Zeb Taia
 | ||||||
| Taia playing for the Newcastle Knights in 2009 | ||||||
| Personal information | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | John Zebelon Taia | |||||
| Nickname | Zebby | |||||
| Born | 11 October 1984 Auckland, New Zealand | |||||
| Height | 186 cm (6 ft 1 in) | |||||
| Weight | 104 kg (16 st 5 lb) | |||||
| Playing information | ||||||
| Position | Second-row, Lock, Prop, Centre | |||||
| Club | ||||||
| Years | Team | Pld | T | G | FG | P |
| 2006–2007 | Parramatta Eels | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 8 |
| 2007–2012 | Newcastle Knights | 101 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 48 |
| 2013– | Catalans Dragons | 25 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 52 |
| Total | 132 | 27 | 0 | 0 | 108 | |
| Representative | ||||||
| Years | Team | Pld | T | G | FG | P |
| 2010 | New Zealand | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2012–2013 | Cook Islands | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Source: RLP | ||||||
Zeb Taia (born 11 October 1984) is a New Zealand professional rugby league footballer for the Catalans Dragons of the Super League. He primarily plays second-row and lock but can fill in at prop or centre.
Playing career
Born in New Zealand, Taia moved to Auburn, New South Wales in Australia at a young age and played his junior football for the Enfield Federals and the St. Clair Comets before being signed by the Parramatta Eels. He played for the Eels' Premier League reserve-grade team in 2006.[1] In Round 5 of the 2006 NRL season he made his NRL debut for the Eels against the Penrith Panthers.
In 2007, Taia was granted a release from his Eels contract and moved mid-season to the Newcastle Knights. In 2008, Taia established himself as a permanent first-grader with the Knights. In the first week of the finals series of 2011, Taia made a comeback from a career threatening neck injury in which he suffered four rounds into the season.
On the 16th of May 2012, Taia signed a 3-year deal with English Super League club, Catalans Dragons starting in 2013. Taia said about the move, "Whilst my wife and I are looking forward to experiencing life in another country, a beautiful one at that, I am forever indebted to the Knights. Not just for the time I have been here but the support they showed me, particularly last season during a potentially career ending injury."[2]
Representative career
For the 2010 Anzac Test, Taia was selected to debut for the New Zealand national rugby league team at second-row forward in their loss against Australia.[3]
On the 16th of October 2010, Taia represented the Cook Islands against a NSW Country representative side.[4] In the match Taia captained the side. He made his official international debut for the Cook Islands in 2012 in a match against Lebanon.
Zeb captained 'the Kukis' in the 2013 Rugby League World Cup
Personal life
Taia is of Cook Islander descent as his parents are from the island of Penrhyn (Tongareva).[5] He moved from New Zealand to Auburn, New South Wales, when he was young, and was educated at Patrician Brothers' College Blacktown.
References
- ↑ http://www.rleague.com//db/player/t/taia_zeb/index.php
- ↑ http://www.newcastleknights.com.au/news-display/Taia-signs-with-Catalans-Dragons/55250
- ↑ "Zeb Taia chases black jumper after sidestepping Blues". Newcastle Herald. 16 July 2009. Retrieved 13 December 2010.
- ↑ http://www.crlnsw.com.au/index.php?id=13&tx_ttnews[tt_news]=201&tx_ttnews[backPid]=12&cHash=f38cd2c926
- ↑ Alderson, Andrew (15 August 2010). "League: Watch out for Taia if Kiwi coach calls". The New Zealand Herald.