Suaia Matagi
| Personal information | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Born | 23 March 1988 Auckland, New Zealand | |||||
| Height | 185 cm (6 ft 1 in) | |||||
| Weight | 105 kg (16 st 7 lb) | |||||
| Playing information | ||||||
| Position | Prop, Second-row | |||||
| Club | ||||||
| Years | Team | Pld | T | G | FG | P |
| 2013– | NZ Warriors | 35 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Representative | ||||||
| Years | Team | Pld | T | G | FG | P |
| 2013–14 | Samoa | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 12 |
| 2014 | New Zealand | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Source: [1] | ||||||
Suaia Matagi is a New Zealand rugby league player who currently plays professionally for the New Zealand Warriors.
Personal life
Matagi served a year in Manawatu Prison, after being convicted of assault. His conviction meant he could not obtain a visa to travel to Australia until 2012.[2]
Playing career
Following his release from prison, Matagi began playing rugby league. He played for the Te Atatu Roosters and Mount Albert Lions in the Auckland Rugby League competition.[3]
Matagi was first selected to play for Auckland in 2009. He was selected for the New Zealand Residents in 2009, 2010 and 2011. In 2011 Matagi was named in the Auckland Rugby League team of the year and went on to be named man of the match in the National Competition final.[4] Matagi made his debut for the Auckland Vulcans in the NSW Cup on 3 April 2010 but could only play home games for the Vulcans due to travel restrictions.
He was named the 2012 New Zealand domestic player of the year.[5] In early 2013 Matagi joined the New Zealand Warriors squad on a pre-season trial contract.[6]
Matagi was named to make his National Rugby League debut on 11 May 2013 against the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs.
On 22 September 2013, Matagi was named at prop in the 2013 New South Wales Cup Team of the Year.[7]
Matagi was selected for Samoa in the 2013 Rugby League World Cup. Matagi showed his NSW cup form in front of the world, scoring 3 tries in 2 games.
In May 2014, Matagi played for Samoa in the 2014 Pacific Rugby League International.
On September 2014, Matagi was selected for the New Zealand and Samoa Four Nations train-on squads.[8][9] On 7 October 2014, Matagi was selected in the New Zealand Kiwis team final 24 man squad for the 2014 Four Nations series.[10]
References
- ↑ Suaia Matagi rugbyleagueproject.org
- ↑ Matagi's journey: From prison to Mt Smart stuff.co.nz, 7 July 2013
- ↑ Suaia Matagi warriors.co.nz
- ↑ Auckland Pride retain National title rleague.com, 18 October 2011
- ↑ League star on an inspirational journey waikatoindependent.co.nz, 7 May, 2013
- ↑ Strong Vulcan flavour in Warriors tvnz.co.nz, 7 February 2013
- ↑ http://www.nswrl.com.au/default.aspx?s=article-display&id=84880&title=2013-nswrlcomau-vb-nsw-cup-team-of-the-year---announcement
- ↑ http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/sport/254707/six-players-added-to-kiwis-squad
- ↑ http://www.zerotackle.com/nrl/samao-train-on-squad-announced-14837/
- ↑ http://www.nrl.com/four-rookies-in-kiwis-four-nations-squad/tabid/10874/newsid/82419/default.aspx
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Category talk:Sportspeople from Auckland