Matt Utai
Encyclopedia
Matthew Utai is a New Zealand rugby league
footballer who currently plays for the Wests Tigers
in the NRL and has previously represented both New Zealand and Samoa
. His usual position is on the wing.
. In 2000, Utai started the year in Jersey Flegg, but his form warranted promotion to the Reserve Grade side and he played in 16 matches including scoring two tries in the Grand Final victory against the Penrith Panthers.
He made his first grade debut in 2002.
He was a member of the Bulldogs' 2004 Premiership winning team in
their 16–13 win over the Sydney Roosters
, scoring two tries in the match.
In a 2006 match Utai became the first player that season to be sent off, for a swinging arm on the Wests Tigers
' Stuart Flanagan
. Utai was suspended for five weeks.
In 2009 Utai spent most of the season playing for the Bankstown City side in the NSW Cup. He became the only Bulldogs player to win five premierships across all grades when Bankstown City won the grand final that year.
He originally signed the Crusaders Super League club for 2010 but failed to recover from a knee injury. Instead Utai joined NSW Country Rugby League Club, Young in Group 9. Utai was then released from Young and joined the Auburn Warriors. He would have signed with the Wests Tigers
but Welsh Super League club Crusaders demanded a compensation fee of $130,000.
Utai joined the Wests Tigers
in 2011, making his first appearance in the first round of the season.
on four occasions between 2002 and 2005, all matches against Australia.
Utai is of Samoan
descent and has made himself available for Samoa's
2008 Rugby League World Cup
campaign.
He has been named in the Samoa training squad for the 2008 Rugby League World Cup
.
He has been named in the Samoa squad for the 2008 Rugby League World Cup
.
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
footballer who currently plays for the Wests Tigers
Wests Tigers
The Wests Tigers are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Sydney's mid-western suburbs. They have competed in the National Rugby League since they were formed at the end of the 1999 season as a joint-venture club between the Balmain Tigers and the Western Suburbs...
in the NRL and has previously represented both New Zealand and Samoa
Samoa national rugby league team
-Notable Players & Coaches:* John Ackland * Steve Kaiser Coach 1990 - 1994* Steve Kaiser 1986* Afi Ah Koui 1986* Andrew Ah Koui 1986* George Apelu 1986* Fa'ausu Afoa circa-1995* Wing Afoa 1990 - 1994* Isaak Ah Mau circa-2006...
. His usual position is on the wing.
Playing career
Utai was a Berala Bears and came through the development squads at the Canterbury BulldogsCanterbury Bulldogs
The Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Belmore, a suburb in the Canterbury-Bankstown region of Sydney. They compete in the National Rugby League premiership, as well as New South Wales Rugby League junior competitions...
. In 2000, Utai started the year in Jersey Flegg, but his form warranted promotion to the Reserve Grade side and he played in 16 matches including scoring two tries in the Grand Final victory against the Penrith Panthers.
He made his first grade debut in 2002.
He was a member of the Bulldogs' 2004 Premiership winning team in
their 16–13 win over the Sydney Roosters
Sydney Roosters
The Sydney Roosters are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney. The club competes in the National Rugby League and is one of the oldest and most successful clubs in Australian rugby league history, having won twelve New South Wales Rugby League...
, scoring two tries in the match.
In a 2006 match Utai became the first player that season to be sent off, for a swinging arm on the Wests Tigers
Wests Tigers
The Wests Tigers are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Sydney's mid-western suburbs. They have competed in the National Rugby League since they were formed at the end of the 1999 season as a joint-venture club between the Balmain Tigers and the Western Suburbs...
' Stuart Flanagan
Stuart Flanagan
Stuart Flanagan is a professional rugby league footballer for the Cronulla Sharks in the Australian National Rugby League competition...
. Utai was suspended for five weeks.
In 2009 Utai spent most of the season playing for the Bankstown City side in the NSW Cup. He became the only Bulldogs player to win five premierships across all grades when Bankstown City won the grand final that year.
He originally signed the Crusaders Super League club for 2010 but failed to recover from a knee injury. Instead Utai joined NSW Country Rugby League Club, Young in Group 9. Utai was then released from Young and joined the Auburn Warriors. He would have signed with the Wests Tigers
Wests Tigers
The Wests Tigers are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Sydney's mid-western suburbs. They have competed in the National Rugby League since they were formed at the end of the 1999 season as a joint-venture club between the Balmain Tigers and the Western Suburbs...
but Welsh Super League club Crusaders demanded a compensation fee of $130,000.
Utai joined the Wests Tigers
Wests Tigers
The Wests Tigers are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Sydney's mid-western suburbs. They have competed in the National Rugby League since they were formed at the end of the 1999 season as a joint-venture club between the Balmain Tigers and the Western Suburbs...
in 2011, making his first appearance in the first round of the season.
Representative career
Utai was selected to represent the New Zealand National TeamNew Zealand national rugby league team
The New Zealand national rugby league team has represented New Zealand in rugby league football since intercontinental competition began for the sport in 1907. Administered by the New Zealand Rugby League, they are commonly known as the Kiwis, after the native bird of that name...
on four occasions between 2002 and 2005, all matches against Australia.
Utai is of Samoan
Samoans
The Samoan people are a Polynesian ethnic group of the Samoan Islands, sharing genetics, language, history and culture. Due to colonialism, the home islands are politically and geographically divided between the country of Samoa, official name Independent State of Samoa ; and American Samoa, an...
descent and has made himself available for Samoa's
Samoa national rugby league team
-Notable Players & Coaches:* John Ackland * Steve Kaiser Coach 1990 - 1994* Steve Kaiser 1986* Afi Ah Koui 1986* Andrew Ah Koui 1986* George Apelu 1986* Fa'ausu Afoa circa-1995* Wing Afoa 1990 - 1994* Isaak Ah Mau circa-2006...
2008 Rugby League World Cup
2008 Rugby League World Cup
The 2008 Rugby League World Cup was the thirteenth staging of the Rugby League World Cup since the inauguration of the tournament in 1954, and the first since the 2000 event...
campaign.
He has been named in the Samoa training squad for the 2008 Rugby League World Cup
2008 Rugby League World Cup
The 2008 Rugby League World Cup was the thirteenth staging of the Rugby League World Cup since the inauguration of the tournament in 1954, and the first since the 2000 event...
.
He has been named in the Samoa squad for the 2008 Rugby League World Cup
2008 Rugby League World Cup
The 2008 Rugby League World Cup was the thirteenth staging of the Rugby League World Cup since the inauguration of the tournament in 1954, and the first since the 2000 event...
.
Career highlights
- First Grade Debut: 2002 - Round 4, Bulldogs vs South Sydney RabbitohsSouth Sydney RabbitohsThe South Sydney Rabbitohs are an Australian professional rugby league football team based in Redfern, a suburb of South-central Sydney, New South Wales. They participate in the National Rugby League premiership and are one of nine existing teams from the state capital...
at Aussie Stadium, 5 April. - Premierships: 2004 - Bulldogs vs Sydney Roosters.
- Representative Selection: 2002 - New Zealand vs Australia, Wellington, New Zealand, scoring one try.
- Awards: 2002 - Dally MDally M MedalThe Dally M Medal is the premier individual award in the Australian rugby league competition, which is given to the player voted by sports commentators as the best and fairest in the competition for that year....
Rookie of the Year.