Sona Taumalolo

Sona Taumalolo (born 13 November 1981) is a former professional rugby union player. He played at prop for Hawke's Bay in New Zealand's domestic Mitre 10 Cup competition; the Chiefs in Super Rugby; several French clubs; and the Tonga national team. He retired at the end of the 2020 Mitre 10 Cup season.

Sona Taumalolo
France vs Tonga during 2011 Rugby World Cup
Full nameFaka'ānaua ki 'Alisona Taumalolo,
also known as Arizona Taumalolo or Sona Tafuna (former nickname)
Date of birth (1981-11-13) 13 November 1981
Place of birthHa'akame, Tonga
Height1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Weight112 kg (17 st 9 lb; 247 lb)
SchoolTupou College, Tonga
Notable relative(s)Ben Tameifuna (nephew)
Rugby union career
Position(s) Loosehead prop
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2005-2011, 2020 Hawke's Bay 64 (90)
2009-2012 Chiefs 52 (75)
2012-2014 Perpignan 52 (20)
2014-2015 Racing Métro 0 (0)
2015-2018 Grenoble 70 (70)
2018-2020 Provence 31 (15)
Correct as of 8 February 2021
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2011-2015, 2021 Tonga 21 (20)
2014 Barbarian F.C. 1 (0)
2014 World XV 1 (0)
Correct as of 25 July 2021

Early and personal life

Taumalolo was born in Tonga, where he attended Tupou College.[1] In 2001, he emigrated to New Zealand.[2]

He is the uncle of New Zealand-born Tonga representative Ben Tameifuna.

Senior career

Hawke's Bay

Having represented Auckland at under 21 level, Taumalolo made the step up to senior rugby in 2005. After playing for Clive Rugby & Sports Club in Hawke's Bay's club rugby competition, Taumalolo was - for the first time - named in the Magpies squad for the 2005 National Provincial Championship (Division 2).[2] He made his Hawke's Bay debut on Saturday 13 August 2005 against Nelson Bays and scored a try on debut.[3] From 2005 to 2011, he represented Hawke's Bay in 61 games, of which 10 National Provincial Championship games, 39 Air New Zealand Cup games and 6 ITM Cup games.[4]

In 2020, Taumalolo returned to Hawke's Bay from France to play one last Mitre 10 Cup season for the Magpies, taking the field in 3 games.[5] He retired from professional rugby at the end of a season that saw the Magpies win the 2020 Mitre 10 Cup Championship title and the Ranfurly Shield.[6]

Chiefs

Taumalolo first joined the Chiefs for the 2009 Super 14 season.[7] He made his Super Rugby debut for the Chiefs on 14 February 2009 against the Crusaders.[1]

The 2012 Super Rugby season was his last, but also his most successful season with the Chiefs. Not only did the Chiefs win their first Super Rugby title that year,[8] Taumalolo also scored 9 tries, placing him in equal third place on the 'top try scorer' list of the 2012 season.[9]

Perpignan

In June 2012, it was announced that Taumalolo had signed a three-year contract with French club Perpignan that competed in the Top 14 competition.[10][11] During his first two seasons with the club, he also played games for the Amlin Challenge Cup and Heineken Cup.[12] Perpignan was relegated after the 2013–14 season to the 2nd tier Pro D2 competition.

Racing-Métro

At the start of the 2014–15 Top 14 season, Taumalolo joined Racing Métro as an injury replacement ("joker médical"),[13] but he didn't play a single game for the club.

Grenoble

In June 2015, Grenoble announced that Taumalolo would join the club ahead of the 2015–16 Top 14 season.[14] During that first season, he played with Grenoble for the European Rugby Challenge Cup. However, after his second season with the club, Grenoble was relegated to the Pro D2 for the 2017-18 season.[15] Their stay in the Pro D2 didn't last long; at the end of the season, the club secured promotion back to the Top 14 for the 2018-19 season after defeating Oyonnax in a promotion/relegation match. Taumalolo scored a total of 8 tries that season, including one try in that last match.[16]

In May 2018, Taumalolo re-signed with Grenoble for another season.[17] However, after medical tests, he was declared unfit to continue playing due to "spinal anomalies" and Grenoble terminated his contract.[18]

Provence Rugby

The medical decision that ended Taumalolo's career at Grenoble was reversed just over a month later by independent doctors mandated by the LNR (French National Rugby League) and he was allowed to play again. On 18 September 2018, Pro D2 club Provence Rugby - promoted from Fédérale 1 at the end of the 2017–18 season - announced the signing of Taumalolo as an additional player ("joueur supplémentaire").[19][20] Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the French domestic competition was suspended in March 2020,[21] cutting short his second season with the club. He returned home to Hawke's Bay in New Zealand.[5]

International career

Taumalolo represented Tonga at under-19 level at the 2000 IRB-FIRA U19 World Cup (Division B) held in France.[2][22]

On 2 July 2011, Taumalolo made his senior international debut for Tonga against Fiji in the 2011 IRB Pacific Nations Cup. He scored a try on debut.[23] In the first game of the 2011 Rugby World Cup against New Zealand, Taumalolo scored his country's only try in a 41–10 loss.[24] He played the last of his 20 test matches - also against New Zealand - during the 2015 Rugby World Cup. He scored a total of 4 tries (20 points) during his international career.[25]

Taumalolo has also played for the Barbarians. On 1 June 2014, the "Baabaas" defeated an England XV side 39 to 29 at Twickenham, London.[26] Six days later, he also played for the World XV team against South Africa in Cape Town.[27]

Taumalolo made a shock international return for Tonga against the Cook Islands in a qualification match for the 2023 Rugby World Cup on 24 July 2021, called out of retirement as injury cover for Jethro Felemi.[28]

References
  1. "Sona Taumalolo Chiefs Player Profile". Chiefs. Archived from the original on 27 September 2011. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
  2. Hurndell, Shane (30 July 2005). "There's only one Arizona". Hawke's Bay Today. APN Holdings. Retrieved 16 July 2012.
  3. "Hawkes Bay Rugby Results 1974 - 2019" (PDF). NZ Rugby History. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
  4. "NZ Rugby History Player Profile". NZ Rugby History. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
  5. "Sona Taumalolo returns to Magpies". allblacks.com. 3 July 2020. Retrieved 7 February 2021.
  6. "The birdie dozen: 12 Magpies named in Super Rugby squads". Hawke's Bay Today. 3 December 2020. Retrieved 7 February 2021.
  7. "2009 Chiefs squad". Stuff NZ. 5 February 2009. Retrieved 7 February 2021.
  8. "Chiefs win 2012 Super Rugby Championship". SANZAAR. 4 August 2012. Retrieved 7 February 2021.
  9. "SA Rugby Try Scorers – 2012 Vodacom Super Rugby". South African Rugby Union. Archived from the original on 16 February 2017. Retrieved 7 February 2021.
  10. "Sona Taumalolo". USAP (in French). 7 June 2012. Archived from the original on 13 June 2012. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
  11. "Sono Taumalolo's Perpignan bound". Hawke's Bay Today. 8 June 2012. Retrieved 7 February 2021.
  12. "Sona Taumalolo Player Statistics". itsrugby.co.uk. Retrieved 7 February 2021.
  13. "Racing confirm Taumalolo move". PlanetRugby. 15 September 2014. Retrieved 7 February 2021.
  14. "Sona Taumalolo au FCG" (Press release) (in French). FC Grenoble. 16 June 2015. Archived from the original on 19 June 2015. Retrieved 7 February 2021.
  15. "Grenoble Relegated to Pro D2". Americas Rugby News. 15 April 2017. Retrieved 7 February 2021.
  16. "Grenoble remporte le match d'accession contre Oyonnax et revient dans l'élite" (in French). Rugbyrama. 12 May 2018. Retrieved 7 February 2021.
  17. "One more year for Sona Taumalolo" (Press release). FC Grenoble. 31 May 2018. Retrieved 7 February 2021.
  18. "Sona Taumalolo must retire" (Press release). FC Grenoble. 30 June 2018. Retrieved 7 February 2021.
  19. "Taumalolo, un Tongien en Provence" (Press release) (in French). Provence Rugby. 18 September 2018. Retrieved 7 February 2021.
  20. "Taumalolo rebondit à Provence Rugby". Le Figaro (in French). 19 September 2018. Retrieved 7 February 2021.
  21. "Top 14 and Pro D2 Championships suspended". Ligue Nationale de Rugby (Press release). 14 March 2020. Retrieved 7 February 2021.
  22. "IRB-FIRA U19 World Cup (Division B)". The Rugby Archive. Retrieved 7 February 2021.
  23. "Tonga down Fiji in Nations Cup opener". PlanetRugby. 2 July 2011. Archived from the original on 12 October 2011. Retrieved 7 February 2021.
  24. Standley, James. "Rugby World Cup 2011: New Zealand 41-10 Tonga". BBC Sport. Retrieved 9 September 2011.
  25. "Sona Taumalolo ESPN Player Profile". ESPN. Retrieved 7 February 2021.
  26. "Barbarians slip into top Gear". Barbarians RFC. 1 June 2014. Retrieved 7 February 2021.
  27. "Result: Sth Africa 47 v 13 World XV – 7th June 2014". RugbyRedefined. 8 June 2014. Retrieved 7 February 2021.
  28. "Teammates turned rivals in Tonga vs Cook Islands clash". Radio New Zealand. Retrieved 25 July 2021.
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