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Steve Luatua

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Steven Luatua
Birth nameDolph Steven Luatua
Date of birth (1991-04-29) 29 April 1991 (age 33)
Place of birthAuckland, New Zealand
Height1.96 m (6 ft 5 in)
Weight114 kg (251 lb; 17 st 13 lb)[1]
SchoolMount Albert Grammar School
Rugby union career
Position(s) Number 8 / Blindside Flanker / Lock
Provincial / State sides
Years Team Apps (Points)
2010–2016 Auckland 31 (30)
Correct as of 16 October 2016
Super Rugby
Years Team Apps (Points)
2012−2017 Template:Rut Blues 63 (35)
Correct as of 20 July 2016
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2010–11
2013–2016		 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[clarification needed] against Australia coming from the bench by a beautiful pass from the prop Charlie Faumuina[clarification needed] 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.

In February 2017, English Premiership side Bristol announced Luatua would be joining them for the 2017-18 season. Luatua served a 5-week suspension after being red carded for a high tackle on Tim Nanai-Williams from the Chiefs when Williams wasn't in possession of the ball. For the rest of the 2017 Super Rugby campaign Luatua was excellent, providing a game-winning offload to Sonny Bill Williams who subsequently offloaded to Ihaia West so that West could score against the British and Irish Lions. The Blues won 22-16. The following day however, Luatua was not selected for the All Blacks, meaning the Blues' 22-16 win against the Lions would be his last match at Eden Park.

Outside rugby

Luatua is an avid New England Patriots fan, he is a pundit for the NFL Playoffs since 2017 for Duke TV.

References

  1. ^ "Stats". All Blacks. Retrieved 16 January 2014.
  2. ^ "Blues sign Noakes, Piutau, Saili and Luatua" (Press release). All Blacks. 26 July 2012. Retrieved 23 January 2014.
  3. ^ http://www.irb.com/jwc/teams/team=3219/player=39688/index.html
  4. ^ "All Blacks squad named for Rugby Championship" (Press release). All Blacks. 4 August 2013. Retrieved 16 January 2014.
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