George Konia

Last updated

George Konia
Birth nameGeorge Newing Konia
Date of birth (1969-08-09) 9 August 1969 (age 54)
Place of birth Putāruru, New Zealand
Height6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Weight202 lb (92 kg; 14.4 st)
School Te Aute College
Rugby union career
Position(s) Centre, Wing
Amateur team(s)
YearsTeamApps(Points)
1989–1990 Palmerston North High School Old Boys ()
1991–1992 Kia Toa RFC ()
1993–1996 Taradale ()
1997 Star ()
Senior career
YearsTeamApps(Points)
1998–2002 Isetan ()
2003–2005 NEC ()
Provincial / State sides
YearsTeamApps(Points)
1989–1992 Manawatu 58 (98)
1993–1996 Hawke's Bay 53 (115)
1997 Northland 5 (0)
Super Rugby
YearsTeamApps(Points)
1996 Hurricanes 7 (5)
International career
YearsTeamApps(Points)
1989–1990 New Zealand Colts 5 (52)
1990–1996 New Zealand Divisional XV 18 (41)
1991–1995 New Zealand Maori 10 (19)
2003 Japan 6 (1)
Coaching career
YearsTeam
2005–2006 Hawke's Bay (assistant coach)
2007 Kintetsu Liners

George Konia (born 9 August 1969 in Putāruru) is a New Zealand former rugby union player who played for New Zealand Maori and for Japan. He played mainly as centre, but also as wing.

Contents

Career

Konia started his rugby career representing Manawatu in 57 matches between 1989 and 1992 and Hawke’s Bay 39 times between 1993 and 1995 prior to his only Super 14 season for the Hurricanes in 1996. In all, he played 96 first-class matches across seven seasons of representative rugby. During that time he also played for the New Zealand Colts, New Zealand Divisional XV, New Zealand Development XV, New Zealand XV, New Zealand Maori, New Zealand Barbarians, and was an All Black trialist. [1]

Konia was on the fringe of All Blacks selection and was on standby for the 1995 Rugby World Cup squad. But it was another country, Japan, that Konia made his mark in international rugby. After playing club rugby there, Konia debuted for the Japan national team in San Francisco against United States on 17 May 2003, and, in the same year, he was called up by then-national coach Shogo Mukai to play for Japan in the 2003 Rugby World Cup in Australia alongside another former Hurricane Reuben Parkinson, scoring a memorable try against France in the tournament pool stage. He spent eight years playing professional rugby in Japan, first with the Isetan club and then at the NEC Green Rockets winning the All-Japan Rugby Football Championship twice: in 2003 against Suntory Sungoliath and in 2005 against Toyota Verblitz. [2] Konia's last cap for Japan was also against United States, in Gosford, on 27 October 2003.

He returned to New Zealand to be assistant coach of Hawke’s Bay in the 2005 and 2006 seasons, helping the Magpies win the last Division Two final over Nelson Bays in 2005 and helping run the backs in the inaugural Air New Zealand Cup in 2006.

In 2007, he returned to Japan to coach Kintetsu Liners.

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, 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">Nili Latu</span> Rugby player

Nili Latu, playing name of Otenili Langilangi is a Tongan rugby union footballer. In 2018, Latu left Newcastle Falcons after helping Falcons achieve 4th in the Aviva Premiership, the highest finish in 20 years. He moved to Japan to continue playing rugby.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jamie Joseph</span> New Zealand-born Japanese rugby union player and coach

James Whitinui Joseph is a New Zealand-born Japanese former rugby union player and current rugby union coach. A flanker, Joseph represented Otago at a provincial level, and was a member of the New Zealand national side, the All Blacks, from 1992 to 1995, before representing Japan in 1999. Joseph, now head coach of the Japanese national side, has coached since his retirement, coming through the ranks in New Zealand before his first national stint.

Lolagi Visinia is a rugby union player, who currently plays as a wing or fullback for Moana Pasifika in Super Rugby and Hawke's Bay 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.

Ash Dixon is a New Zealand rugby union player, who currently plays as a hooker for Green Rockets Tokatsu in the Japan Rugby League One. He formerly played for the Highlanders in Super Rugby and for Hawke's Bay in New Zealand's domestic National Provincial Championship competition. He has also played for the Hurricanes and Auckland.

Gareth Evans is a retired New Zealand rugby union player, who played as a loose forward for Hawke's Bay in New Zealand's domestic National Provincial Championship competition and the Highlanders in Super Rugby.

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

Brad McCormick Weber is a New Zealand rugby union player, who currently plays as a halfback for Stade Français in the French Top 14. He previously played for Hawke's Bay in the National Provincial Championship and the Chiefs in Super Rugby. He has represented New Zealand internationally.

Brendon Edmonds is a former New Zealand rugby union player who played as a prop forHawke's Bay in the ITM Cup and theHighlanders in Super Rugby.

Otere Black is a New Zealand rugby union player who currently plays as a first five-eighth for Bay of Plenty in the Mitre 10 Cup and the Blues in Super Rugby.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ricky Riccitelli</span> Rugby player

John Ricky Riccitelli is a New Zealand professional rugby union footballer who plays as a hooker for New Zealand franchise Blues. In his youth career, he was selected to play in the 2015 World Rugby Under 20 Championships for New Zealand and took part in Francis Douglas Memorial College first XV.

Jonah Lowe is a New Zealand rugby union player, who currently plays as a wing or centre for Hawke's Bay in New Zealand's domestic National Provincial Championship competition and for the Highlanders in Super Rugby.

<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.

Isaia Walker-Leawere is a New Zealand rugby union player who plays as a lock for the Hurricanes in Super Rugby and Hawke's Bay in New Zealand's domestic National Provincial Championship competition.

Reuben Arthur Hira Parkinson is a New Zealand rugby union player who played for Japan, with 10 caps and 0 points in aggregate. He played as centre.

Bailyn Sullivan is a New Zealand rugby union player, who currently plays as a midfield back or wing for Waikato in New Zealand's National Provincial Championship and for the Hurricanes in Super Rugby.

Marino Mikaele-Tu'u is a New Zealand rugby union player, who currently plays as a loose forward for Mitsubishi Sagamihara DynaBoars in the Japan Rugby League One competition.

Folau Fakatava is a New Zealand rugby union player who plays as a scrum-half for the Highlanders in Super Rugby and Hawke's Bay in New Zealand's domestic National Provincial Championship competition.

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

Pouri Rakete-Stones is a New Zealand rugby player who plays as a prop for the Hurricanes in Super Rugby and Hawke's Bay in New Zealand's domestic National Provincial Championship competition.

Tyrone Thompson is a New Zealand rugby union player, who currently plays as a hooker for Hawke's Bay in New Zealand's domestic National Provincial Championship competition and the Chiefs in Super Rugby.

References

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.