Morgan Turinui
Encyclopedia
Morgan Turinui is an Australia
n rugby union
footballer who currently plays for French rugby side Stade Francais.
. In 2000, Turinui captained the Australian Schoolboys team, having been the vice-captain of the side in the previous year. Turinui went on to represent the Australian under 21 side in 2002, and play for the Australian Sevens side in Hong Kong
and Beijing
.
, in the same year. In his first year as a professional player, he made his debut for the national team against Ireland
and was selected for the Wallabies
' campaign for the 2003 Rugby Union World Cup.
Although he did not feature prominently in the 2003 tournament, he went on to become a regular fixture in the national team, and has played 20 Tests to date., Turinui was named vice-captain of the Wallabies
for their Bledisloe Cup
Test against the New Zealand All Blacks
in September 2005 and played in all 13 of the Wallabies' Tests in that year. While a recent injury and indifferent form has meant that Turinui has struggled to hold down his regular spot in the Wallabies, he was an integral part of the leadership group at the Waratahs in 2007. In June 2007, Turinui signed with the Queensland Reds
for the 2008 season.
.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
footballer who currently plays for French rugby side Stade Francais.
Early life
Turinui was educated at the Sydney school of Waverley CollegeWaverley College
Waverley College is a Roman Catholic, secondary, day school for boys, located at Waverley, in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia....
. In 2000, Turinui captained the Australian Schoolboys team, having been the vice-captain of the side in the previous year. Turinui went on to represent the Australian under 21 side in 2002, and play for the Australian Sevens side in Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
and Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
.
Professional career
Turinui came of age in 2003, scoring a record six tries for his club side, Randwick, against Warringah. This effort helped him to be selected for his provincial team, the New South Wales WaratahsNew South Wales Waratahs
The New South Wales Waratahs are an Australian rugby union football team, representing the majority of New South Wales in the Super 15 Super Rugby competition...
, in the same year. In his first year as a professional player, he made his debut for the national team against Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
and was selected for the Wallabies
Australia national rugby union team
The Australian national rugby union team is the representative side of Australia in rugby union. The national team is nicknamed the Wallabies and competes annually with New Zealand and South Africa in the Tri-Nations Series, in which they also contest the Bledisloe Cup with New Zealand and the...
' campaign for the 2003 Rugby Union World Cup.
Although he did not feature prominently in the 2003 tournament, he went on to become a regular fixture in the national team, and has played 20 Tests to date., Turinui was named vice-captain of the Wallabies
Australia national rugby union team
The Australian national rugby union team is the representative side of Australia in rugby union. The national team is nicknamed the Wallabies and competes annually with New Zealand and South Africa in the Tri-Nations Series, in which they also contest the Bledisloe Cup with New Zealand and the...
for their Bledisloe Cup
Bledisloe Cup
Rugby Union's Bledisloe Cup is contested by the Australia national rugby union team and New Zealand national rugby union team. It is named after Lord Bledisloe, the former Governor-General of New Zealand who donated the trophy in 1931. The trophy was designed in New Zealand by Nelson Isaac, and...
Test against the New Zealand All Blacks
All Blacks
The New Zealand men's national rugby union team, known as the All Blacks, represent New Zealand in what is regarded as its national sport....
in September 2005 and played in all 13 of the Wallabies' Tests in that year. While a recent injury and indifferent form has meant that Turinui has struggled to hold down his regular spot in the Wallabies, he was an integral part of the leadership group at the Waratahs in 2007. In June 2007, Turinui signed with the Queensland Reds
Queensland Reds
The Queensland Reds represent Queensland in the sport of rugby union in the Southern Hemisphere Super Rugby competition. Prior to 1996 they were a representative team selected on merit from the rugby union club competitions in Queensland...
for the 2008 season.
Outside of rugby
He is a sought after public speaker and wrote a popular blog on the Wallabies campaign for the 2007 Rugby World Cup2007 Rugby World Cup
The 2007 Rugby World Cup was the sixth Rugby World Cup, a quadrennial international rugby union competition inaugurated in 1987. Twenty nations competed for the Webb Ellis Cup in the tournament, which was hosted by France from 7 September to 20 October. France won the hosting rights in 2003,...
.