Cooper Vuna

Cooper Vuna
Personal information
Full name Kerry Cooper Vuna
Nickname Coops
Born 5 July 1987 (1987-07-05) (age 24)
Auckland, New Zealand
Height 182 cm (6 ft 0 in)
Weight 97 kg (15 st 4 lb)
Playing information
Rugby league
Position Wing, Centre, Second-row, Fullback
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
2004–2006 New Zealand Warriors 5 1 0 0 4
2007–2010 Newcastle Knights 54 35 0 0 140
Total 59 36 0 0 144
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
2008 Tonga 3 3 0 0 12
Rugby union
Position Centre/Wing
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
2011– Melbourne Rebels 14 4 0 0 20
As of 8 April 2010
Source: RLP

Kerry Cooper Vuna (born 5 July 1987 in Auckland, New Zealand) is a professional rugby union player. He played league, on the wing for the Newcastle Knights (NRL), before switching to rugby union to play wing for the Melbourne Rebels.

Contents

Early years

Vuna played high school rugby union until he was 15, switching to rugby league after being scouted by the New Zealand Warriors.[1] His junior club was the Otahuhu Leopards.[2] And he represented the Auckland Lions in the Bartercard Cup[2] and NSWRL Premier League.

Rugby league career

Vuna signed with the New Zealand Warriors and made his first grade debut late in 2004, in Round 24 against the Parramatta Eels.[2] Vuna went on to play five games for the club over the next three years before leaving, seeking regular game time.

Vuna signed with the Newcastle Knights in mid 2007, seeking to break into first grade. He was picked in the Knights' squad the week he was signed, after the squad suffered several withdrawals. Vuna established himself in the Knights first grade squad, playing in over fifty matches for the club between 2007 and 2010.

In Round 24, 2010 Vuna scored 4 tries against the Brisbane Broncos equalling the Newcastle Knights' club record for most tries in a game.

Representative career

Vuna was selected in the New Zealand Kiwis' training squad in 2007 but did not make the final squad.

Vuna was also named in the Kiwis' 2008 squad training for the World Cup but played in three matches for Tonga instead.[3][4][5][6] In October 2008 he was named in the final 24-man Tonga squad.[7]

In 2011 Cooper was named in the initial 50 man squad for the Tongan Rugby Union Team for the Rugby World Cup.

Rugby union career

In May 2010, Vuna signed a two year contract with the Melbourne Rebels. This was after the Newcastle Knights failed to offer him a new deal.[8][9][10][11] He played the Rebels' pre-season trials against Tonga and Fiji; against the Crusaders he ran on with former Wallabies Stirling Mortlock and Julian Huxley.[12][13] He Debuted in Super Rugby for the first round of the Rebels season against the Waratahs. He ended the season playing 14 games of the Super Rugby season 2011 and scored 4 tries.

Family

His father, John Vuna, represented Tonga in rugby union.[1]

References

  1. ^ a b Kilgallon, Steve (2010-05-30). "Switcheroo Vuna goes for Wallabies over ABs". Sunday Star Times. http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/international/3754434/Vuna-goes-for-Wallabies. Retrieved 2010-10-07. 
  2. ^ a b c "From Shining Knight to the Rebel Army" (Press release). Melbourne Rebels. 2011-01-06. http://www.rebel-army.com/archives/229. Retrieved 2011-01-06. 
  3. ^ "Kiwis select Sonny Bill". Sky Sports. 2008-08-08. http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,12196_3949034,00.html. Retrieved 2008-08-08. 
  4. ^ "Testing time for Knights flyer". 2008-04-04. http://www.leaguehq.com.au/news/news/testing-time-for-knights-flyer/2008/04/04/1207249406489.html. Retrieved 2008-04-04. 
  5. ^ "Vuna extends Knights deal Cooper coup". 2008-04-08. http://www.leaguehq.com.au/news/news/vuna-extends-knights-deal-cooper-coup/2008/04/08/1207420363295.html. Retrieved 2008-04-08. 
  6. ^ "Tug-of-war over Mason". Sky Sports. 2008-08-05. http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,12196_3935853,00.html. Retrieved 2008-08-06. 
  7. ^ "Samoa, Tonga and Fiji name squads". BBC. 2008-10-08. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_league/7658506.stm. Retrieved 2008-10-09. 
  8. ^ "Lipman, Vuna Sign" (Press release). Melbourne Rebels. 2010-05-24. http://www.rebel-army.com/archives/229. Retrieved 2010-05-24. 
  9. ^ Toohey, Barry (2010-05-23). "Cooper Vuna runs to rugby joining Melbourne Rebels for 2010". Fox Sports NRL. News Limited. http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,27163906-5018866,00.html. Retrieved 2010-05-24. 
  10. ^ Smith, Wayne (2010-05-22). "Rebels chase Knights flyer Cooper Vuna". Australian (News Limited). http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/sport/rebels-chase-knights-flyer-cooper-vuna/story-e6frg7mf-1225869804755. Retrieved 2010-05-24. 
  11. ^ Smith, Wayne (2010-05-24). "Vuna springs surprise on Dad". Australian (News Limited). http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/sport/vuna-springs-surprise-on-dad/story-e6frg7ox-1225870282900. Retrieved 2010-05-24. 
  12. ^ Gould, Russell (2011-02-07). "Julian Huxley looks to build fitness". Herald Sun. News Limited. http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/julian-huxley-looks-to-build-fitness/story-e6frf9if-1226001066520. Retrieved 2010-05-09. 
  13. ^ Smith, Wayne (2011-02-07). "From Knights to Wallabies bolter". Australian. News Limited. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/sport/from-knights-to-wallabies-bolter/story-e6frg7mf-1226001083347. Retrieved 2011-02-09. 

External links

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Backs
Cordingley · Kingi · Phipps · Cipriani · Hilgendorf · Mortlock · Mitchell · Taumoepeau · Huxley · du Plessis · Betham · Vuna · Gerrard · Rooney
Coaches
MacQueen (Director of Coaching) · Damien Hill (Assistant Coach) · Mark Bakewell (Forwards Coach) · Grey (Defensive Coach)