Joe Tuineau

Last updated

Joe Tuineau
Joseph Tu'ineau 2016-05-22.jpg
Full nameJoseph Mark Laifone Tuineau
Date of birth (1981-08-18) 18 August 1981 (age 42)
Place of birth Suva, Fiji
Height2.03 m (6 ft 8 in)
Weight120 kg (18 st 13 lb; 265 lb)
School King's College
Rugby union career
Position(s) Lock
Current team Dax
Senior career
YearsTeamApps(Points)
2008–2011 Southland 34 (25)
2010–2011 Highlanders 7 (0)
2011–2012 Montpellier 5 (0)
2012–2013 Provence 27 (20)
2013–2014 Lyon 29 (25)
2015– Dax 66 (25)
Correct as of 22 May 2018
International career
YearsTeamApps(Points)
2011– Tonga 30 (5)
Correct as of 16 June 2018

Joseph Mark Laifone Tuineau (born 18 August 1981) is a Tonga international rugby union footballer. He plays in the lock position for the France based Pro D2 side, Dax. Tuineau also represents Tonga at international level.

Contents

Tuineau is a former American football player born in Fiji and raised in New Zealand. [1] His partner is Southern Steel and Silver Ferns goal shoot Daneka Wipiiti.

Rugby career

Provincial Rugby

Tuineau was a rugby and track star at King's College in Auckland but dropped the sport for several years to pursue a career in American football. He returned to New Zealand in mid-2008, and two days after arriving he represented Woodlands in the Galbraith Shield final. He trained heavily to lose excess weight and gain fitness, and played most of the 2008 season with the Southland Development team before getting into late season games off the bench in the Air New Zealand Cup for Southland.

In 2009 he became a regular starter with the Stags in the Air New Zealand Cup, appearing in all but one of the team's 14 games. He was a key figure in Southland's Ranfurly Shield win against Canterbury, ending the fifty-year drought for the province. He finished the 2009 Air New Zealand Cup with a team high four tries and was selected for the 2010 Highlanders squad.

He continued as a starter for Southland during their extended defence of the Ranfurly Shield in the 2010 ITM Cup. He appeared in the first 5 matches of the 2011 ITM Cup, helping the province to another Ranfurly Shield triumph, before leaving to join the Tongan national side in preparation for the 2011 Rugby World Cup. [2]

Super Rugby

Tuineau's strong showings with Southland earned him a contract with the Highlanders for the 2010 Super 14 season. He didn't make his debut until the team's 6th match of the season, but an injury to starting lock Tom Donnelly saw an increase in playing time, and he appeared as a substitute in 7 of the final 8 games of the year.

Although he was again included in the Highlanders squad for the 2011 Super Rugby season, he found himself on the fringes of the squad and didn't feature in any matches over the course of the season.

International Play

In the leadup to the 2011 Rugby World Cup, Tuineau declared his intention to represent Tonga, and made his debut against Fiji on 2 July 2011.

Football career

Tuineau first played football in New Zealand for South Auckland Raiders and then attended Southeast Missouri State University where he played tight end. When Tuineau played football he weighed 131 kg (20 st 9 lb; 289 lb). He played four seasons for the Redhawks recording 61 catches for 772 yards, averaging 12.7 yards per catch with one touchdown. [3] After going undrafted in the 2008 National Football League Draft Tuineau trained with the Jacksonville Jaguars, New York Jets and the New York Giants but failed to receive a National Football League contract. After weighing up his options in 2008 he returned to New Zealand to pursue a rugby union career and signed a two-year deal Southland. [4]

YearTeamGGSRecYdsAvgLngTD
2004Southeast Missouri State University809707.8180
2005Southeast Missouri State University11102530512.2240
2006Southeast Missouri State University10466310.5190
2007Southeast Missouri State University11112133415.9351
CAREER40256177212.7351

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rugby Southland</span>

Rugby Southland is the provincial rugby union who govern the Southland region of New Zealand. Their headquarters are at Rugby Park Stadium in Invercargill, which is also the home ground of the union's professional team, the Southland Stags who compete in the Mitre 10 Cup Championship Division and challenge for the Ranfurly Shield.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Canterbury Rugby Football Union</span> Governing body for rugby union

The Canterbury Rugby Football Union is the governing body for rugby union in a portion of the Canterbury region of New Zealand. Its colours are red and black in a hooped design. The CRFU govern the running of the Canterbury representative team which have won New Zealand's first-tier domestic competition National Provincial Championship 14 times including a "six-peat" from 2008 to 2013 – with five in the National Provincial Championship, two in the Air New Zealand Cup, five in the ITM Cup and one in the Mitre 10 Cup. Their most recent victory was the 2017 Mitre 10 Cup. Canterbury also acts as a primary feeder to the Crusaders, who play in the Super Rugby competition.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jimmy Cowan</span> Rugby player

Quinton James Cowan is a New Zealand rugby union footballer. He first played for the All Blacks – New Zealand's national team – during the 2004 tour to the United Kingdom and France, and played his last Test match for the side during the 2011 Rugby World Cup. Cowan was born in Gore and attended Gore High School. After he left school a strong season for the Mataura Rugby Club saw him selected to play provincially for the Southland Stags in 2000. He was selected for the Highlanders in the 2003 Super 12 season, and continued to play for both the Highlanders and Southland until signing for Gloucester in 2012.

Benjamin Alo Charles Atiga is a rugby union player and wellbeing coach. He played centre and fullback, and his coaching focuses on player wellbeing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Otago Rugby Football Union</span> Rugby team in New Zealand

The Otago Rugby Football Union is the official governing body of rugby union for the Otago region of New Zealand. The union is based in the city of Dunedin, and its home ground is Forsyth Barr Stadium. The top representative team competes in the ITM Cup, New Zealand's top provincial competition. The union was to have been liquidated in March 2012. However a deal involving the Dunedin City Council allowed it to keep operating. Otago have won the Ranfurly Shield on seven occasions. They were the National provincial championship winners in 1991 and 1998. They have a proud record playing international teams, having defeated South Africa and the British and Irish Lions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">North Otago Rugby Football Union</span>

The North Otago Rugby Football Union (NORFU) is a New Zealand rugby union province based in Oamaru and compete in the Heartland Championship. They are one of the strongest teams in The Heartland Championship, winning the Meads Cup section of the competition in its second year, 2007 as well as 2010. Their home ground is Whitestone Contracting Stadium, formerly Centennial Park.

Jason Kawau is a rugby union player currently playing for the Kobelco Steelers in the Top League in Japan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kendrick Lynn</span> Rugby player

Kendrick Graeme Lynn is a former New Zealand rugby union player. A versatile utility back, he last played for Lyon in the French Top 14 competition.

Tevita Hale Nai Tu'uhoko, often known simply as Hale T-Pole or Hale T Pole, is a Tongan rugby union footballer who plays as a flanker or number eight for the Ricoh Black Rams in the Top League in Japan. He has also played internationally for Tonga and the Pacific Islanders.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jamie Mackintosh</span> Rugby player

Jamie Mackintosh is a New Zealand professional rugby union player currently playing for the Austin Gilgronis in Major League Rugby (MLR).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chris King (rugby union)</span> Rugby player

Christopher King is a New Zealand rugby union player who currently plays for the Panasonic Wild Knights in Japan. His position is tighthead prop. Three years ago he returned from France with his daughters Chloe and Alexis.

Alando Soakai is a former professional rugby union player from New Zealand best known for his time with the Highlanders in Super Rugby and Otago in the ITM Cup, and as captain of Otago in their 2009 and 2010 campaigns. He currently serves on the coaching staff of the Kubota Spears in the Japan Rugby League One, the club where he finished his playing career.

Kade Poki is a rugby union player who plays for the Bayonne in the French Top 14 competition. Prior to his move abroad, he had represented Tasman in the ITM Cup and the Highlanders in the Super Rugby competition.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kurt Baker</span> New Zealand rugby union player

Kurt Baker is a New Zealand rugby union player, who currently plays as a fullback or wing for Old Glory DC in Major League Rugby (MLR).

Scott Cowan is a New Zealand rugby union player who plays as a halfback for the Southland Stags. He is the younger brother of All Blacks halfback, Jimmy Cowan.

John Hardie is a former New Zealand rugby union player who played most recently for Newcastle Falcons. Hardie predominantly played as an open side flanker. He represented Scotland internationally between 2015 and 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ryan Tongia</span> PNG international rugby league & union footballer

Ryan Tongia is a professional rugby league and rugby union footballer. He is currently based out of Hawke's bay in New Zealand. Tongia is of Papua New Guinean, Chinese and German descent, but was born and raised in Australia. His position is right or left wing, or fullback. He is a Papua New Guinea rugby league international. Tongia was not an age grade star growing up, but through hard work and determination he worked his way to the pros. He got his first real taste of professional rugby league at the Cronulla Sharks NRL before moving to Wakefield Trinity in the Super League. Tongia changed to Rugby Union in 2013. He played for the Otago Highlanders in New Zealand in 2015 and 2016. He has also played for Hawke's Bay and Southland in the NPC known as Mitre 10 cup previously. | Tongia also spent time in Europe playing for Avignon Bayonne SUA in French Top 14 & Pro-D2 respectively.

Matt Saunders is a former New Zealand rugby union player who played provincial rugby for Southland and initially Otago in the National Provincial Championship. He also represented the Highlanders in the Super Rugby competition.

Gareth Evans is a retired New Zealand rugby union player, who played as a loose forward for Hawke's Bay in New Zealand's domestic National Provincial Championship competition and the Highlanders in Super Rugby.

Jonah Lowe is a New Zealand rugby union player, who currently plays as a wing or centre for Hawke's Bay in New Zealand's domestic National Provincial Championship competition and for the Highlanders in Super Rugby.

References

  1. ↑ karalaini tavi (8 June 2018). "Back To Where It Started: Tuineau". Fiji Sun. Retrieved 3 October 2022.
  2. ↑ Nathan Burdon (3 August 2011). "Tuineau keen for win from final Stags outing". New Zealand: Stuff. Retrieved 3 October 2022.
  3. ↑ "Joseph Tuineau". Semo Football. Retrieved 3 October 2022.
  4. ↑ "American football hopeful signed". The Southland Times . 2 July 2008. Retrieved 7 October 2011.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.