Iliesa Tanivula

Last updated

Iliesa Tanivula
Tanivula.jpg
Birth nameIliesa Samusamuvodre Tanivula
Date of birth (1975-09-20) 20 September 1975 (age 48)
Height1.8 m (5 ft 11 in)
Weight100 kg (220 lb)
Rugby union career
Position(s) Wing, Centre, Fullback
Provincial / State sides
YearsTeamApps(Points)
1999–2004 Auckland ()
Super Rugby
YearsTeamApps(Points)
1999 Brumbies ()
2000 Blues 11 (10)
2001 Highlanders (0)
National sevens team
YearsTeamComps
2002 New Zealand 7s
Coaching career
YearsTeam
2008 Nadi
2008 Western Crusaders
2009 Fiji Warriors
2008–11 Fiji 7s

Iliesa Samusamuvodre Tanivula (born 20 September 1975) is a former New Zealand sevens player and the current coach of the Fiji sevens team. Tanivula could play most positions in the backline. He mainly played at centre, wing or fullback.

Contents

Playing career

Tanivula was a secondary school sprinter in Fiji and attended Natabua High school. He was a soccer star in Fiji, playing for the Fiji Under-17 before joining the Auckland Development XV in 1997. Tanivula returned to Fiji in 1998 to play for his home side Nadi in the Farebrother Sullivan Trophy challenge against Suva and that was where Tanivula's talent was spotted by Eddie Jones who signed him up with the ACT Brumbies.

He made his debut for Auckland for their National Provincial Championship (NPC) competition in 1999 and in that same year they won the NPC. He had offers from the ACT Brumbies as well as the Auckland Blues [1] to be part of their Super 12 team after having a short stint with the Brumbies in 1999. After playing for the blues in the 2000, [2] He was selected into the New Zealand sevens side [3] he made his debut for the Otago Highlanders in 2001. Tanivula was named player of the NPC in 2003 after his brilliance performance in guiding the Auckland side to another victory as they retained the title. [4] Tanivula headed to Japan in 2005 to represent the Kamaishi Seawaves. A series of injuries to both of his knees ended his playing career in 2006.

Coaching career

Tanivula coached the Nadi rugby team in the Digicel Cup and in 2008 he created history by winning the Farebrother Sullivan Trophy as well as the Digicel Cup. He also guided the Western Crusaders team which won the Colonial Cup. In early 2009, he guided the Fiji Warriors team to the 2009 Pacific Rugby Cup defeating the Upolu Samoa team in the final. His impressive work pleased the Fiji Rugby Union and they offered him the head coaching job of the Fiji sevens team, a position left vacant after the termination of Waisale Serevi's contract. [5] He coached his first sevens tournament in Wellington where Fiji was bundled out in the quarter finals. the following week in San Diego, Fiji was bundled out in the quarters again. He then coached Fiji to the 2009 Rugby World Cup Sevens where Fiji lost in the quarter finals again and thus losing their world champions status. A few weeks later he turned the table in Hong Kong when Fiji defeated South Africa and claimed a first win in 2 years. He then coached the side to the 2009 World Games where Fiji defeated Portugal to retain their gold medal. Fiji lost at the 2009 London Sevens but won a week later at Murrayfield and finished 2nd in the season under Tanivula's guidance. Tanivula renewed his contract with the FRU for another 3 years hoping to guide Fiji to the 2013 Rugby World Cup Sevens but he was fired in 2011 and replaced by the inept Alifereti Dere who failed to win the Melrose Cup just like his predecessor as the team finished 3rd. Tanivula returned to coaching in the Digicel Cup with Nadi.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Super Rugby</span> Rugby union club competition

Super Rugby is a men's professional rugby union club competition involving teams from Australia, Fiji, New Zealand, and the Pacific Islands. It has previously included teams from Argentina, Japan, and South Africa. Super Rugby started as the Super 12 in the 1996 season with 12 teams from Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa, building on competitions dating back to the South Pacific Championship in 1986. The Super 12 was established by SANZAR after the sport became professional in 1995. After the COVID-19 pandemic forced the competition to split into three, the reformed competition in 2021 only included teams from Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific islands.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joe Rokocoko</span> Rugby player

Josevata Taliga "Joe" Rokocoko is a New Zealand former professional rugby union player, who played as a wing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Richie McCaw</span> New Zealand international rugby union player

Richard Hugh McCaw is a retired New Zealand professional rugby union player. He captained the New Zealand national team, the All Blacks, in 110 out of his 148 test matches, and won two Rugby World Cups. He has won the World Rugby Player of the Year award a joint record three times and was the most capped test rugby player of all time from August 2015 to October 2020. McCaw was awarded World Rugby player of the decade (2011–2020) in 2021. McCaw is also a winner of the New Zealand sportsman of the decade award.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brad Thorn</span> Australia rugby league & NZ rugby union international footballer

Bradley Carnegie Thorn is a New Zealand Australian rugby union coach and former rugby league and rugby union footballer. Born in New Zealand, he represented Australia in rugby league and New Zealand in rugby union in a twenty-two year career as a player, starting at age nineteen and finishing at age forty-one. He was the head coach of the Australian Super Rugby Pacific team, the Queensland Reds. Thorn is their second longest-serving coach in history and their longest serving coach in the professional era.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ma'a Nonu</span> New Zealand rugby union player

Ma'a Allan Nonu is a professional rugby union player from New Zealand who currently plays for the San Diego Legion in Major League Rugby (MLR). He plays in the inside centre, but can also cover outside centre and wing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nadroga-Navosa Province</span> Province of Fiji

Nadroga-Navosa is one of the fourteen provinces of Fiji and one of eight based in Viti Levu, Fiji's largest island. It is about 2,385 square kilometers and occupies the South-West and Central areas of Viti Levu, Fiji's principal island. The province includes the Mamanuca Archipelago,Malolo Islands, off the west coast of Viti Levu, Vatulele, as well as the remote Conway Reef in the southwest. The population at the 2017 census was 58,931, being the fifth largest province. The main town in Nadroga-Navosa is Sigatoka, with a population of 9622.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Isaia Toeava</span> New Zealand rugby union player

Isaia "Ice" Toeava is a professional rugby union player from New Zealand.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rugby union in New Zealand</span>

Rugby union has been played in New Zealand since 1870 and is the most popular sport in the country as well as being its national sport.

Benjamin Alo Charles Atiga is a rugby union player and wellbeing coach. He played centre and fullback, and his coaching focuses on player wellbeing.

Namulauulu Alama Ieremia is a New Zealand rugby union coach and former international player for Western Samoa and New Zealand.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Isa Nacewa</span> New Zealand-born Fijian rugby union player

Isakeli "Isa" Nacewa is a former rugby union player and coach. Born in New Zealand of Fijian descent, he represented the Fiji national team, winning one cap in 2003.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Glen Jackson (rugby union)</span> Rugby player

Glen Warwick Jackson is a coach for the Fijian Drua and also Fiji national team. Jackson is also a former New Zealand rugby union player and referee. During his playing career, he was a first five-eighth. Domestically, he represented Bay of Plenty and Waikato in the NPC and the Saracens in the UK's Guinness Premiership. His strong performances saw him named in the Chiefs squad for the 1999 Super Rugby season and had international experience as well with New Zealand Māori and the Barbarians.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tasesa Lavea</span> NZ & Samoa dual-code rugby international player

Tasesa James Lavea is a New Zealand rugby union coach and former professional rugby league and rugby union footballer. He is of Samoan and Māori descent and heritage, and he coaches the 1st XV for Saint Kentigern College.

Filimoni Vakalololma Bolavucu is a Fijian rugby union player, who currently plays for Dax in Pro D2. He plays as a wing. He played for the Suva Highlanders in the Colonial Cup. He also played for Lomaiviti in the local tournaments. He has played in the Top 14 competition in France representing Brive and Bayonne.

Joeli Vidiri was a professional rugby union footballer who played as a wing. Born in Fiji, he earned seven caps for the Fiji national team before switching his allegiance to New Zealand, for whom he earned two more caps.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ifereimi Rawaqa</span> Rugby player

Ifereimi Rawaqa is a Fijian rugby union player. He plays as a lock or flanker.

Grayson Hart is a professional rugby union player for Bedford Blues. He previously played for Glasgow Warriors and Edinburgh Rugby in the Pro12 and the Blues and the NSW Waratahs in Super Rugby. Also Ealing Trailfinders and London Scottish in the RFU Championship. His usual position is Scrum-half.

Nick White is a retired New Zealand rugby union player. White won several NPC trophies with Auckland and Super Rugby titles with the Crusaders and the Blues. He played as a Prop.

<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.

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

References

  1. "Rugby: Tanivula caught in tug-of-rugby". The New Zealand Herald. 15 September 1999. Retrieved 29 March 2011.
  2. "Rugby: Hunter rings changes to rejuvenate Blues". The New Zealand Herald. 13 April 2000. Retrieved 29 March 2011.
  3. "Four newcomers in sevens squad". The New Zealand Herald. 26 November 2002. Retrieved 29 March 2011.
  4. "Auckland has retained NPC first division title, beating Wellington 41–29 in the final and running in six tries to four". Home.nzcity.co.nz. 26 October 2003. Retrieved 29 March 2011.
  5. "Tanivula: Kiwi head Fiji heart". Irb.com. Retrieved 29 March 2011.