Steve Luatua
| Full name | Dolph Steven Luatua | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 29 April 1991 | ||
| Place of birth | Auckland, New Zealand | ||
| Height | 1.96 m (6 ft 5 in) | ||
| Weight | 114 kg (251 lb)[1] | ||
| School | Mount Albert Grammar School | ||
| Rugby union career | |||
| Playing career | |||
| Position | Lock / Blindside Flanker / Number eight | ||
| Provincial/State sides | |||
| Years | Club / team | Caps | (points) |
| 2010– | Auckland | 31 | (30) |
| correct as of 16 October 2016. | |||
| Super Rugby | |||
| Years | Club / team | Caps | (points) |
| 2012− | Blues | 63 | (35) |
| correct as of 20 July 2016. | |||
| National team(s) | |||
| Years | Club / team | Caps | (points) |
| 2010–11 2013– |
New Zealand U20 New Zealand |
10 15 |
(10) (10) |
| correct as of 12 November 2016. | |||
Steven Luatua is a New Zealand rugby union player. His regular playing position is either as a lock or a loose forward. He plays for the Blues in Super Rugby[2] and Auckland in the ITM Cup.
Luatua was a member of the New Zealand under 20 team which won the 2010 and 2011 IRB Junior World Championship.[3]
After a strong start to the 2013 Super Rugby season, Luatua was named in the initial All Blacks wider training squad.
He made his All Blacks debut coming from the bench in the 24-9 victory versus France in New Plymouth on 22 June 2013.
He was selected for the All Blacks 2013 The Rugby Championship squad[4] and played his first full test in the 47-29 win against Australia, in Sydney, on 17 August 2013.
On 23 August 2014, he scored his first international test try against Australia coming from the bench by a beautiful pass from the prop Charlie Faumuina leading to a win, 51-20.
After many struggled with keeping form and having injuries, Luatua was re-selected for New Zealand after two years' absence for the All Blacks' end-of-year tour in 2016. Luatua started as number 8 against Italy, scoring a try, New Zealand winning the match 68-10.
References
- ↑ "Stats". All Blacks. Retrieved 16 January 2014.
- ↑ "Blues sign Noakes, Piutau, Saili and Luatua" (Press release). All Blacks. 26 July 2012. Retrieved 23 January 2014.
- ↑ http://www.irb.com/jwc/teams/team=3219/player=39688/index.html
- ↑ "All Blacks squad named for Rugby Championship" (Press release). All Blacks. 4 August 2013. Retrieved 16 January 2014.