Casey Daniel Eti Laulala (born 3 May 1982) is a

Samoa Samoa, officially the Independent State of Samoa and known until 1997 as Western Samoa, is an island country in Polynesia, part of Oceania, in the South Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main islands (Savai'i and Upolu), two smaller, inhabited ...

n-born New Zealand former

rugby union Rugby union football, commonly known simply as rugby union in English-speaking countries and rugby 15/XV in non-English-speaking world, Anglophone Europe, or often just rugby, is a Contact sport#Terminology, close-contact team sport that orig ...

player.

Career

Born and raised in

, Laulala started boarding at Wesley College when he was 15. Laulala made his test debut for New Zealand during the team's November–December 2004 end of year tour against

Wales Wales ( ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by the Irish Sea to the north and west, England to the England–Wales border, east, the Bristol Channel to the south, and the Celtic ...

. He has played three games for the

All Blacks The New Zealand national rugby union team, commonly known as the All Blacks, is the representative men's national team in the sport of rugby union for the nation of New Zealand, which is considered the country's national sport. Famed for th ...

, including two tests. Laulala played for the

Crusaders The Crusades were a series of religious wars initiated, supported, and at times directed by the Papacy during the Middle Ages. The most prominent of these were the campaigns to the Holy Land aimed at reclaiming Jerusalem and its surrounding ...

Super 14 team and for

Canterbury Canterbury (, ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and UNESCO World Heritage Site, in the county of Kent, England; it was a county borough until 1974. It lies on the River Stour, Kent, River Stour. The city has a mild oceanic climat ...

during the Air New Zealand Cup. Laulala attended Wesley College, Auckland for his schooling. Laulala scored the match winning try for his side during the 2006 Super 14 Final, the match nicknamed "Fog Final" because of the dense fog. The next day he was recalled to the All Blacks, being named in the squad to play

Ireland Ireland (, ; ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe. Geopolitically, the island is divided between the Republic of Ireland (officially Names of the Irish state, named Irelan ...

. He later went on to earn his second Test cap against Ireland in Auckland.

Cardiff Blues

Laulala signed for Welsh side

Cardiff Blues Cardiff Rugby () are one of the four professional Welsh rugby union teams. Based in Cardiff, the team play at Cardiff Arms Park. Originally formed in 1876, from 2003 to 2021 the first team was known as the Cardiff Blues before rebranding back ...

for the 2009/10 season. He won the European Challenge Cup with the side in May 2010. Laulala scored 14 tries during his 58 appearances for the club.

Munster

On 9 February 2012,

Munster Rugby Munster Rugby () is one of the professional provincial rugby union, rugby teams from the island of Ireland. They compete in the United Rugby Championship and the European Rugby Champions Cup. The team represents the Irish Rugby Football Union, ...

confirmed Laulala as their second major signing for the 2012/13 season, alongside Northampton's Irish centre James Downey. He arrived to join up with Munster in May 2012. Laulala made his full Munster debut on 1 September 2012, starting at outside centre in his side's opening 2012–13 Pro 12 fixture against

Edinburgh Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. The city is located in southeast Scotland and is bounded to the north by the Firth of Forth and to the south by the Pentland Hills. Edinburgh ...

. He scored his first try for Munster on 2 November 2012, against his old club

. Laulala scored his second try for Munster on 30 March 2013, in a heavy loss to

Glasgow Warriors The Glasgow Warriors are a professional rugby union side from Scotland. The team plays in the United Rugby Championship league and in the European Professional Club Rugby tournaments. In the 2014–15 season they won the Pro12 title and beca ...

. He won the Man-of-the-Match award for Munster in their 10–31 away win against

on 23 November 2013. It was confirmed on 15 December 2013 that Laulala would be leaving Munster at the end of the 2013–14 season. Laulala scored a try in Munster's 47-23 Heineken Cup quarter-final win against

Toulouse Toulouse (, ; ; ) is a city in southern France, the Prefectures in France, prefecture of the Haute-Garonne department and of the Occitania (administrative region), Occitania region. The city is on the banks of the Garonne, River Garonne, from ...

on 5 April 2014. He was named in the 2013-14 Pro 12 Team of the Season on 5 May 2014.

Racing 92

Laulala currently plays for French

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 National Rugby League (France), France National Rugby League, also ...

side

Racing 92 Racing 92 () is a French professional rugby union club based in the Hauts-de-Seine department, Paris' western inner Banlieue, suburbs that competes in Top 14. The club plays its home matches at the 30,681-capacity Stadium#Types, domed stadium Pa ...

Barbarians

On 23 May 2013, Laulala was named in the Barbarians team to face

England England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...

on 26 May. He also played against the British & Irish Lions in their opening tour fixture on 1 June 2013.

References

External links

Munster Profile
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Cardiff Blues Profile
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ERC Profile
{{DEFAULTSORT:Laulala, Casey Living people 1982 births Samoan emigrants to New Zealand Rugby union players from Auckland People educated at Wesley College, Auckland New Zealand international rugby union players New Zealand rugby union players Cardiff Rugby players Munster Rugby players Counties Manukau rugby union players Canterbury rugby union players Crusaders (rugby union) players Racing 92 players Barbarian F.C. players Rugby union centres Rugby union players from Apia New Zealand expatriate rugby union players in Wales New Zealand expatriate rugby union players in Ireland New Zealand expatriate rugby union players in France