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Lesley Vainikolo
Lesley Paea 'I'muli Vainikolo (born 4 May 1979) is a former professional rugby league and rugby union footballer. A dual code international, he has played for the New Zealand Kiwis in rugby league and England in rugby union. He began his career playing rugby league in Australia for the Canberra Raiders of the National Rugby League and later in England for the Bradford Bulls of Super League. He then moved to English rugby union club Gloucester. In both codes, he has usually played as a . Early life and career Vainikolo was born on 4 May 1979 in Nukualofa, Tonga. He grew up in West Auckland, New Zealand playing rugby union but switched to rugby league as he explains, "I first got into rugby league when I was 11. One of my mates got me into it. His team were short on numbers and my mate asked if I wanted to play. I grew up playing union, so I had the basic skills. I played the game and absolutely loved it. And I've been hooked since." Vainikolo played for the Mangere East Hawks ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Nukuʻalofa
Nukualofa (; ) is the capital and largest city of Tonga. It is located on the north coast of the island of Tongatapu, in the country's southernmost island group. History First western records of Nukualofa On 10 June 1777, British captain James Cook wrote of his arrival at their anchorage place. His description of the place confirmed, with his map, that this was the bay of Nukualofa. Cook never used the name Nukualofa or any other spelling for the reports of this voyage, but he mentioned the island of Pangaimodoo ( Pangaimotu) which was to the east of his anchorage position. Captain Cook also wrote that he travelled by canoes to visit Mooa ( Mua) where Paulaho and other great men lived. The house that Paulaho provided was on the beach from the ship. Reference to his map shows that he must have landed and stayed in the Siesia area, the eastern part of modern Nukualofa. Cook also drafted the first map of the bay of Nukuʻalofa. The first written record for Nukuʻalofa is stat ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
West Auckland, New Zealand
West Auckland ( mi, Te Uru o Tāmaki Makaurau) is one of the major geographical areas of Auckland, the largest city in New Zealand. Much of the area is dominated by the Waitākere Ranges, the eastern slopes of the Miocene era Waitākere volcano which was upraised from the ocean floor, and one of the largest regional parks in New Zealand. The metropolitan area of West Auckland developed on the lands between the Waitākere Ranges to the west and the upper reaches of the Waitematā Harbour to the east, in areas such as Massey, Henderson, New Lynn and Glen Eden. The area is within the rohe of Te Kawerau ā Maki, whose traditional names for the area were Hikurangi, Waitākere, and Te Wao Nui a Tiriwa, the latter of which refers to the forest of the greater Waitākere Ranges area. Most settlements and pā were centred around the west coast beaches and the Waitākere River valley. Two of the major waka portages are found in the area: the Te Tōanga Waka (the Whau River portage), an ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
2002 World Club Challenge
The 2002 World Club Challenge was held on Friday, 1 February 2002, at the Alfred McAlpine Stadium, Huddersfield, England. The game was contested by Bradford Bulls and Newcastle Knights. Background Bradford Bulls The 2001 Super League Grand Final was held on Saturday 13 October 2001, at Old Trafford, Manchester, UK. The game was contested by Bradford Bulls and Wigan Warriors. Newcastle Knights The 2001 NRL grand final was the conclusive and premiership-deciding game of the 2001 NRL season. It was contested by the Newcastle Knights (who had finished the regular season in 3rd place), and the Parramatta Eels (who had finished the regular season in 1st place), after both sides eliminated the rest of the top eight during the finals. The attendance of 90,414 was the third highest ever seen at a rugby league match in Australia. Match summary Teams External links2002 World Club Challenge at news.bbc.co.uk [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Australia National Rugby League Team
The Australian National Rugby League Team, the Kangaroos, have represented Australia in senior men's rugby league football competition since the establishment of Rugby league in Australia, the 'Northern Union game' in Australia in 1908. Administered by the Australian Rugby League Commission, the Kangaroos are ranked fourth in the RLIF World Rankings. The team is the most successful in Rugby League World Cup history, having contested all 16 and won 12 of them, failing to reach the final only once, in the 1954 Rugby League World Cup, inaugural tournament in 1954. Only five nations (along with New Zealand Maori rugby league team, NZ Maori) have beaten Australia in test matches, and Australia has an overall win percentage of 70%. Dating back to 1908, Australia is the fourth oldest national side after England national rugby league team, England, New Zealand national rugby league team, New Zealand and Wales national rugby league team, Wales. The team was first assembled in 1908 for ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
1999 Rugby League Tri-Nations
The 1999 Rugby League Tri-Nations series was contested by Australia, Great Britain and New Zealand in 1999. It was the first multi-national rugby league tournament to feature the sport's three world powers since the 1989–92 World Cup (the 1995 World Cup featured England and Wales separately). Co-hosts Australia and New Zealand played in the final, which was narrowly won by the Kangaroos. Great Britain didn't win a game of the tournament. After the Lions narrowly defeated the Queensland Cup premiers, Burleigh Bears, a poor crowd attended their match against Australia at Suncorp Stadium. Fearing a similar attendance for the series final, the tournament organisers relocated the match to Ericsson Stadium. With the Rugby League World Cup to be staged the following year, and tours of Great Britain by Australia in 2001 and 2003 and New Zealand in 2002, the Tri-nations was not held again until 2004. Venues The games were played at the following venues in Australia and New Zea ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Peter Sterling (rugby League Commentator)
Peter Maxwell John Sterling (born 16 June 1960) nicknamed Sterlo, is an Australian former rugby league commentator, television personality and player. He was one of the all-time great halfbacks and a major contributor to Parramatta Eels' dominance of the New South Wales Rugby League premiership in the 1980s. Sterling played eighteen Tests for the Australian national team between 1982 and 1988. He also played in thirteen State of Origins for New South Wales, winning man of the match on four occasions (one of them being the 1987 exhibition match played in the USA). Sterling played in four premiership-winning sides with Parramatta in 1981–1983 and 1986 and has been inducted into the Australian Rugby League Hall of Fame. His time spent playing for English club Hull F.C. also earned him membership in their hall of fame. Early life Sterling was born in Toowoomba, Queensland, and raised in Raymond Terrace and Wagga Wagga, New South Wales. He commenced his playing career at t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mal Meninga
Malcolm Norman Meninga (; born 8 July 1960) is an Australian professional rugby league coach who is the head coach of the Australian national team and a former professional rugby league footballer. Meninga is widely regarded as one of the finest players in the game's history. He enjoyed a long career in both Australia and England, playing mainly as a goal-kicking , but also on the . After retiring, Meninga has enjoyed success as a coach, and is currently the head coach of Australia. Meninga broke numerous rugby league records during his playing career. He retired with the most appearances in the history of the Australian national team, and became the top-point scorer ever in State of Origin football. He has since been honoured as a Member of the Order of Australia, has been inducted into the Australian Rugby League Hall of Fame and has also been named in both Queensland's and Australia's teams of the century. Meninga is the only player in history to be selected for four Kanga ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Allan Langer
Allan Jeffrey "Alfie" Langer AM (born 30 July 1966) is an Australian former multi-award-winning rugby league footballer who played in the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s and worked as an assistant coach for the Australian national team, the Queensland Maroons and the Brisbane Broncos. He was one of the pre-eminent s of his era, representing Australia on many occasions and holding the record for most State of Origin appearances, until being surpassed by his club, state and country team-mate Darren Lockyer. Langer played most of his career as captain of the Brisbane Broncos, with whom he won the 1992 Clive Churchill Medal and Rothmans Medal, as well as four premierships and the club's player of the year award a record five times. The Allan Langer Medal, which is the Ipswich Jets' player of the year award was named in his honour. Alfie's Bar at the Broncos Leagues Club is also named after him. Early life The youngest of Queensland Rail worker Harry and mother Rita Langer's four sons, A ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
New Zealand Rugby Football League
The New Zealand Rugby League (NZRL) is the governing body for the sport of rugby league football in New Zealand. SPARC, 2009: 13 The NZRL was founded on 25 April 1910 in preparation for a tour of Great Britain that same year.Coffey and Wood ''The Kiwis: 100 Years of International Rugby League'' The NZRL administers the ''New Zealand'' ''Kiwis'' and the '' New Zealand Kiwi Ferns.'' Currently they manage the NZRL National Secondary Schools Tournament, the NZRL Women's National Tournament and the NZRL National 20's Competition, a seven Zone national competition played at 16s, 18s grades. The premier competition is known as the National Premiership and the National Championship which is a tier below. NZRL launched the Inaugural National 20's Competition in 2021 as a new pathway for developing elite talent, this includes 2 teams from Auckland, Auckland Blue and Auckland White, Wai-Coa Bay, Central Districts, Northland and South Island. They are also responsible for elite pathway pr ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Junior Kiwis
The Junior Kiwis side represents New Zealand in the sport of rugby league. They are commonly known as the Junior Kiwis, after the native bird of that name. Since 2010, they are an under-20s side, with players selected from the NRL, Intrust Super Cup, Intrust Super Premiership, Jersey Flegg Cup and Hastings Deering Colts. They are administered by the New Zealand Rugby League. History Prior to 2010, the Junior Kiwis consisted of the best New Zealand players aged 18 years or younger and would represent the country against the likes of the Australian Schoolboys, the New South Wales Under 18 side and the England Under 18 side, sometimes as curtain raisers to the senior Kiwi games. Players such as Adam Blair, Thomas Leuluai, Issac Luke, Simon Mannering Simon Alexander Mannering (born 28 August 1986) is a New Zealand former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 2000s and 2010s. He played for the New Zealand Warriors in the NRL. A New Zealand international secon ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
1997 New Zealand Rugby League Season
The New Zealand rugby league season 1997 was the 90th season of rugby league that had been played in New Zealand. The main feature of the year was the Super League Challenge Cup that was run by the New Zealand Rugby League. Waikato won the Challenge Cup by defeating Canterbury 34-18 and also ended the season holding the Rugby League Cup. International competitions A New Zealand side selected from Australasian-based New Zealanders lost to a Queensland side 26–12 at Ericsson Stadium in May as part of the Super League Tri-series. The team also lost to New South Wales and failed to make the final. The side was coached by Graeme Norton and he served as a selector alongside Frank Endacott and Gary Kemble. The squad for the two matches was Anthony Swann, Sean Hoppe, Tea Ropati, Ruben Wiki, Richie Barnett, Gene Ngamu, Stacey Jones, Quentin Pongia, Syd Eru, Joe Vagana, Tony Iro, captain Stephen Kearney, Tawera Nikau, John Timu, Brady Malam, Tyran Smith and Marc Ellis. Af ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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