Filipo Levi is the former International Rugby Captain for Manu Samoa and has captained teams from a local and international stage since 2000 until 2013. Filipo experience and knowledge is understanding business leaders unique challenges from a local to international context. He is passionate in helping leaders build strong resilient teams and equipping, empowering people to overcome challenge

In 2011 Filipo was bestowed with the ancient Samoan chief Tulafale-orator speaking title of Mulitalo from the village of Lano in Savai'i Samoa. The Samoan chief system is over 3000 years and a Tulafale chief title is one to lead by serving the people. In 2018 Filipo Founded the RUBC Rugby Union Business Club. RUBC is a social initiative in supporting Rugby players in their transitioning and starting their businesses and careers. RUBC is a metaphor of surrounding a Rugby player with mentors, business coaches, financial advisors and entrepreneurs to plan to succeed in life after sport. When the spotlight fades, RUBC is filling this gap to continue the team in life after Rugby. Filipo attained his masters and bachelor's degree from the University of Otago while playing professional Rugby.

Career

International Levi was part of the Samoa national rugby union team, Samoa squad at the

2007 Rugby World Cup The 2007 Rugby World Cup was the sixth Rugby World Cup, a quadrennial international rugby union competition inaugurated in 1987. Twenty nations competed for the Webb Ellis Cup in the tournament, which was hosted by France from 7 September to ...

, but a severe eye socket injury forced him out of the tournament. Levi was a member of the Samoa squad at the

2011 Rugby World Cup The 2011 Rugby World Cup was the seventh Rugby World Cup, a quadrennial international rugby union competition inaugurated in 1987. The International Rugby Board (IRB) selected New Zealand as the host country in preference to Japan and South ...

. In 2008 Levi took over the Manu Samoa

captaincy A captaincy ( es, capitanía , pt, capitania , hr, kapetanija) is a historical administrative division of the former Spanish and Portuguese colonial empires. It was instituted as a method of organization, directly associated with the home-rule ...

after long time captain Semo Sititi focused on playing and all but retired from International duties. In 2011 Levi again Captained Manu Samoa against Ikale Tahi Tonga in Fiji before playing the Wallabies Australian Rugby team where Manu Samoa were victorious in Sydney. New Zealand Levi grew up in Glen Innes

Auckland Auckland (pronounced ) ( mi, Tāmaki Makaurau) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. The most populous urban area in the country and the fifth largest city in Oceania, Auckland has an urban population of about I ...

before moving to

Dunedin Dunedin ( ; mi, Ōtepoti) is the second-largest city in the South Island of New Zealand (after Christchurch), and the principal city of the Otago region. Its name comes from , the Scottish Gaelic name for Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. Th ...

where his Father Reverend Fogatia Lavea Levi was accepted into University of Otago Knox Theological Studies. He attended Logan Park High School before joining

Otago Boys' High School , motto_translation = "The ‘right’ learning builds a heart of oak" , type = State secondary, day and boarding , established = ; years ago , streetaddress= 2 Arthur Street , region = Dunedin , state = Otago , zipcod ...

where they were the first team from the South Island to have won the national 1st XV competition in 1998, playing alongside future All Black Captain Richie McCaw. Levi was then selected for the New Zealand Colts that won the 2000 U21 World Cup in New Zealand playing alongside the likes of Carl Hayman, Keven Mealamu, Mils Muliaina, Seilala Mapusua, Aaron Mauger, Gavin Williams, Clarke Dermody, Ben Blair, Rodney Sooialo,

Jerry Collins Jerry Collins (4 November 1980 – 5 June 2015) was a Samoan – New Zealand rugby union player. He played for New Zealand, for whom he was capped 48 times, as well as for the Wellington Hurricanes in New Zealand, Toulon and Narbonne in the Rug ...

and

Richie McCaw Richard Hugh McCaw (born 31 December 1980) is a retired New Zealand professional rugby union player. He captained the national team, the All Blacks, in 110 out of his 148 test matches, and won two Rugby World Cups. He has won the World Rug ...

Levi played for the local Dunedin club Alhambra Union from 1999-2007 and for

Otago Otago (, ; mi, Ōtākou ) is a region of New Zealand located in the southern half of the South Island administered by the Otago Regional Council. It has an area of approximately , making it the country's second largest local government reg ...

Rugby 2000-2006. Levi signed for

Super 12 Super Rugby is a men's professional rugby union club competition involving teams from Australia, Fiji, New Zealand, and the Pacific Islands. It previously included teams from Argentina, Japan, and South Africa. Building on various Southern Hem ...

side the Highlanders in 2002 and went on to become one of their most capped players leaving in 2007. Levi played his final club games for Auckland Marist Tamaki in 2012-2013. In 2016 Filipo Coached Auckland Marist Tamaki and finished in 2018 and is involved with College Rifles Rugby since 2019-2020. UK In February 2009 the Ospreys signed him from Japanese side Ricoh Black Rams. At the end of the 2008–09 Magners League he signed for Premiership side

Newcastle Falcons Newcastle Falcons is a rugby union team that play in Premiership Rugby, England's highest division of rugby union. The club was established in 1877 as the Gosforth Football Club. Around 1882 the club merged with the Northumberland Football C ...

as primarily a back row player. In November 2011

Nottingham Nottingham ( , locally ) is a city and unitary authority area in Nottinghamshire, East Midlands, England. It is located north-west of London, south-east of Sheffield and north-east of Birmingham. Nottingham has links to the legend of Robi ...

signed him from

until the end of the 2011–12 RFU Championship.

References

External links

Samoa data on Rugby dataOfficial Samoa Rugby UnionManu Samoa supporters websiteOspreys ProfileNewcastle Profile
{{DEFAULTSORT:Levi, Filipo 1979 births Living people Black Rams Tokyo players Expatriate rugby union players in England Expatriate rugby union players in Japan Expatriate rugby union players in Wales Highlanders (rugby union) players New Zealand expatriate rugby union players New Zealand expatriate sportspeople in England New Zealand expatriate sportspeople in Japan New Zealand expatriate sportspeople in Wales New Zealand sportspeople of Samoan descent New Zealand rugby union players Newcastle Falcons players Nottingham R.F.C. players Ospreys (rugby union) players Otago rugby union players Pacific Islanders rugby union players People educated at Logan Park High School People educated at Otago Boys' High School Rugby union locks Rugby union players from Huntly, New Zealand Samoa international rugby union players Tasman rugby union players University of Otago alumni