broncos' top try-scorer for the 2001 season with 21, the second highest number of tries scored in a season by a Brisbane player.

Lote Tuqiri's 2002 season was an impressive one, and he showed much of his renowned strength and speed, setting in round 9 a new club record for most points scored by one player in a single match.

Lote Tuqiri became one of a select few players to score a hat-trick in an interstate match.

Altogether, Lote Tuqiri played 99 games for Brisbane between 1999 and 2002 and clocked up a tally of 260 points before his switch to rugby union.

Lote Tuqiri's talent attracted the interest of the Australian Rugby Union, and at the end of the 2002 football season he announced that he had signed a contract to play rugby union in 2003 with the New South Wales Waratahs, and was therefore leaving rugby league.

Lote Tuqiri was one of four former Queensland Maroons players to feature in two of the top three teams in the 2003 Rugby World Cup, along with Mat Rogers and Wendell Sailor for Australia and Brad Thorn for the All Blacks.

Lote Tuqiri scored tries against Romania and Namibia during the pool stages, and scored the Wallabies' only try in the final against England.

Lote Tuqiri finished the tournament as one of the top try scorers for Australia, behind Rogers and Chris Latham.

In 2004 Lote Tuqiri toured the United Kingdom and France with the Wallabies.

Lote Tuqiri had stated that he was considering returning to league after the 2007 Rugby World Cup, following the footsteps of fellow Waratah Mat Rogers.

Lote Tuqiri had options to re-sign his contract with either the Waratahs or the Reds in the Super 14, or numerous clubs in the NRL, including the South Sydney Rabbitohs and Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks.

Lote Tuqiri made his debut for the Leicester Tigers off the bench against the Springboks on 6 November 2009 and the Tigers defeated the World cup holders.

In February 2010, Lote Tuqiri officially announced a return to rugby league after a seven-year absence.

On 19 October 2010, Lote Tuqiri was officially named in the Australian squad for the Four Nations as a replacement for the injured Jarryd Hayne.

Lote Tuqiri played for the Kangaroos in all four matches, including the final, scoring one try.

Lote Tuqiri became the first code-crosser to play test rugby league for Australia a second time after returning from rugby union.

Lote Tuqiri had plates inserted into the arm and underwent bone grafts.

Lote Tuqiri eventually made his return to first grade in round 23, playing in four games for his final season with Wests Tigers.

On 22 January, six weeks out from the 2014 NRL season, Lote Tuqiri signed with his third NRL club, the South Sydney Rabbitohs, on a one-year deal.

In May 2014, Lote Tuqiri played for Fiji in the 2014 Pacific Rugby League International.

Lote Tuqiri turned 35 during the 2014 season and was the oldest player in the NRL at the time.