Tatafu Polota-Nau

Sione 'Utukiveisini Tatafu Polota-Nau (born 26 July 1985)[2] is an Australian rugby union player[3] who recently played for Leicester Tigers in England's Premiership Rugby.[4] He joined the club in December 2017.[4]

Tatafu Polota-Nau
Birth nameSione 'Utukiveisini Tatafu Polota-Nau
Date of birth (1985-07-26) 26 July 1985
Place of birthSydney, Australia
Height181 cm (5 ft 11 1⁄2 in)[1]
Weight114 kg (251 lb; 17 st 13 lb)[1]
Rugby union career
Position(s) Hooker
Current team Leicester Tigers
Amateur team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
Parramatta Two Blues ()
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2007, 2016 Western Sydney Rams 7 (0)
2014–15 Greater Sydney Rams 0 (0)
2017–2020 Leicester Tigers 46 (0)
Correct as of 3 January 2020
Super Rugby
Years Team Apps (Points)
2006–2016 Waratahs 140 (65)
2017 Western Force 13 (0)
2019 (Injury Cover) Waratahs 2 (0)
Correct as of 22 April 2017
National team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
2005–2019 Australia 90 (25)
Australian Schoolboys 5 (0)
Correct as of 09 September 2019

Family and early life

Polota-Nau was born in Sydney. He played rugby league with the Guildford club, and rugby union with Merrylands Wolves Junior Rugby Union Club he attended the Granville South Creative & Performing Arts High School where he excelled in Drama and Trombone. Polota-Nau spent one year with Merewether Carlton Rugby Club as a 13 year old. Still keeps in regular contact with childhood friends Dean Bertsos, Woogie Jackson & Eddy Macdonald.[5] [6]

He is of Tongan heritage.[7] Polota-Nau is the nephew of Hopoi Taione, who represented Japan in four rugby tests in the 1980s,[8] and the cousin of former professional wrestler Tonga Fifita, better known by the ring names "Haku" (World Wrestling Federation) and "Meng" (World Championship Wrestling).

Rugby career

At 20 years of age, Polota-Nau achieved the rare feat of Test selection before playing a match at Super 14 level. His performances in his Test debut against England at Twickenham and in the win over Ireland at Lansdowne Road were impressive.

Tatafu with Greater Sydney Rams Fans

Signed to the New South Wales Waratahs shortly after the end of the 2005 Super 12, he made his provincial debut against Auckland in July and made his first Super 14 appearance in 2006.

He is a strong and powerful hooker who has worked extremely hard in recent times to improve his set piece in partnership with hooking partner and fellow Wallaby Adam Freier. Polota-Nau was named in the Greater Sydney Rams squad for the 2014 and 2015 National Rugby Championship seasons but did not play for the team due to being required for the Australian national side.

On 9 November 2017 Polota-Nau signed for Leicester Tigers in England's Premiership Rugby on a 2-and-a-half-year contract[4] having previously played 146 matches of Super Rugby for a decade with the Waratahs and more recently for one season with the Western Force.[9] Polota-Nau's move abroad came on the back of the downsizing of Super Rugby and the removal of the Force from the competition.[10] Under Giteau's Law Polota-Nau will still be available for international selection.[11]

References
  1. "Tatafu Polota-Nau". rugby.com.au. Australian Rugby Union. Retrieved 6 August 2016.
  2. "Tatafu Polota-Nau". ESPN. Retrieved 22 November 2018.
  3. "Player: Tatafu Polota-Nau". NSW Waratahs. 4 October 2011.
  4. "Tatafu Polota-Nau: Leicester Tigers sign Australia international hooker". BBC. 9 November 2017. Retrieved 9 November 2017.
  5. https://www.theherald.com.au/sport/rugby-union/5569935/wallabies-hook-in-at-cessnock-camp-ahead-of-bledisloe-cup/
  6. https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/tatafu-polota-naus-a-loyal-westie-through-and-through/news-story/d9bb88cad2cd3da12ad2b995faa3fc4e?sv=f932fd615340995ed8daea01cba60bc7/
  7. http://www.rugby.com.au/players/wallabies/2009_squad/polota-nau,_tatafu,130573.html Archived 10 August 2009 at the Wayback Machine
  8. Tucker, Jim (3 November 2017). "Test hooker Tafatu Polota-Nau still searching for a Super Rugby club following demise of Western Force". The Courier Mail. News Corp. Retrieved 9 November 2017.
  9. "Tatafu Polota-Nau: Leicester Tigers sign Australia international hooker". BBC Sport. 9 November 2017. Retrieved 10 November 2017.
  10. "Wallabies hooker Tatafu Polota-Nau may be forced overseas". Sky Sports. Retrieved 10 November 2017.
  11. "Larkham: real worth of 'Giteau's Law'". Retrieved 10 November 2017.
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