Former Te Awamutu Sports' Mikaele Pesamino up for World Men's Sevens Player of the Decade

Samoan sevens star Mikaele Pesamino (left) and Andrew Solo, were welcome additions to Te Awamutu Sports rugby team in 2012. Photo / Colin Thorsen

Former Te Awamutu Sports and Samoan sevens star Miakele Pesamino has been shortlisted by World Rugby for Men's Sevens Player of the Decade.

Pesamino is Te Awamutu's second connection to Player of the Decade nominations with Black Fern Carla Hohepa being shortlisted for Women's 15s Player of the Decade.

The winners of each category will be announced on December 7.

Thirty-six-year-old Pesamino played for Samoa sevens from 2005-2013 playing in 35 series events.

In the 2007-2008 sevens series he was the third highest try scorer. At the 2007 Wellington Sevens he scored a try in the grand final against Fiji to give Samoa their first tournament win.

In 2010 he was named IRB Sevens Player of the Year after helping Samoa claim their first IRB Sevens World Series.

He was also leading try scorer in the 2009-2010 series with 56 tries, 23 more than anyone else that season.

Samoa's Mikaele Pesamino takes on a French defender at the International Rugby Sevens at Wellington in 2010. Photo / File

Pesamino finished his sevens career with 161 tries and 837 points to his name - a try record that still sits above any Samoan player.

In 15s he played three games for Auckland in 2007-2008 scoring one try.

The first of his international tests for Manu Samoa was against Papua New Guinea in 2009. He made six appearances and crossed the try line seven times over a two year period.

He represented Te Awamutu Sports in 2012-2013 and played centre, wing and fullback.

Pesamino was named back of the tournament at the 2013 Kereone 15-a-side rugby tournament where Te Awamutu Sports won for the second year in a row.

Pesamino was also a hero for Te Awamutu in the 2012 Peace Cup win over Eastern Bay of Plenty where he grabbed a brace of tries for Te Awamutu to take the match 26-24.

A month later in the Stan Meads Cup final win over Piako, he sprinted 40 metres untouched to score.

A player of many codes, he was a member of the Samoan Aussie Rules team during the 2002 and 2005 Australian Football International Cups. The 2002 tournament saw him named in the All-international team.

In 2019 Pesamino was still playing for Onewhero Silver Fern Marquees in Counties Manukau club rugby.