| Full name | Salesi Halaleva Lapota Fifita | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Date of birth | 29 July 1989 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Neiafu, Tonga | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.94 m (6 ft 4 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 118 kg (260 lb; 18 st 8 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Notable relative(s) | Vaea Fifita (brother) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Salesi Halaleva Lapota Fifita (born 29 July 1989) is a Tongan professional rugby union player who plays as a lock for Top 14 club Oyonnax Rugby and the Tonga national team.[1][2]
Fifita started his professional career in 2016 playing for Waikato, having previously played for Hamilton Old Boys.[3] In February 2017 he trained with the Chiefs development squad,[4] but not play any of the three friendly matches scheduled for the team.
In December 2017 he joined Rugby Pro D2 team FC Grenoble as a replacement for Mickaël Capelli.[5] In March 2018 he extended his contract until June 2019.[6] He later extended his contract for three more seasons.[7] In June 2021 he activated his departure clause early, leaving Grenoble and signing with Irish team Connacht.[8][9][10] He made his debut for the club in September 2021.[11]
He joins Oyonnax Rugby in August 2023.[12]
He made his international debut for Tonga against Wales on 16 June 2017.[13][14] He was also part of the Tongan team which emerged as runners-up to Fiji at the 2017 World Rugby Pacific Nations Cup. He was included in the Tongan squad for the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan.[15][16] He played four games in this competition, against England, Argentina, France and the United States.[17] He was selected again to play against Scotland in Tonga's 2021 tour of the northern hemisphere.[18]
