George Naoupu

George Naoupu (born 4 September 1983) is a former professional rugby union player from New Zealand. He played at number 8, as a flanker or in the second row.[2]

George Naoupu
Naoupu before Connacht's 2011–12 Heineken Cup game away to Toulouse
Date of birth (1983-09-04) 4 September 1983
Place of birthChristchurch, New Zealand
Height1.96 m (6 ft 5 in)
Weight124 kg (19 st 7 lb)[1]
Notable relative(s)Julianna Naoupu (sister)
SpouseSene Naoupu
Rugby union career
Position(s) Flanker, Lock
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2010–2011
2016–2017
Kobelco
Harlequins
()
Provincial / State sides
Years Team Apps (Points)
2004–2005
2006
2007–2009
2009–2010
2011–2016
Canterbury
Tasman
Hawke's Bay
Connacht
Connacht
9
9
27
14
103
(5)
(0)
(20)
(15)
(30)
Correct as of 29 Jul 2016
Super Rugby
Years Team Apps (Points)
2008–2009 Highlanders 11 (5)
National team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
20xx–20xx
20xx–20xx
New Zealand Schools
New Zealand U19
National sevens team(s)
Years Team Comps
20xx–20xx New Zealand
Teams coached
Years Team
2017– Wicklow (player-coach)

Naoupu's sister, Julianna Naoupu, is a Samoan netball international [3] and his wife, Sene Naoupu, is an Ireland's women's rugby union international.[4]

Club career

Career in New Zealand

Naoupu's professional career began in 2004 with Canterbury, where he played for two seasons. He then joined Tasman Makos for a season before moving to Hawke's Bay. He made the breakthrough to Super Rugby in 2008 with the Highlanders in his second season at Hawkes Bay.[5]

Move to Ireland

Naoupu left Highlanders in 2009, moving to Irish provincial side Connacht. Joining ahead of the 2009–10 season, Naoupu made his debut for the side in a 2009–10 European Challenge Cup game with Worcester Warriors on 12 December 2009.[6] He made his league debut in the province's 2009–10 Celtic League game against Irish rivals Munster on 26 December that year, starting the game and playing the full 80 minutes.[7] Naoupu played another seven league games for the side, starting in all of them and scoring a try.[8] In Europe, Naoupu played six of Connacht's eight games as they reached the last four, and scored two tries against Olympus Madrid.[6] He started for Connacht in the semi-final on 29 April 2010, where they were narrowly beaten by a Jonny Wilkinson-inspired Toulon side.[9]

Naoupu departed Connacht at the end of his first season. He moved to Japan, having agreed a deal with Top League side Kobelco Steelers.[10]

Japanese rugby

Naoupu joined Japanese side Kobelco Steelers for the 2010–11 season. During his time at the club, the team finished fifth in the 2010–11 Top League, missing out on the title play-offs by one position, and were level on points with Suntory Sungoliath who came fourth.

Though the Steelers failed to make their league's title play-offs, they did reach the 48th All Japan Rugby Football Championship through a wild card play-off. The Steelers reached the semi-finals, but were narrowly beaten 37–33 by Suntory, who went on to win the final.

Return to Connacht

Naoupu (No. 8) playing against Toulouse in the 2011–12 Heineken Cup

Following one season in Japan, Naoupu returned to play for Connacht in the 2011–12 season.[10] When he returned the Celtic League had been renamed the Pro12, and Connacht had qualified for the Heineken Cup, Europe's top club competition, for the first ever time. Naoupu made his first appearance since returning in the opening game of the 2011–12 Pro12, starting against Benetton Treviso on 3 September 2011, and playing the full 80 minutes.[11] Naoupu made his first appearance at the top level of European rugby on 11 November 2011, when he started against Harlequins in Connacht's opening 2011–12 Heineken Cup game. Naoupu also started in all five other games the province played in the competition, including Connacht's first ever win at that level, in the return game with Harlequins on 20 January 2012.[6] He made a total of 17 league appearances for the season, starting in all the games he played.[8]

The 2012–13 season saw Naoupu play fewer games in total, but put in several strong performances. He played 14 games in the 2012–13 Pro12, starting all but one, and scoring four tries.[8] Over the course of the season, Naoupu faced competition from Academy graduate Eoin McKeon for the number 8 position. In the 2012–13 Heineken Cup, he started two games and came on as a replacement in another.[6] In January 2013, it was announced that Naoupu had been offered a contract extension on the back of his good form, agreeing a deal to stay with Connacht until the end of the 2014–15 season.[12]

In the following season, Naoupu was again vying with McKeon for the starting position on the team. Naoupu started the first two games of the 2013–14 Pro12 against Zebre and Cardiff Blues, and was used as a replacement in the next two.[8] The 2013–14 Heineken Cup saw Naoupu start in half of Connacht's games and come on as a replacement in the other three. He scored his first ever European try on 19 October 2013 against Zebre.[6] Naoupu suffered an injury in February 2014 however, which ruled him out for the rest of the season and he ended up making a total of 14 league appearances, with just six of these coming as starts.[8]

Retirement from Professional Rugby

Naoupu announced his retirement from professional rugby in July 2017. Naoupu joined the amateur club, Wicklow RFC, as player/coach for the 2017–18 season .[13]

International

Naoupu represented New Zealand at both schools and under 19 level. Naoupu has also played for his country in rugby sevens, meaning he cannot qualify for Ireland through residency as he is committed to New Zealand under IRB regulations.[14]

References

  1. http://www.connachtrugby.ie/three-connacht-players-named-in-ireland-u20-squad/sean-obrien-1512014/#team Archived 22 April 2016 at the Wayback Machine
  2. "George Naoupu : Rugby Union : Players and Officials". ESPN Scrum. Retrieved 18 June 2014.
  3. Mackenzie, Linley (26 November 2009). "Super 14 player set to boost Connacht ranks". Galway Advertiser.
  4. http://www.irishrugby.ie/news/36154.php#.VkNjCrfhDcs
  5. "Player Statistics Naoupu George". It's Rugby. Retrieved 18 June 2014.
  6. "Player Archive: George Naoupu". ERC. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
  7. "Munster Rugby 35 - 3 Connacht Rugby". RaboDirectPRO12. 26 December 2009. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
  8. "Connacht Squad Index: George Naoupu". RaboDirectPRO12. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
  9. "Connacht Rugby v Toulon". ERC. 29 April 2010. Archived from the original on 17 June 2014. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
  10. "Connacht sign Ulster duo as Naoupu returns". RTÉ Sport. 7 January 2011. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
  11. "Benetton Treviso 9 - 11 Connacht Rugby". RaboDirectPRO12. 3 September 2011. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
  12. "George Naoupu among quartet to sign new Connacht deals". BBC Sport. 9 January 2013. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
  13. "Former Connacht star leaves Harlequins to become player coach of Wicklow RFC". www.the42.ie. 1 August 2017. Retrieved 22 February 2018.
  14. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 4 December 2011. Retrieved 1 April 2013.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
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