Jazz Tevaga
Jazz Iosefa Tevaga (born 4 September 1995) is a Samoa international rugby league footballer who plays as a hooker for the New Zealand Warriors in the NRL.
Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Full name | Jazz Iosefa Tevaga | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Born | Christchurch, New Zealand | 4 September 1995||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Height | 178 cm (5 ft 10 in)[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Weight | 94 kg (14 st 11 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Playing information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Position | Lock, Hooker | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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As of 21 September 2019 Source: [2] |
Early years
Tevaga was born in Christchurch, New Zealand, and is of Samoan and European descent.[3]
Tevaga played his junior football for the Burnham Chevaliers in Christchurch and Papakura Sea Eagles in Auckland and he attended Papakura High School, where he played in the 2013 National Secondary School championship and was selected for the tournament team.[4]
Playing career
Holden Cup
In January 2014, Tevaga attended a Junior Warriors training camp as an open trialist before being signed by the New Zealand Warriors, and playing in the Holden Cup. On 5 October 2014, Tevaga played at lock in the Warriors 2014 Holden Cup grand final winning team who beat the Brisbane Broncos 34-32.[5] In 2015 he played both for the Junior Warriors (where he was co-captain) and in the NSW Cup.[6] On 2 May 2015, Tevaga played for the Junior Kiwis against the Junior Kangaroos, starting at lock in the 22-20 loss at Cbus Super Stadium.[7][8]
Originally a lock, Tevaga was converted to a hooker during the 2014 season as he was considered too small for the lock position.
2016
In Round 3 of the 2016 NRL season, Tevaga made his debut for the New Zealand Warriors against the Melbourne Storm as a replacement for an injured Issac Luke in the Warriors 21-14 loss at Mt Smart Stadium.[9][10] Tevaga became Warrior #209, and played 59 minutes due to an injury to bench hooker Nathaniel Roache.[11]
2017
He played just 4 NRL games for the Warriors in 2017.
He represented Samoa in the 2017 Rugby League World Cup and played all four games as the starting hooker, scoring a try in their loss to Tonga.[12]
2018
In 2018 he cemented a position as a bench hooker for the Warriors, filling in for the starting 9 Issac Luke. He appeared in 20 games, 19 of which from the bench. His performance as a specialist bench player was rewarded at the 2018 Dally M Awards when he was given the first Interchange Player Of The Year award.[13]
2019
References
- "Jazz Tevaga". nrl.com. Retrieved 20 March 2016.
- Jazz Tevaga rugbyleagueproject.org
- "Jazz Tevaga #JuniorWarriors #Samoan #Maori #Leulumoega #Leauvaa #Tainui #NgatiPorou". igPile.
- Tevaga wins place in tournament squad Papakura Courier, 11 September 2013
- "Warriors survive Broncos scare to win Holden Cup". NRL - The official site of the National Rugby League - NRL.com.
- "Tevaga to debut". New Zealand Warriors. 20 March 2016. Retrieved 20 March 2016.
- "2015 JUNIOR KIWIS NAMED". Rugby League Week.
- DAVID LONG (2 May 2015). "Junior Kangaroos edge Junior Kiwis by two in thriller on Gold Coast". Stuff.
- DAVID LONG AT MT SMART STADIUM (20 March 2016). "Storm coach Craig Bellamy feeling for Andrew McFadden after Warriors lose". Stuff.
- "Melbourne Storm beat New Zealand Warriors for third NRL win". The Sydney Morning Herald.
- "Warriors v Storm: Five key points". NRL - The official site of the National Rugby League - NRL.com.
- https://www.news.com.au/sport/nrl/world-cup/tonga-down-samoa-3218-to-set-up-blockbuster-world-cup-clash-against-new-zealand/news-story/75481ce8f524b644fcdfb8c9f72f94b7
- https://www.warriors.kiwi/news/2018/09/26/tevaga-wins-dally-m-interchange-award/