Junior Sa'u

Junior Sa'u
Personal information
Full name	Tafeaga Junior Sa'u
Born	18 April 1987 (age 37); Ōtāhuhu, Auckland, New Zealand
Height	5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Weight	15 st 4 lb (97 kg)
Playing information
Rugby league
Position	Centre
Club
Representative
Rugby union
Position	Center
Club
	Source: As of 18 December 2024

Last updated January 20, 2025

Tafeaga Junior Sa'u (born 18 April 1987) is a professional New Zealand and Samoan rugby league player who plays as a centre for Old Glory DC in Major League Rugby (MLR). He also plays for the Keighley Cougars in RFL League 1. He previously played for New Zealand and Samoa at the international level.

He previously played for the Newcastle Knights and the Melbourne Storm in the NRL, the Salford Red Devils in the Super League, and the Leigh Centurions in the Super League.^[3] He spent time in 2019 on loan from Salford at Wakefield Trinity in the Super League. Sa'u has also played rugby union for Old Glory DC in Major League Rugby (MLR) in the United States.

Background

Sa'u was born in Auckland, New Zealand to Samoan parents from Lauli'i and Apolima.^[1]

He played his junior football for Logan Brothers in Queensland, Australia before being signed by the Canberra Raiders.

Playing career

Early career

He played for Canberra's Premier League team in 2006, scoring seven tries.^[6]

Newcastle Knights

Sa'u then signed a four-year contract starting in 2008 to be a part of the newly cleaned out Newcastle Knights.

In Round 13 of the 2008 NRL season he made his NRL début for the Newcastle club against the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs. He scored two tries on debut.

In June 2011, Sa'u re-signed with the Newcastle club for a further two years.^[7]

Melbourne Storm

On 18 August 2012, Sa'u was released from the final year of his Newcastle contract and signed with the Melbourne Storm on a one-year contract starting in 2013.^[8]

Salford Red Devils

In June 2013, it was announced that Sa'u had signed a two-year deal with Salford in the Super League starting in 2014.^[9]

Scoring 12 tries in his début season with Salford, he was voted k'Supporter's Player of the Year' for 2014.

Wakefield Trinity

On 14 May 2019, after five years with the Salford club, Sau joined fellow Super League team Wakefield Trinity on an initial one month loan.

Leigh Centurions

Sa'u joined the Leigh Centurions in the 2019 RFL Championship.

In round 18 of the 2021 Super League season, he scored two tries for Leigh in a 28-34 loss against Hull Kingston Rovers.^[10]

Old Glory DC

Sa'u made the switch to rugby union in 2022, joining Major League Rugby side Old Glory DC in the United States.^[11]

Keighley Cougars

At the conclusion of the 2022 Major League Rugby season Sa'u returned to the United Kingdom and rugby league and signed for League 1 team Keighley Cougars until the end of the 2022 League 1 season.^[12] Sa'u was named as captain of the team for the 2025 season.^[13]

International career

In 2008, Sa'u was named in the Samoa training squad for the 2008 Rugby League World Cup but did not make the final squad.^[14]

In 2009, Sa'u was selected in the New Zealand Kiwis Four Nations squad and made his international début for the Kiwis against Tonga.^[15]

In 2010, Sa'u was selected for New Zealand in the 2010 ANZAC Test. He was also again selected in the New Zealand squad for the 2010 Four Nations.

In 2013 Junior played for Samoa in the Pacific Rugby League International against Tonga. He was also called in the 2013 Rugby League World Cup squad to replace the initially selected Roy Asotasi.

Personal life

He is a cousin to former Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles player Steve Matai.

In 2009, Sa'u was praised for coming to the aid of a 15-year-old girl who was being assaulted in Waratah, New South Wales.^[16]

Statistics


Year	Team	Games	Tries	Pts
2008	Newcastle Knights	12	7	28
2009		25	6	24
2010		20	7	28
2011		21	4	16
2012		8	2	8
2013	Melbourne Storm	4	1	4
2014	Salford Red Devils	27	14	56
2015		23	6	24
2016		32	18	72
2017		24	9	36
2018		28	11	44
2019		8	1	4
	Wakefield Trinity	3
	Leigh Leopards	6	2	8
2020		6
2021		16	3	12
2022	Keighley Cougars	8	9	36
2023		9	2	8
2024		21	13	52
2025
	Totals	299	114	456

source:^[17]

Related Research Articles

Evarn Tuimavave is a New Zealand former professional rugby league footballer who played as a prop.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">David Fa'alogo</span> Former NZ & Samoa international rugby league footballer

David Fa'alogo is a former professional rugby league footballer played as a prop, second-row and lock in the 2000s and 2010s. He played for the South Sydney Rabbitohs and Newcastle Knights in the NRL, the Huddersfield Giants in the Super League and the Ipswich Jets in the Queensland Cup. He represented both New Zealand and Samoa at international level.

Patrick Ah Van is a Samoa international rugby league footballer who plays as a winger for the North Wales Crusaders in RFL League 1.

Viliamu "Willie" Talau is a former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1990s and 2000s. A Samoa and New Zealand international representative centre, he played in the National Rugby League (NRL) for the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs, and in the Super League for St Helens, with whom he won the 2006 Super League Grand Final and the Challenge Cup on four occasions, and for the Salford City Reds.

Willie Poching is a New Zealand professional rugby league football coach and former player. He is the former head-coach of Wakefield Trinity in the Super League. When he was appointed head coach of Wakefield, he became the first Samoan head coach of a first grade rugby league club. A former New Zealand, and Samoa international representative forward, he spent his career playing for clubs in New Zealand, Australia and finally England, winning the Super League championship with Leeds Rhinos in 2004.

Krisnan Nevada Inu is a former professional rugby league footballer who is currently Assistant Coach at Salford Red Devils. He has played for both New Zealand and Samoa at international level.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cory Paterson</span> Australian rugby league footballer (born 1987)

Cory Paterson is an Australian professional rugby league footballer who plays as a second-row forward.

Peter Mata'utia-Leifi, also known by the nickname of "Peanut", is a Samoa international rugby league footballer who plays as a centre, fullback or stand-off for the Lakes United Seagulls in the Newcastle Rugby League in the Newcastle Rugby League.

Carlos Tuimavave is a former Samoa international rugby league footballer who plays as a centre or stand-off for Featherstone Rovers in the RFL Championship.

Jesse Sene-Lefao is a Samoa international rugby league footballer who plays as a prop or second-row forward for the Sheffield Eagles in the RFL Championship.

Pauli Pauli is an Australian professional rugby league footballer who plays as a prop or second-row forward for the Doncaster RLFC in the Championship.

Paterika Vaivai is a Samoan professional rugby league footballer who plays for New Zealand Warriors in their New South Wales Cup side and for the Te Atatu Roosters in the Auckland Rugby League competition.

Albert Vete is a Tonga international rugby league footballer who last played as a prop forward for the Castleford Tigers in the Super League.

Mason Lino is a Samoan professional rugby league footballer who plays as a scrum-half and stand-off for Wakefield Trinity in the Championship and Samoa at the international level.

Petero Benjamin "Ben" Nakubuwai is a Fiji international rugby league footballer who plays as a prop for the Leigh Leopards in the Super League

Sam Stone is a Malta international rugby league footballer who plays as a second-row forward for the Salford Red Devils in the Super League.

Charntay Poko is a New Zealand rugby league and union footballer. Primarily a halfback or lock, she is a New Zealand representative. She previously played for the New Zealand Warriors and Newcastle Knights in the NRL Women's Premiership.

Nathanael "Simi" Sasagi is a New Zealand professional rugby league footballer who plays as a second-row forward for the Canberra Raiders in the National Rugby League (NRL).

Charlotte Scanlan is a New Zealand professional rugby league footballer. Her positions are prop, lock and second-row. She previously played for the Newcastle Knights in the NRL Women's Premiership.

Autumn-Rain Stephens-Daly is a New Zealand professional rugby league footballer who plays for the North Queensland Cowboys in the NRL Women's Premiership.

References

1 2 "New name, true allegiance for Sa'u". NRL.com. 19 April 2013. Retrieved 18 January 2018.
1 2 "Junior Sau Leigh Centurions". www.superleague.co.uk. Rugby Football League. 2015. Retrieved 18 July 2015.
1 2 "Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org". rugbyleagueproject.org. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
↑ loverugbyleague
↑ "Tafeaga Junior SAU". Itsrugby.co.uk. Retrieved 5 April 2022.
↑ "Junior SA'U". Rugby League Project. Archived from the original on 17 June 2012.
↑ "Cowboys' lifeline for Paterson". The Sydney Morning Herald.
↑ "Sa'u signs with Storm". Archived from the original on 17 May 2013. Retrieved 18 November 2012.
↑ "Salford add a dash of Hot Sauce with Junior Sa'u". Manchester Evening News. 25 June 2013. Retrieved 28 May 2022.
↑ "Super League: Leigh Centurions 28-34 Hull Kingston Rovers - visitors edge 62-point thriller". BBC Sport.
↑ "Old Glory signs rugby league international Junior Sa'u". Americas Rugby News. 16 October 2021. Retrieved 18 March 2022.
↑ Gordon, James (9 June 2022). "Junior Sa'u makes move to League One leaders". LoveRugbyLeague. Retrieved 9 June 2022.
↑ Chalk, Ethan Lee (25 December 2024). "Former Knights centre appointed captain of overseas team". Zero Tackle. Retrieved 26 December 2024.
↑ "Samoa name World Cup Squad". League Unlimited. 5 August 2008. Archived from the original on 17 July 2011. Retrieved 6 August 2008.
↑ "League: Chance for rookie Kiwis". The New Zealand Herald . NZPA. 12 October 2009. Retrieved 8 October 2011.
↑ Nick Walshaw (1 July 2009). "Newcastle Knights' Junior Sau hailed for saving girl's life". Fox Sports News (Australia). Archived from the original on 21 September 2012. Retrieved 7 August 2009.
↑ "Junior Sa'u - Playing Career - RLP". www.rugbyleagueproject.org. Retrieved 27 December 2024.

External links

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.

[Tafeaga-1] 1 2 "New name, true allegiance for Sa'u". NRL.com. 19 April 2013. Retrieved 18 January 2018.

[Superleague-2] 1 2 "Junior Sau Leigh Centurions". www.superleague.co.uk. Rugby Football League. 2015. Retrieved 18 July 2015.

[Statistics_at_rugbyleagueproject.org-3] 1 2 "Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org". rugbyleagueproject.org. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.

[4] verugbyleague

[5] "Tafeaga Junior SAU". Itsrugby.co.uk. Retrieved 5 April 2022.

[6] "Junior SA'U". Rugby League Project. Archived from the original on 17 June 2012.

[7] "Cowboys' lifeline for Paterson". The Sydney Morning Herald.

[8] "Sa'u signs with Storm". Archived from the original on 17 May 2013. Retrieved 18 November 2012.

[9] "Salford add a dash of Hot Sauce with Junior Sa'u". Manchester Evening News. 25 June 2013. Retrieved 28 May 2022.

[10] "Super League: Leigh Centurions 28-34 Hull Kingston Rovers - visitors edge 62-point thriller". BBC Sport.

[11] "Old Glory signs rugby league international Junior Sa'u". Americas Rugby News. 16 October 2021. Retrieved 18 March 2022.

[12] Gordon, James (9 June 2022). "Junior Sa'u makes move to League One leaders". LoveRugbyLeague. Retrieved 9 June 2022.

[13] Chalk, Ethan Lee (25 December 2024). "Former Knights centre appointed captain of overseas team". Zero Tackle. Retrieved 26 December 2024.

[14] "Samoa name World Cup Squad". League Unlimited. 5 August 2008. Archived from the original on 17 July 2011. Retrieved 6 August 2008.

[NZ_Herald_10602715-15] "League: Chance for rookie Kiwis". The New Zealand Herald . NZPA. 12 October 2009. Retrieved 8 October 2011.

[16] Nick Walshaw (1 July 2009). "Newcastle Knights' Junior Sau hailed for saving girl's life". Fox Sports News (Australia). Archived from the original on 21 September 2012. Retrieved 7 August 2009.

[17] "Junior Sa'u - Playing Career - RLP". www.rugbyleagueproject.org. Retrieved 27 December 2024.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

[11]

[12]

[13]

[14]

[15]

[16]

[17]