Mark Taufua

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Mark Taufua
Personal information


Full name	Mark Larry Taufua
Nickname	Fu, Taff
Born	(1981-10-24) 24 October 1981 Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia
Height	188 cm (6 ft 2 in)
Weight	106 kg (16 st 10 lb)
Playing information
Position	Prop, Second-row, Lock
Club
Years	Team	Pld	T	G	FG	P
2007–2011	Newcastle Knights	67	5	0	0	20
2012–2013	Cronulla-Sutherland	21	1	0	0	4
	Total	88	6	0	0	24
Representative
Years	Team	Pld	T	G	FG	P
2009–2013	Samoa	6	0	0	0	0
As of 8 April 2010
Source: RLP

Mark Larry Taufua is an Australian professional rugby league player. He is of Samoan descent, and currently plays for the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks in the National Rugby League. He previously played for the Newcastle Knights. He primarily plays at prop or at lock but he is also a proven second-rower. His younger brother Larry Jnr, played for the Newcastle Knights in the Jersey Flegg Cup in 2006 and 2007.

Playing career

After playing junior rugby league in Maitland for the Woodberry Warriors, Taufua switched to rugby union, playing for The Waratahs in the Newcastle and Hunter Rugby Union competition. He was a Newcastle and NSW Country rugby union representative when in 2006 Brian Smith, the Knights coach at that time discovered him. After debuting in the NRL midway through 2007, at 25, Taufua continued to improve. In 2008, a Newcastle Herald article nicknamed him "The Samoan stealth bomber" after "teeth-rattling tackles and bone-jarring charges" against the Melbourne Storm, and in 2009, played in every game for Newcastle except their first-round loss to the Gold Coast Titans. He has only missed a few games in 2010 due to injury.

On 7 June 2011, Taufua signed with the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks for 2 years, starting in 2012.^[1]

Throughout the 2013 season, Taufua struggled to obtain game time in the NRL, due to the likes of Luke Lewis, Paul Gallen, and Andrew Fifita, before him, but had a fitting end to his career with a stellar season as starting prop in a NSW Cup Premiership side, captained by Townsend. ^[2]

He announced his retirement from the game after the 2013 Rugby League World Cup.

Representative career

In 2009 he was named as part of the Samoan side for the Pacific Cup.^[3]

Personal life

Mark Taufua is the second eldest son of Feiloivao Lilomaiava Taulave (Lave/Larry) Taufua, who is a Paramount Chief of Faleatiu, A'ana, Samoa. Taufua's father was also a Heavy Weight boxer in New Zealand during the late 70s, where his alias was "Prince Tattoo" (due to his traditional Samoan tattoo known as Tatau or Pe'a. His mother Lulu Sapaea Faofua (Taufua) of Laulii died in 1996 due to cancer. Taufua is deadset legend.

References

External links

v t e Samoa squad – 2013 Rugby League World Cup

Edward Purcell Frank Winterstein Daniel Vidot Antonio Winterstein Tim Lafai Joseph Leilua Anthony Milford Ben Roberts Pita Godinet Penani Manumalealii Junior Sa'u Mose Masoe Suaia Matagi Junior Moors Mark Taufua Leeson Ah Mau Faleniu Iosi David Fa'alogo Harrison Hansen Michael Sio Iosia Soliola Sauaso Sue Reni Maitua Tony Puletua Ionatana Tino Coach: Matt Parish

Persondata
Name	Taufua, Mark
Alternative names
Short description	Australian rugby league player
Date of birth	24 October 1981
Place of birth	Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia
Date of death
Place of death

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