Curtis Rona

Curtis Rona (born 26 May 1992) is an Australian international rugby union footballer who plays for London Irish in the English Premiership. He has previously played for the Western Force and NSW Waratahs in Super Rugby, as well as playing rugby league in the NRL for the North Queensland Cowboys and the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs.

Curtis Rona
Personal information
Born (1992-05-26) 26 May 1992
Waitara, New Zealand
Height194 cm (6 ft 4 in)
Weight102 kg (16 st 1 lb)
Playing information
Rugby league
PositionWing, Centre
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
2014 North Qld Cowboys 7 6 0 0 24
2015–16 Canterbury Bulldogs 50 35 0 0 140
Total 57 41 0 0 164
Rugby union
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
2017 Western Force 14 1 0 0 5
2018–2019 NSW Waratahs ? 6 0 0 30
Total 7 0 0 35
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
2017– Australia 3 1 0 0 5
As of 5 November 2017
Source: [1]

Background

Born in Waitara in the Taranaki Region of New Zealand, Rona is of Māori descent.[2] Rona moved to Perth, Western Australia when he was eight. In Perth, Rona attended Aranmore Catholic College, where he played for their rugby union team and represented Western Australia at the Under 15, Under 16 and Schoolboy level. Rona played junior rugby league for the Joondalup Giants in the Western Australia Rugby League competition.[3] He also played rugby union for the Wanneroo Districts juniors and was a member of the Western Force academy.[4] In 2009, Rona made the full-time switch to rugby league and was a member of the Western Reds SG Ball team and represented the Western Australia Under-18s team.[5][6] Later that year, Rona signed a three-year deal with the Sydney Roosters. From 2010 to 2012, Rona played for the Roosters Holden Cup (Under-20s) team playing 39 matches and scoring 23 tries. On 21 July 2012, Rona signed a two-year deal with the North Queensland Cowboys.[7] Later that year, Rona represented the Junior Kiwis.[8] In 2013, Rona joined the Cowboys first grade squad spending the 2013 season playing for the Cowboys feeder team, the Mackay Cutters, in the Queensland Cup. On 17 July 2013, Rona represented the Queensland Residents team.[9][10]

Playing career

2014

In 2014, Rona was a member of the Cowboys victorious Auckland Nines team, in which he scored two tries in the final against the Brisbane Broncos.[11][12] In Round 7 of the 2014 NRL season Rona made his NRL debut against the Manly Sea Eagles on the wing, scoring a try in the Cowboys 26-21 loss at Central Coast Stadium.[13][14] On 20 August 2014, Rona signed a 2-year contract with the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs starting in 2015.[15] Rona finished off his debut year in the NRL with him playing in 7 matches and scoring 6 tries for the North Queensland Cowboys in the 2014 NRL season.

2015

On 23 January 2015, Rona was named in the Bulldogs 2015 Auckland Nines squad.[16] In Round 1 of the 2015 NRL season, Rona made his club debut for the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs against the Penrith Panthers on the wing, scoring a try in the Bulldogs 24-18 loss at Penrith Stadium.[17] He finished the 2015 season as the Bulldogs' highest try-scorer with 23 tries in 25 matches.[18][19][20] On 24 September, Rona was selected in the New Zealand 24-man squad for the 2015 New Zealand rugby league tour of Great Britain.[21] He was not selected for the first two matches against England, before returning home to see the birth of his daughter.[22]

2016

On 12 August 2016, Curtis Rona agreed to a switch to Super Rugby to take up a two-year deal with the Western Force in Perth, as the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs opted not to renew his contract. Rona finished his last season with the Bulldogs playing all 25 matches for the club, scoring 11 try.

He was named in the New Zealand Māori squad for a match against the New Zealand Residents on 15 October 2016.[23]

2017

In 2017 Rona played 14 matches for the Western Force, scoring 1 try. On 19 August, he made his international debut for Australia versus the All Blacks, starting on the wing and scoring a try in the 34-54 loss. He played two more matches for the Wallabies that year.

2018

Rona was signed by the New South Wales Waratahs in 2018 after the Western Force was removed from the Super Rugby competition.

2019

In 2019 Rona was the Waratahs' highest try scorer, scoring six tries. He signed a contract with the London Irish for the 2019-2020 Premiership Rugby season.

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References
  1. "Curtis Rona - Career Stats & Summary". Rugby League Project. Retrieved 15 November 2015.
  2. "2012 Taranaki Maori Sports Awards". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 3 December 2015.
  3. Stewart, Antony (22 April 2014). "North Queensland Cowboys Perth Product Curtis Rona strengthens West Coast Pirates NRL expansion case". Townsville Bulletin. Retrieved 30 April 2015.
  4. "Former Joondalup Giant breaks new ground as Kiwi". Yahoo.com. Retrieved 3 December 2015.
  5. "WA SG Ball alumni chosen for Junior Kiwis squad". West Coast Pirates. Retrieved 3 December 2015.
  6. "Curtis Set To Be A Northern Force". Stevemascord.com. Retrieved 3 December 2015.
  7. "New North Queensland signing comes at cost". NRL - Zero Tackle.
  9. "Queensland Residents team named - NRL Game Development - South East Queensland - FOX SPORTS PULSE". FOX SPORTS PULSE.
  10. "NSW Cup Representatives Edge Queensland in Curtain Raiser". Dailytelegraph.com.au. Retrieved 15 November 2015.
  11. "SQUADS FOR AUCKLAND NINES". Rugby League Week. Archived from the original on 15 January 2016. Retrieved 9 April 2015.
  12. "Cowboys have Won Their First Piece of Silverware at Auckland Nines". Dailytelegraph.com.au. Retrieved 15 November 2015.
  13. "Cowboys hand Curtis Rona His NRL Debut for the clash with Manly". Dailytelegraph.com.au. Retrieved 15 November 2015.
  14. "Sea Eagles Steal Victory from Cowboys in Controversial Thriller". Dailytelegraph.com.au. Retrieved 15 November 2015.
  15. "Bulldogs sign Curtis Rona". NRL - Zero Tackle.
  16. "Auckland Nines 2015 : Josh Morris Headlines Strong Squad by Bulldogs". Foxsports.com.au. Retrieved 15 November 2015.
  17. "Penrith Panthers hold on for victory despite a late comeback from Canterbury Bulldogs". The Sydney Morning Herald.
  18. "Custom Match List". Rugby League Project. 10 November 2015. Retrieved 3 December 2015.
  19. "Des Hasler Phone Call Sparked Curtis Rona's Rise from Cowboys Reserve Grader to Bulldogs Top Try Scorer". Foxsports.com.au. Retrieved 3 December 2015.
  20. "Hard Hitters Paul Gallen and Josh Papalii Will Re-visit an Old Rivalry in Round 19". Foxsports.com.au. Retrieved 3 December 2015.
  21. "Bulldogs' Curtis Rona set for Kiwis debut on England tour". Stuff.co.nz. 24 September 2015. Retrieved 3 December 2015.
  22. "Top three winners and losers from Kiwis tour of England". Stuff.co.nz. 15 November 2015. Retrieved 3 December 2015.
  23. "Auckland Rugby League - Auckland Rugby League".
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