Nafi Tuitavake
| Date of birth | 21 January 1989 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Place of birth | Auckland, New Zealand | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 95 kg (14 st 13 lb; 209 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| School | Massey High School | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Notable relative(s) | Anthony Tuitavake (brother) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Nafi Tuitavake (born 21 January 1989)[1] is a New Zealand Rugby union player who plays for the Vodacom Blue Bulls in the Super rugby competition.[2] He is the younger brother of former All Black winger Anthony Tuitavake.
He was named in the Crusaders five-man wider training group for 2014.[3]
On 21 September 2016, Nafi sign professional contract with English club Northampton Saints in the Aviva Premiership from the 2016–17 season.[4]
Tuitavake made some good appearances in Saints' second side the Northampton Wanderers, before being drafted into the first team as the wider squad suffered with injuries. The Tonga centre thrived and secured a place in the first team quickly and most recently helped his side secure European Champions Cup rugby for the 2017/18 season as the side beat Stade Francais by just one point.[5]
Tuitavake will travel with Tonga for their 2017 summer internationals, battling with fellow Pacific Island nations, and Saints teammates, for a Rugby World Cup qualification for the 2019 competition. At the end of the 2018/19 season, Tuitivake was released by the Northampton Saints.
He gained selection to the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan and made just one appearance, against England, before being sent home with a fractured arm.
Career highlights
- North Harbour ITM CUP 2010
- New Zealand U20 2009
- New Zealand Sevens 2008
- North Harbour U21 2007
- North Harbour U19 2006
- North Harbour U16 2005
References
- ^ TVNZ player profile of Nafi Tuitavake
- ^ "Nafi Tuitavake joins the Vodacom Bulls". Bulls Rugby. 22 January 2020. Retrieved 26 February 2022.
- ^ "Crusaders – The 2014 squad" (PDF). All Blacks. 30 October 2013. Retrieved 29 October 2013.
- ^ "Northampton sign Tonga centre Nafi Tuitavake". BBC Sport. 21 September 2016. Retrieved 26 September 2016.
- ^ "16/17 Northampton Saints v Stade Francais | European Cup".