Alamanda Motuga

Last updated

Alamanda Motuga
Full nameAlamanda Lolo Motuga
Date of birth (1994-09-11) 11 September 1994 (age 29)
Place of birth Auckland, New Zealand
Height1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)
Weight111 kg (245 lb; 17 st 7 lb)
School Manurewa High School
Rugby union career
Position(s) Flanker
Current team Counties Manukau, Moana Pasifika
Senior career
YearsTeamApps(Points)
2020– Counties Manukau 10 (30)
2022– Moana Pasifika 17 (15)
Correct as of 28 August 2023
International career
YearsTeamApps(Points)
2019– Samoa 5 (10)
Correct as of 28 August 2023
National sevens team
YearsTeamComps
2016– Samoa 37
Correct as of 28 August 2023

Alamanda Lolo Motuga (born 11 September 1994) is a professional rugby union player who plays as a flanker for Super Rugby club Moana Pasifika. Born in New Zealand, he represents Samoa at international level after qualifying on ancestry grounds. [1]

Contents

Early life

Motuga was educated at Manurewa High School in Auckland, New Zealand. [2] He began playing rugby for Manurewa in the Counties-Manukau Amateur Federation Championship. [3] He also played rugby sevens with the Auckland Marist team. [4]

Club career

In 2020 he joined the Counties Manukau squad for the 2020 Mitre 10 Cup. [5] In November 2020 he represented Moana Pasifika in their inaugural match against the Māori All Blacks. [6] In October 2021 he signed to Moana Pacifica for the 2022 season. [7]

International career

In February 2016 he was selected for the Samoa national rugby sevens team to play in the Las Vegas and Vancouver legs of the 2015–16 World Rugby Sevens Series. [4] In May 2016 he was part of the Samoan team that won the 2016 Paris Sevens. [8] [9] He went on to represent Samoa in 36 sevens competitions from 2016. [10]

In July 2019 he was selected for the Samoa national rugby union team for the 2019 World Rugby Pacific Nations Cup, [11] making his debut for the national side against Tonga. His performances for Samoa and Samoa Sevens earned him a call-up to the Samoa squad for the 2019 Rugby World Cup as a replacement for Afa Amosa. [12] [13]

He competed for Samoa at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. [14] [15]

Related Research Articles

Tim Nanai-Williams is a New Zealand-born Samoan rugby union player. He currently plays for Stade Toulousain in the Top 14. He has also represented New Zealand and Samoa in sevens rugby.

Lolagi Visinia is a rugby union player, who currently plays as a wing or fullback for Auckland in New Zealand's domestic National Provincial Championship competition. He was born and raised in New Zealand, but has represented both New Zealand and Manu Samoa internationally.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Solomone Kata</span> New Zealand and Tonga dual coade international rugby footballer

Solomone Kata is a professional dual-code rugby footballer who plays as a wing for Premiership Rugby club Leicester Tigers and the Tonga national team.

Ereatara Enari is a rugby union player, who currently plays as a halfback for Moana Pasifika in Super Rugby and for Hawke's Bay in New Zealand's domestic National Provincial Championship competition. He was born and raised in New Zealand, but has represented Manu Samoa internationally, for which he is eligible due to his Samoan heritage.

Raymond 'Ray' Niuia is a New Zealand born Samoan rugby union player most recently played for Moana Pasifika in Super Rugby. He has also played for both the Highlanders and the Blues. His position of choice is Hooker.

Danny Toala is a professional rugby union player, who currently plays as a midfield back or fullback for Moana Pasifika in Super Rugby and for Hawke's Bay in New Zealand's domestic National Provincial Championship competition. He was born and raised in New Zealand, but has represented Manu Samoa internationally, for which he is eligible due to his Samoan heritage.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Henry Stowers</span> New Zealander rugby union player

Henry Stowers is a New Zealand born, Samoan rugby union player who plays for the Benetton Rugby in the United Rugby Championship. His playing position is flanker. He is also a Samoan international.

Dwayne E. Polataivao is a Samoan rugby union player. A scrum-half, he played for Moana Pasifika in Super Rugby in 2022. He has also represented Samoa internationally.

Samiuela Moli is a professional rugby union player who plays as a hooker for Super Rugby club Moana Pasifika. Born in New Zealand, he represents Tonga at international level after qualifying on ancestry grounds.

Sosefo Losino 'Apikotoa is a rugby union player, who currently plays as a prop for Hawke's Bay in New Zealand's domestic National Provincial Championship competition and for Anthem Rugby Carolina in Major League Rugby (MLR). He previously played for Moana Pasifika in Super Rugby. He was born and raised in New Zealand, but represents Tonga internationally, for which he is eligible due to his Tongan descent.

Viliami Taulani is a Tongan rugby union player who plays for Harlequins in the Premiership Rugby. His playing position is flanker.

Samuel Vinsene Slade is a professional rugby union player who plays as a lock for Super Rugby club Moana Pasifika. Born in New Zealand, he represents Samoa at international level after qualifying on ancestry grounds.

Neria Fomai is a rugby union player, who currently plays as a centre or wing for Hawke's Bay in New Zealand's domestic National Provincial Championship competition and for Moana Pasifika in Super Rugby. He was born and raised in New Zealand, but has represented Manu Samoa – for which he is eligible due to his Samoan heritage – both in the fifteen-a-side form of the game and rugby sevens.

William Havili is a professional rugby union player who plays as a fly-half for Super Rugby club Moana Pasifika. Born in New Zealand, he represents Tonga at international level after qualifying on ancestry grounds.

Tomasi Alosio Logotuli is a Samoan rugby union player. His position is wing or fullback.

'Api Kakalaia Solomone Funaki is a Tongan professional rugby union player, who currently plays as a loose forward for Moana Pasifika in Super Rugby. He represents Tonga internationally.

Josh Kaifa is a New Zealand rugby union player, who currently plays as a loose forward for Hawke's Bay in New Zealand's domestic National Provincial Championship competition. He previously played – as an injury replacement – for Moana Pasifika in Super Rugby and Zebre Parma in the United Rugby Championship.

Nikolai Foliaki is a Tongan rugby union player, currently playing for the Force and Counties Manukau. His preferred position is centre.

Aisea Halo is a Tongan rugby union player, who plays for Moana Pasifika and North Harbour. His preferred position is scrum-half.

Otumaka Mausia is a Tongan rugby union player, who plays for Moana Pasifika. His preferred position is fly-half, wing or fullback.

References

  1. "Alamanda Motuga". Ultimate Rugby. Retrieved 5 May 2021.
  2. "Manurewa High School Newsletter" (PDF). Manurewa High School. August 2012. p. 3. Retrieved 4 June 2022.
  3. "Sport: Manurewa keep hold of trophy". Stuff. 27 April 2016. Retrieved 4 June 2022.
  4. 1 2 "Pool C: New faces for Fiji and Samoa". HSBC World Sevens. 26 February 2016. Retrieved 4 June 2022.
  5. "2020 Counties Manukau PIC Steelers". Counties Manukau Rugby. Retrieved 10 September 2020.
  6. "Moana Pasifika names side to face Māori All Blacks". allblacks.com. 3 December 2020. Retrieved 3 December 2020.
  7. "Samoan Forward Pack Trio Sign for Moana Pasifika". Samoa Global News. 23 October 2021. Retrieved 4 June 2022.
  8. "Samoa win Paris Sevens after stunning comeback against Fiji". Telegraph. 15 May 2016. Retrieved 4 June 2022.
  9. "Au mo le Ta'ito'afitu i Pale na faalauiloa e le Palemia" (in Samoan). Samoa Observer. 8 May 2016. Retrieved 4 June 2022.
  10. "Sport: New Samoa Sevens coach takes a long-term view". RNZ. 8 September 2020. Retrieved 5 May 2021.
  11. "PNC Preview – Samoa vs Tonga". ARN. 25 July 2019. Retrieved 4 June 2022.
  12. "Samoa draft replacement for injured back-row Amosa". Rugby World Cup. 26 September 2019. Retrieved 5 May 2021.
  13. Thomas Airey (26 September 2019). "Motuga gets the call, Manu coach says he deserves opportunity". Samoa Observer. Retrieved 4 June 2022.
  14. Chand, Shalveen (9 July 2024). "Manu Samoa's Olympic squad named". Samoa Observer. Retrieved 26 July 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  15. "Coach Selects Strong 14-Man Squad for Paris Olympics". Samoa Global News. 10 July 2024. Retrieved 26 July 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)