Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi

Hohepa Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi (Māori pronunciation: [tɛ toiɾɔa taːhʉɾiɔɾaŋi]) (born 31 March 1995) is a New Zealand rugby union player who currently plays as a half-back for Taranaki in the Mitre 10 Cup and the Chiefs in Super Rugby[1]. In 2018 Tahuriorangi was selected to play for the All Blacks.

Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi
Full nameHohepa Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi
Date of birth (1995-03-31) 31 March 1995
Place of birthRotorua, New Zealand
Height174 cm (5 ft 9 in)
Weight85 kg (187 lb; 13 st 5 lb)
SchoolRotorua Boys' High School
Rugby union career
Position(s) Half-back
Current team Chiefs, Bay of Plenty
All Black No. 1174
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2015–2019 Taranaki 41 (25)
2016–2017 Hurricanes 11 (0)
2018– Chiefs 36 (15)
2020– Bay of Plenty 0 (0)
Correct as of 20 June 2020
National team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
2015 New Zealand U20 8 (5)
2017–2019 Māori All Blacks 3 (0)
2018 New Zealand 3 (5)
Correct as of 20 June 2020

Career

Tahuriorangi was born and raised in Rotorua, where he has tribal links to Ngāti Pikiao and Ngāti Whakaue. He attended Rotorua Primary School and then Rotorua Boys High School. Following the end of High School, Tahuriorangi moved to Taranaki where he played for the New Plymouth Old Boys Premier Team in 2014–15. An impressive performance saw Tahuriorangi's selection for two national teams in 2015, firstly New Zealand U20[2] and then NZ Barbarians.[3] In what later proved to be a stellar year, Tahuriorangi was announced in the 2015 lineup for Taranaki in the ITM Cup[1] as well as Hurricanes in the Super Rugby for 2016 [4] In 2017 Tahuriorangi was called into the Maori All Blacks[5]

Completing a two year stint with the Hurricanes Tahuriorangi was signed up by the Chiefs for the 2018 season.[6] Brad Weber, the Chiefs resident halfback, spent much of the early 2018 season nursing an injury leaving Tahuriorangi to make the most out of extra time on the field.[7]

Tahuriorangi’s performance caught the attention of All Black selectors who were searching for a third halfback following Tawera Kerr-Barlow’s departure to France.

Tahuriorangi was announced as the third halfback for the All Blacks in May 2018.[8] In only his second test, Tahuriorangi received the starting number 9 jersey and scored his first test try.[9]

References
  1. "2015 Port Taranaki Bulls ITM Cup Squad Announced". Taranaki Rugby. Archived from the original on 21 July 2015. Retrieved 19 July 2015.
  2. "Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi". NZ U20 Rugby. Retrieved 19 July 2015.
  3. "Strong Barbarians squad named". Barbarians Rugby. Retrieved 19 July 2015.
  4. "Taranaki halfback Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi signs two-year deal with Hurricanes". Hurricanes Rugby. Retrieved 20 July 2015.
  5. stuart.whitaker@nzme.co.nz, Stuart Whitaker Stuart Whitaker is editor of the Te Puke Times (12 June 2017). "Maori All Black Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi comes home". NZ Herald. ISSN 1170-0777. Retrieved 20 May 2018.
  6. "Chiefs do halfback swap with Hurricanes, with Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi joining". Stuff. Retrieved 20 May 2018.
  7. "Young Chiefs halfback Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi invited to All Blacks' North Island camp". TVNZ. Retrieved 20 May 2018.
  8. NZME, Christopher Reive Christopher Reive is sports reporter for (19 May 2018). "Three new faces in All Blacks squad to face France in June series". NZ Herald. ISSN 1170-0777. Retrieved 20 May 2018.
  9. "All Blacks team named for Japan Test". All Blacks Rugby. Retrieved 8 November 2018.
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