Kade Poki

Kade Poki (born 17 January 1988 in Blenheim, New Zealand) is a rugby union player who plays for the Kubota Spears in the Japanese Top League. Prior to his move to Japan, he had represented Southland in the ITM Cup and the Highlanders in the Super Rugby competition.

Playing career

Provincial Rugby

Poki made his Air New Zealand Cup debut for the Tasman Makos in 2007 against Taranaki, but injury ruled him out of most of the season. He emerged as a starter in 2008, and spent three seasons as a starter on the wing for the Makos and one of the side's more dangerous players.

For the 2011 ITM Cup, Poki signed with the Southland Stags, where he lined up alongside a number of his teammates with the Highlanders. However, he never really hit his stride with in two seasons with Southland, playing just 13 games without scoring a try.

Super Rugby

Poki made his Super Rugby debut for the Crusaders in 2008 when he played against ACT Brumbies. Aged only 20, he made 10 starts for the team over the course of the season and scored two tries, helping the team to the championship. However, injuries and squad depth limited his chances to build on his freshman season, and he made only 4 more appearances for the Crusaders over the next two seasons.