is a professional rugby union player who plays as a lock for Japan Rugby League One club Kubota Spears. Born in Tonga, he represents Japan at international level after qualifying on residency grounds.

Club career

Helu was born in Tonga, attended St Thomas of Canterbury College in Christchurch, New Zealand and then university in Tokyo, Japan. After graduating from university he signed up to play Top League rugby with Yamaha Júbilo in 2014. His appearances were sparse in his first two seasons with Yamaha, but in 2016 he began to be much more of a regular in the side.

Uwe Helu

International career

After only 13 Top League appearances for Yamaha Júbilo, which included 3 starts, Helu received his first call-up to his adopted country, Japan's senior squad ahead of the 2016 end-of-year rugby union internationals. He debuted as a second-half replacement in new head coach, Jamie Joseph's first game, a 54–20 loss at home to .

Uwe Helu

References

External links

1990 births

Living people

Japanese rugby union players

Tongan rugby union players

Japan international rugby union players

Rugby union locks

Rugby union flankers

Shizuoka Blue Revs players

Takushoku University alumni

Sportspeople from Nagano Prefecture

People educated at St Thomas of Canterbury College

Tongan expatriate sportspeople in Japan

Tongan expatriate sportspeople in New Zealand

Sunwolves players

Kubota Spears Funabashi Tokyo Bay players

Naturalized citizens of Japan

Naturalised sports competitors

Expatriate rugby union players in Japan

Tongan expatriate rugby union players

2019 Rugby World Cup players

Uwe Helu