Janeiro Wakeham

Janeiro Wakeham (born 24 March 2003) is a Fijian professional rugby union footballer who plays as a lock.

Janeiro Wakeham

Date of birth	(2003-03-24) 24 March 2003 (age 22)[1]
Height	2.08 m (6 ft 10 in)[2]
Weight	140 kg (309 lb)
School	Suva Grammar School
Rugby union career
Position(s) Lock Senior career Years Team Apps (Points) 2021–2024 Stade Français () 2024 → Stade Niçois (loan) () 2024 Ealing Trailfinders () International career Years Team Apps (Points) 2018 Fiji U16 2022 Fiji U20

Early life

He is from Suva, Fiji.^[3] He attended Suva Grammar School and played for Fiji at under-16 level in 2018.^[4]

Career

Rugby union

He was part of the Fiji Rugby Union’s Elite Player Pathway program. He was the youngest player for the Fijian squad in 2020, and was also part of the Suva Under-20 team. He joined Top 14 club Stade Français in France in March 2021 on a four-year contract.^[5][4] He played in the Oceania Rugby U20 Championship at the Gold Coast in Australia for Fiji U20 in 2022.^[6]

He played on loan at Pro D2 club Stade Niçois during the 2023-24 season.^[7] In July 2024, he signed for London-based RFU Championship side Ealing Trailfinders.^[8]

NFL

In December 2024, it was announced that he would be entering the National Football League (NFL) by joining the International Player Pathway (IPP) program for the 2025 NFL season.^[9] He became the first Fijian to participate in the IPP.^[10]

Personal life

He is 6 foot and 9 inches tall and weighs 320 pounds with 36-inch arms. He speaks Fijian and English.^[11]