Tima Fainga'anuku

Last updated

Tima Fainga'anuku
Full nameLotima Taufo'ou Fainga'anuku
Date of birth (1997-04-26) 26 April 1997 (age 27)
Place of birth Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Height1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)
Weight103 kg (16 st 3 lb; 227 lb)
School Nelson College
Notable relative(s) Leicester Fainga'anuku (brother)
Rugby union career
Position(s) Wing, Centre
Current team North Harbour
Senior career
YearsTeamApps(Points)
2016–2020 Tasman 42 (40)
2018–2019 Perpignan 14 (15)
2021–2023 Manawatu 24 (30)
2024– North Harbour 7 (5)
Correct as of 30 September 2024
Super Rugby
YearsTeamApps(Points)
2018 Crusaders 2 (0)
2020 Highlanders 2 (0)
2022–2023 Moana Pasifika 15 (20)
Correct as of 30 September 2024
International career
YearsTeamApps(Points)
2017 New Zealand U20 7 (15)
2022 Tonga 6 (5)
Correct as of 30 September 2024
National sevens team
YearsTeamComps
2018 New Zealand 1
Correct as of 30 September 2024

Lotima Taufo'ou Fainga'anuku (born 26 April 1997) is a Tongan born New Zealand rugby union player who currently plays for North Harbour in the Bunnings NPC. He usually plays in the Wing or Centre positions.

Contents

Early career

Fainga'anuku was educated at Nelson College from 2011 to 2015. [1] He was a part of the New Zealand Under 20s winning team over England Under 20s 64–17 in the 2017 World Rugby Under 20 Championship. [1]

Senior career

Fainga'anuku started his senior career at Tasman in 2016. He made his Super Rugby debut for the Crusaders in their 34–20 win over the Chiefs in Round 16, 2018. [2] [3] Tima was named in the Highlanders 2020 squad after Connor Garden-Bachop had to withdraw because of injury. He was part of the Mako side that won the 2020 Mitre 10 Cup. In June 2021, it was announced that Fainga'anuku would be switching his international eligibility to Tonga using the Olympic loophole, representing Tonga Sevens at the 2020 Men's Rugby Sevens Final Olympic Qualification Tournament, however due to quarantining issues relating to the COVID-19 pandemic he was unable to play. [4] Fainga'anuku made the move to Manawatu on a 2 year deal. [5] In May 2022 he was named in the Tonga national squad.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hurricanes (rugby union)</span> NZ rugby union club, based in Wellington

The Hurricanes is a New Zealand professional men's rugby union team based in Wellington that competes in Super Rugby. The Hurricanes were formed to represent the lower North Island, including the East Coast, Hawke's Bay, Horowhenua Kapiti, Manawatū, Poverty Bay, Taranaki, Wairarapa-Bush, Wanganui and Wellington unions. They currently play at Sky Stadium, having previously played at the now-defunct Athletic Park.

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

Scott Maurice Robertson is a New Zealand rugby union coach and former player. He is the current head coach of the All Blacks, the men's New Zealand national team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Palmerston North Boys' High School</span> School

Palmerston North Boys' High School is a boys' school in Palmerston North, New Zealand.

Kia Toa RFC is a constituent club in the Manawatu province for rugby in New Zealand. It is at the Palmerston North Bowling Club on Linton Street and is one of the oldest clubs in the Manawatu.

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

Kurt Baker is a New Zealand rugby union player, who currently plays as a fullback or wing for Old Glory DC in Major League Rugby (MLR).

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

Aaron Wiremu Cruden is a New Zealand rugby union player, who plays for Waikato and formerly Montpellier, Manawatu and New Zealand internationally. Cruden's usual position is fly-half.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aaron Smith (rugby union)</span> Former NZ international rugby union player

Aaron Luke Smith is a New Zealand professional rugby union player. A scrum half, Smith played for the Highlanders in Super Rugby where upon retirement in 2023 was the club's all time leader in caps, and for Manawatu in the ITM Cup. He has won 124 caps for New Zealand and is their 2nd most-capped back after Beauden Barrett.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ben Tameifuna</span> Tonga New Zealand Tongan international rugby union player

Benjamin Vainga Charles Tameifuna is a professional rugby union player who plays as a prop for Top 14 club Bordeaux Bègles. Born in New Zealand, he represents Tonga at international level after qualifying on ancestry grounds.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Augustine Pulu</span> New Zealand-born Tongan rugby union player (born 1990)

Augustine Pulu is a professional rugby union player who plays as a scrum-half for Japan Rugby League One club Hino Red Dolphins. Born in New Zealand, he represents Tonga at international level after qualifying on ancestry grounds.

Heiden Kahira Bedwell-Curtis is a New Zealand rugby union player. He plays in the flanker position for Mitsubishi Sagamihara DynaBoars in the Japanese Top League.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nehe Milner-Skudder</span> Rugby player

Nehe Rihara Milner-Skudder is a New Zealand rugby union player who currently plays for the Rugby New York.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Selica Winiata</span> Rugby player

Selica Winiata is a New Zealand Rugby union player and referee. She plays for the Black Ferns, the Black Ferns Sevens and provincially for the Manawatu Cyclones. She was part of the Black Ferns 2014 and Champion 2017 Rugby World Cup squads. She won a silver medal with the Black Ferns Sevens team at the inaugural women's 2009 Rugby World Cup Sevens tournament and a gold medal at the 2013 Rugby World Cup Sevens.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Asafo Aumua</span> Rugby player

Asafo Junior Aumua is a New Zealand professional rugby union player who plays as a hooker for New Zealand franchise Hurricanes and the New Zealand national team. In his youth, he was selected to play in the 2016 and 2017 World Rugby Under 20 Championships for New Zealand.

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

William Thomas Jordan is a New Zealand rugby union player who plays as a fullback for Tasman in the Bunnings NPC, the Crusaders in Super Rugby and the New Zealand national team the All Blacks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dalton Papali'i</span> Rugby player

Dalton Reece Papali'i ("Pa-pa-lee-e") is a New Zealand professional rugby union player who plays for Counties Manukau in the Mitre 10 Cup and the Blues in the Super Rugby competition. He also plays international rugby for the New Zealand national rugby union team, making his debut in 2018. His position is flanker. Papali'i previously played for New Zealand Under-20s team.

Ethan J. Blackadder is a New Zealand rugby union player who plays for Tasman in the Bunnings NPC and the Crusaders in the Super Rugby competition. His position is flanker. He is the son of former All Blacks player Todd Blackadder.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leicester Fainga'anuku</span> New Zealand rugby union player

Leicester Ofa Ki Wales Twickenham Fainga’anuku is a New Zealand rugby union player, who currently plays as a wing for Toulon in the French Top 14. He previously played for Tasman in the National Provincial Championship and the Crusaders in Super Rugby. He has represented New Zealand internationally.

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.

Ollie Sapsford is a professional rugby union player, who currently plays as a midfield back or wing for the Brumbies in Super Rugby. In New Zealand, he most recently played for Hawke's Bay in the National Provincial Championship. Born in New Zealand, he represents Australia at international level, being eligible for that country on ancestry grounds.

Malakai Ta'ufo'ou Fainga'anuku is a Tongan former rugby union international.

References

  1. 1 2 "Baby Blacks winger Tima Faingaanuku takes on the world - and wins". stuff.co.nz. 23 June 2017.
  2. "Live Super Rugby updates= Chiefs vs Crusaders". NZ Herald. 2 June 2018.
  3. "Crusaders too strong for Chiefs". Otago Daily Times. 2 June 2018.
  4. "Rugby: Former All Blacks midfielder Malakai Fekitoa set to represent Tonga". NZ Herald. 11 June 2021. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
  5. "Strike weapon Fainga'anuku locked in for Turbos". Manawatu Turbos. 23 June 2021. Retrieved 26 June 2021.