{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2024}} {{short description|Samoan rugby union player (born 1966)}} {{EngvarB|date=January 2024}} {{Infobox rugby biography | image = | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1966|5|3|df=y}} | birth_place = Samoa | height = {{height|ft=6|in=0}} | weight = {{convert|209|lbs|kg|abbr=on}} | ru_currentposition = | ru_currentteam = | position = Flanker | amatyears1 = 1995 | amatyears2 = 2000–2003 | amatteam1 = Te Atatu | amatteam2 = Waitakere City | provinceyears1 = 1990-1994 | provinceyears2 = 1995 | province1 = Canterbury | province2 = Auckland | provinceapps1 = | provinceapps2 = 6 | provincepoints1 = | provincepoints2 = 5 | years1 = 1996–2000 | clubs1 = Nippon Steel | apps1 = | points1 = | repyears1 = 1990–1993 | repteam1 = {{Nrut|Samoa}} | repcaps1 = 7 | reppoints1 = 12 }}
'''Danny K. Kaleopa''' (born 3 May 1966) is a former Samoan rugby union player. He played as a flanker. He played for Auckland, Nippon Steel, and Waitakere City.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/rugby/news/article.cfm?c_id=80&objectid=140815|title=Referee frustrates club rivals|last=Reddaway|first=Graham|date=30 June 2000|work=New Zealand Herald|access-date=8 September 2018}}</ref> He also played for the Hawaii Harlequins from Hawai'i.<ref>{{Cite web|last=world.rugby|title=Kingsholm arrival sparks memories of facing 1991 All Blacks for USA's kicking coach {{!}} Rugby World Cup|url=https://www.rugbyworldcup.com/news/109565|access-date=2021-05-01|website=www.rugbyworldcup.com|language=en}}</ref>
== Career ==
His debut with Western Samoa was during a test match against Korea at Tokyo, on 8 April 1990. He was part of the 1991 Rugby World Cup roster. His last international appearance was in a test match against Fiji at Apia, on 5 June 1993. In 1993, he played for the Samoa national team at the first ever Rugby World Cup Sevens, taking part in a series of test matches on 28 March 1993, when the teams of New Zealand (24-14) and Fiji (14-12) were defeated, and in the game against the New Zealanders, he scored several tries.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Awesome Manu Samoa snatch Hong Kong 7's crown|url=https://www.samoaobserver.ws/category/samoa/14869|access-date=2021-05-01|website=Samoa Observer}}</ref>
==After career== In 2011, after Samoa's disastrous performance at the World Cup in New Zealand, Kaleopa supported team captain Mahonri Schwalger, who called for reforms in the Samoa Rugby Union and to understand the reasons for the Samoan failures.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Former Manu players back Schwalger|url=https://pacificguardians.org/blog/2011/10/26/former-manu-players-back-schwalger/|url-status=live|website=Pacific Guardians|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210501173456/https://pacificguardians.org/blog/2011/10/26/former-manu-players-back-schwalger/ |archive-date=2021-05-01 | accessdate=14 January 2024 | first=Aigaletaule’ale’ā F. | last=Tauafiafi | date=26 October 2011 }}</ref> The reason for Schwalger's indignation was the scandalous behavior of the national team manager Mathew Vaea, who was fired from the national team for drunkenness and neglection of duty at the World Cup.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2011-10-29|title=Corruption claims rock Samoa|url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/5876733/Corruption-claims-rock-Samoa|access-date=2021-05-01|website=Stuff|language=en}}</ref>
His daughter is the New Zealand swimmer Gabrielle Fa'amausili.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Success in the pool for Avondale College swimmers Gabrielle Fa'amausili and Caitlin Mann|url=http://www.collegesportmedia.co.nz/1/post/2015/05/-success-in-the-pool-for-avondale-college-swimmers-gabrielle-faamausili-and-caitlin-mann.html|access-date=2021-05-01|website=College Sport Media|language=en}}</ref>
== References ==
{{Reflist}}
== External links ==
* {{ESPNscrum|10749}} * [http://www.rugbyhistory.co.nz/player/danny-k-kaleopa Danny K. Kaleopa at New Zealand Rugby History] {{Samoa 1993 Rugby Sevens World Cup Squad}} {{Samoa Squad 1991 World Cup}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kaleopa, Danny}} Category:1966 births Category:Living people Category:Rugby union flankers Category:Samoa international rugby union players Category:Samoan rugby union players Category:Samoan expatriate rugby union players in Japan Category:Samoan expatriate rugby union players in New Zealand Category:Canterbury rugby union players Category:Auckland rugby union players Category:Nippon Steel Kamaishi Seawaves players Category:1991 Rugby World Cup players