Stephen Setephano
Encyclopedia
Steven Setephano is a New Zealand
rugby union
player of Cook Islands
descent who represents Waikato
in the ITM Cup and the Chiefs in the Super Rugby competition, playing at number 8 or flanker
. He was previously a member of the Highlanders in the Super 14
competition from the 2008 to 2010 seasons.
in 2005, and was a regular member of their Air New Zealand Cup
squads in 2006 and 2007.
In an effort to have a stronger chance at earning a Super Rugby contract, Setephano shifted south provincially to Otago, where he featured in the Air New Zealand Cup for 2009 and 2010.
For the 2010 ITM Cup
. Setephano moved back to Waikato
. However, his season was ended prematurely by a calf injury after just 4 matches, forcing him to miss the Mooloos trip to the ITM Cup Final.
appearance for the franchise.
After transferring to Otago in 2008, Setephano was able to earn a contract with the Highlanders for 2008, making seven starts for the club.
In 2009
, Setephano appeared in all 13 matches for the Highlanders and scored his first two Super Rugby tries. For much of the second half of the season, however, he lost his starting spot at number 8 to George Naoupu.
Setephano regained his starting job in 2010
, making 9 starts and scoring another two tries. However, he was not retained for the 2011
season, as the club made wholesale changes under new coach Jamie Joseph
.
Setephano returned to the Chiefs for the 2011 season as a member of their wider training group.
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
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...
player of Cook Islands
Cook Islands
The Cook Islands is a self-governing parliamentary democracy in the South Pacific Ocean in free association with New Zealand...
descent who represents Waikato
Waikato Rugby Union
The Waikato Rugby Union is the official governing body of rugby union in the Waikato area in the North Island of New Zealand. Its senior representative team competes in the ITM Cup , and won the inaugural Air New Zealand Cup in 2006.Waikato Rugby Union was founded in 1921...
in the ITM Cup and the Chiefs in the Super Rugby competition, playing at number 8 or flanker
Flanker (rugby union)
A flanker is a position in the sport of rugby union. Flankers play in the forwards, and are generally classified as either blindside, or openside flankers; numbers six and seven respectively. The name comes from their position in a scrum in which they flank each set of forwards...
. He was previously a member of the Highlanders in the Super 14
Super 14
Super Rugby is the largest and pre-eminent professional Rugby union competition in the Southern Hemisphere...
competition from the 2008 to 2010 seasons.
Provincial Rugby
Setephano made his debut for WaikatoWaikato Rugby Union
The Waikato Rugby Union is the official governing body of rugby union in the Waikato area in the North Island of New Zealand. Its senior representative team competes in the ITM Cup , and won the inaugural Air New Zealand Cup in 2006.Waikato Rugby Union was founded in 1921...
in 2005, and was a regular member of their Air New Zealand Cup
Air New Zealand Cup
The ITM Cup is New Zealand's annual professional domestic Rugby union competition, taking place from late July through October . It was founded in 2006 with 14 teams, after the National Provincial Championship was split into two separate competitions. The other 12 provincial teams from the NPC...
squads in 2006 and 2007.
In an effort to have a stronger chance at earning a Super Rugby contract, Setephano shifted south provincially to Otago, where he featured in the Air New Zealand Cup for 2009 and 2010.
For the 2010 ITM Cup
2010 ITM Cup
The 2010 ITM Cup was the 34th provincial rugby union competition, the fifth since the competition reconstruction in 2006 and the first under the new sponsor of ITM , involving the top 14 provincial unions of New Zealand...
. Setephano moved back to Waikato
Waikato Rugby Union
The Waikato Rugby Union is the official governing body of rugby union in the Waikato area in the North Island of New Zealand. Its senior representative team competes in the ITM Cup , and won the inaugural Air New Zealand Cup in 2006.Waikato Rugby Union was founded in 1921...
. However, his season was ended prematurely by a calf injury after just 4 matches, forcing him to miss the Mooloos trip to the ITM Cup Final.
Super Rugby
Setephano was a wider training group player for the Chiefs in 2006 and 2007, but never made a Super 14Super 14
Super Rugby is the largest and pre-eminent professional Rugby union competition in the Southern Hemisphere...
appearance for the franchise.
After transferring to Otago in 2008, Setephano was able to earn a contract with the Highlanders for 2008, making seven starts for the club.
In 2009
2009 Super 14 season
The 2009 Super 14 season kicked off in February 2009 with pre-season matches held from mid-January. It finished on 30 May, when the Bulls won their second Super Rugby title with a decisive 61–17 victory over the Waikato Chiefs at Loftus Versfeld stadium in Pretoria, South Africa. The 2009 season...
, Setephano appeared in all 13 matches for the Highlanders and scored his first two Super Rugby tries. For much of the second half of the season, however, he lost his starting spot at number 8 to George Naoupu.
Setephano regained his starting job in 2010
2010 Super 14 season
The 2010 Super 14 season kicked off in February 2010 with pre-season matches held from mid-January. It finished on 29 May. The 2010 season was the fifth and last season of the expanded Super 14 format. The schedule, which covers 3½ months, featured a total of 94 matches, with each team playing one...
, making 9 starts and scoring another two tries. However, he was not retained for the 2011
2011 Super 15 season
The 2011 Super Rugby season was the first season of the new 15-team format for the Super Rugby competition, which involved teams from Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. Including its past iterations as Super 12 and Super 14, this was the 16th season for the Southern Hemisphere's premier...
season, as the club made wholesale changes under new coach Jamie Joseph
Jamie Joseph
James Whitinui Joseph is a former All Black flanker.Joseph's All Blacks career spanned 30 matches including 20 tests from 1992 to 1995 including the 1995 World Cup....
.
Setephano returned to the Chiefs for the 2011 season as a member of their wider training group.