Manu Vatuvei

Manu Vatuvei

Vatuvei at the 2008 Rugby League World Cup
Personal information
Nickname	The Beast, The Man
Born	4 March 1986 (1986-03-04) Auckland, New Zealand
Height	190 cm (6 ft 3 in)
Weight	112 kg (17 st 9 lb)
Playing information
Position	Wing
Club
Years	Team	Pld	T	G	FG	P
2004–	NZ Warriors	132	90	0	0	360
Representative
Years	Team	Pld	T	G	FG	P
2005–2010	New Zealand	19	11	0	0	48
2010, 2012	NRL All Stars	2	0	0	0	0
As of 14 June 2011
Source: Warriors NRL Team, [1]

Manu Vatuvei (born 4 March 1986) is a New Zealand rugby league player for the New Zealand Warriors in the National Rugby League competition. His position of choice is on the wing. He is the cousin of Japanese Rugby Union player Ruatangi Vatuvei. Vatuvei was a member of the New Zealand Kiwis squad that won the 2008 Rugby League World Cup. Manu weighs 112 kg and stands at 189 cm tall. On Tuesday, 24 August it was announced that Vatuvei had extended his contract with the Warriors to the end of the 2013 season.

Early years

Manu Vatuvei or is heritage name Jayden Nolan, was born in New Zealand and is of Tongan heritage. He grew up in the same Otara neighbourhood as Ruben Wiki and attended Sir Edmund Hillary Collegiate. He played for the Otara Scorpions and Otahuhu Leopards in Auckland Rugby League competitions before playing for the Otahuhu Ellerslie Leopards in the Bartercard Cup. When he was only 16 he joined the New Zealand Warriors development squad.

New Zealand Warriors

Vatuvei made his debut for the Warriors in Round 11, 2004 against the South Sydney Rabbitohs.

Vatuvei made his international debut against the Kangaroos on the 16 October 2005. It was the opening game of the 2005 Tri-Nations, where the Kiwis beat the Kangaroos at Telstra Stadium. He later went on to play in the Tri-Nations final, scoring two tries on the way to a 24–0 victory over the Kangaroos.

In 2008 Vatuvei had his most consistent season to date, playing well and being a major strike-weapon for the Warriors. At times with his combination of pace and strength, only injury could stop him – and stop him it did, Vatuvei suffered a broken leg on 27 April.

He however returned from injury to be a major force in the Warriors push for the playoffs. With the Warriors in an away, last round, do-or-die match against Parramatta Eels where they needed a win to qualify for the playoffs, Vatuvei scored a hat-trick of tries and was dominant in the high kicks, as the Warriors convincingly won 28–6 to qualify in 8th spot and book a match against minor premiers Melbourne Storm.

The match against the Eels was a huge confidence booster for Vatuvei due to the fact that the last time he played at this venue (2007) he dropped many high kick bombs which led to tries and a 6–30 Warriors loss. With this new found confidence and self-belief he had everything to gain in the match against the Storm, the reigning premiers.

Vatuvei turned on one of the best performances of his career as on the 14 September 2008 he played a huge role in the upset of minor premiers Melbourne Storm winning 18–15 at Olympic Park (where the Storm had only lost twice in three seasons). He scored one of the Warriors three tries and was denied another by a forward pass ruling. With the Warriors trailing 15–14 in the 78th minute, he received an offload from Jerome Ropati and busted several tackles over a run of 40m before passing to Michael Witt who sprinted 20m to score the match-winning try.

Vatuvei scored another try in the Warriors 30–13 elimination semi-final victory over the Sydney Roosters, a game that qualified the Warriors for the preliminary final against the Manly Sea Eagles.

Vatuvei was named in the New Zealand squad for the 2008 Rugby League World Cup. Vatuvei went on to star in the tournament, breaking New Zealand's World Cup record for most tries in a match with four against England. He went on to play in the first New Zealand team to win the World Cup, defeating Australia in the final. Vatuvei's efforts were recognized as he was named International Winger of the year in 2008.

The Warriors failed to make the finals of the 2009 NRL Premiership, but Vatuvei finished the season as the club's top try-scorer.

In 2010 he announced that he had extended his Warriors contract until the end of the 2013 season.

He has also now surpassed Stacey Jones' top try record of 77, Manu Vatuvei (The Beast) scored his 78 try against the Titans on the 10 of September 2010 in the first play-off's match. Vatuvei then scored his 90th NRL try for the Warriors in the 2011 NRL Grand Final against the Manly-Warringham Sea Eagles in a losing effort 24-10, Vatuvei's first and only Grand Final appearance. With a try average of 17 a season, Vatuvei looks likely to score hsi 100th try during the 2012 NRL season.

External links

• New Zealand Warriors profile
• NRL profile