Sekope Miami Kepu

Despite being born in Sydney Sekope Kepu’s path to becoming a Wallaby centurion, and at one point the most-capped Wallaby prop forward of all-time, was shaped in New Zealand.

Also, a proud son of Tonga, Kepu was a powerful scrummaging prop comfortable on both sides of the front row. He showed great athleticism around the field and soft hands that belied his size. Kepu played his first rugby with the Tamaki RFC U7s before a secondary education at Auckland’s famous Wesley College, the alma mater of All Black great Jonah Lomu. He played two years in the college’s famed 1st XV (2003-04) and from there won selection, as a No. 8, for New Zealand U17s (2003) and then New Zealand U19s (2004-05).

After school Kepu joined Counties Manukau, represented New Zealand U21s (2007) alongside future All Black rival Owen Franks and looked set to win a Super Rugby contract before breaking his collarbone. Nonetheless, his performances for Counties caught the eye of Waratah coach and World Cup winning prop Ewen McKenzie.

In 2008, Kepu survived a daunting debut for NSW against the Highlanders (W 15-12), and their giant loosehead Jamie Mackintosh, at Carisbrook. He was then chosen for Australia ‘A’ for the IRB Pacific Nations Cup and later topped off a rather remarkable eight months when he debuted as a replacement against Italy in Padova to win his first Test cap.

The next several seasons were lean from a representative perspective as selection and injury combined to restrict him to just 18 further caps through to the end of the 2012 Rugby Championship. However, from that point forward Kepu became a cornerstone of the Test side for the next seven years. He was capped in 91 of Australia’s subsequent 96 internationals including all three matches against the 2013 British and Irish Lions and at two Rugby World Cups (2015 & 2019). Along the way Kepu became Australia’s most capped front row forward of all-time when he played his 87th Test, the 23-18 victory over New Zealand in Brisbane (2017), and then just the ninth Wallaby to play 100 Test matches when he came off the bench against New Zealand in the 20-37 loss at Yokohama a year later.

Off contract with the Waratahs at the end of the 2019 season, Kepu left Australia to join London Irish before he returned, to where it all started, at Counties Manukau in 2021. Kepu was then named as the inaugural Moana Pasifika captain for the 2022 Super Rugby Pacific season. He played two seasons with the burgeoning franchise before retirement in 2024.

Sekope Kepu played 110 Tests for Australia in a ten season, eleven year international career.

Highlights

2008

Selected on the end-of-season Spring Tour Kepu won his first Test cap from the bench when he replaced Ben Alexander in the 30-20 victory over Italy in Padova. Kepu won a second cap in the Test against France but his tour ended on a sour note when he tore a pectoral muscle in a torrid 18-11 victory over the star-studded Barbarians at Wembley.

2009

Kepu had to wait until the Spring Tour for his third Test cap, once again off the bench, in the 8-9 loss to Scotland. That was to be his lone cap for the season.

2010

A torn calf muscle for the NSW Waratahs against the Brumbies in April saw Kepu miss Test match selection. He returned to club rugby with Randwick however he was overlooked for the Spring Tour despite the selectors choosing five props in the squad.

2011

An injury to Waratah teammate Benn Robinson opened the door for Kepu to return to the national side and he took the opportunity with both hands. He won his first run-on Test cap in the 23-32 loss to Samoa in Sydney and was selected for the next ten tests including the Rugby World Cup semi-final against New Zealand.

2012

After he played in four of the opening five Tests Kepu’s season was again interrupted by injury when he suffered a grade two medial ligament tear at training ahead of the 2nd Test against New Zealand in Auckland. Nonetheless, Kepu recovered to play in each of the year’s final five Tests.

2013

Kepu played tight head prop in all fifteen Tests however he only started four of those internationals.

2014

Kepu established himself as first pick in the No. 3 jersey as he was capped in the run-on XV for all fifteen Tests. He won his 50th Test cap in the 29-26 victory over France in Paris.

2015

Played in eleven of the season’s twelve Tests and was in the run-on side for the Rugby World Cup final against New Zealand.

2016

Won fourteen caps from a possible fifteen Tests after he was rested for the international against France in Paris.

2017

For a second season running Kepu was awarded fourteen caps although six were won from the bench. In the 3rd Test 23-18 victory over New Zealand Kepu played his 87th Test to break James Slipper’s Australian record for a prop. In the final Test of the year Kepu became just the fourth Wallaby to be sent from the field after he was dismissed in the 39th minute against Scotland in Edinburgh.

2018

Kepu was capped in 12 of the Wallabies 13 internationals, including five as the starting tighthead and five as a replacement loosehead.

2019

In his final season of Test rugby Kepu picked up a further seven caps and deservedly finished his career at what was his third Rugby World Cup.