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 forTaranaki in the Mitre 10 Cup and the Crusaders 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 Bay of Plenty, Chiefs
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2015–2019 Taranaki 41 (25)
2016–2017 Hurricanes 11 (0)
2018–2021 Chiefs 46 (15)
2020– Bay of Plenty 28 (15)
2021 Waikato 1 (0)
2022 Crusaders 6 (0)
2023– Chiefs 0 (0)
Correct as of 22 October 2022
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2015 New Zealand U20 8 (5)
2017–2020 Māori All Blacks 4 (0)
2018 New Zealand 3 (5)
Correct as of 22 October 2022

Playing career

Domestic 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]

Completing a two-year stint with the Hurricanes Tahuriorangi was signed up by the Chiefs for the 2018 season.[5] 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.[6]

In August 2021, Tahuriorangi signed for the Crusaders for the 2022 Super Rugby Pacific season. He cited Scott Robertson as a figure who attracted him to the franchise.[7] In March 2022, he was named to start for his first Crusaders appearance against Moana Pasifika.[8]

International career

In 2017 Tahuriorangi was called into the Maori All Blacks[9] for their match with the British & Irish Lions in Rotorua. Tahuriorangi did not take the field however in the wet encounter.[10]

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.[11] In only his second test, Tahuriorangi received the starting number 9 jersey and scored his first test try in a dominant victory over Japan.[12]

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. 20 July 2015. Retrieved 20 July 2015.
  5. "Chiefs do halfback swap with Hurricanes, with Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi joining". Stuff. Retrieved 20 May 2018.
  6. "Young Chiefs halfback Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi invited to All Blacks' North Island camp". TVNZ. Retrieved 20 May 2018.
  7. "Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi joins Crusaders roster for 2022 season". superrugby.co.nz. Retrieved 2 March 2022.
  8. "Four Crusaders debutants named in side to face Moana Pasifika". Crusaders Rugby. Retrieved 2 March 2022.
  9. Whitaker, Stuart (12 June 2017). "Maori All Black Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi comes home". NZ Herald. ISSN 1170-0777. Retrieved 20 May 2018.
  10. "Maori All Blacks 10-32 British and Irish Lions". BBC Sport. Retrieved 2 March 2022.
  11. Reive, Christopher (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.
  12. "All Blacks team named for Japan Test". All Blacks Rugby. Retrieved 8 November 2018.
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