Tony Tuimavave
Encyclopedia
Antonio Emil Tuimavave is a former professional rugby league
player who is the current head coach of the Ponsonby Ponies
. He played mainly at prop or at lock forward. He was nicknamed The Chief because he is a chief back in his native Samoa
.
and Northcote Tigers
in the Auckland Rugby League
competition. He was an Auckland
rep from 1988 to 1994 playing over 30 matches for the province. In 1994 he played for the Waitakere City Raiders
in the Lion Red Cup
and captained the Western Samoa tour of New Zealand.
He was in the inaugural Warriors side in 1995 and remained a fixture in the squad until his retirement in 2000. He was the last of the inaugural team to leave the club.
, 1992 Pacific Cup
and at the 1995 World Cup
.
in the Auckland Rugby League
competition.
, winning his only professional fight in 2001. He returned to play for the Mt Albert Lions
in the Bartercard Cup
in 2004.
He now runs a jet ski
rental business in Apia, Western Samoa and is involved in the grassroots of Samoan rugby league.
(Newcastle Knights), Carlos Tuimavave (Warriors) and Antonio Winterstein
(Broncos) Chanel Tuimavave played alongside Tony for the Mt Albert Lions
in the Bartercard Cup
, Paddy Tuimavave
played for the New Zealand Kiwis and Western Samoa and Paki Tuimavave
also represented Western Samoa.
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...
player who is the current head coach of the Ponsonby Ponies
Ponsonby Ponies
The Ponsonby Ponies are a rugby league club based in Ponsonby, New Zealand. The club was founded in 1908 and competes in the Auckland Rugby League's Fox Memorial competition.-History:...
. He played mainly at prop or at lock forward. He was nicknamed The Chief because he is a chief back in his native Samoa
Samoa
Samoa , officially the Independent State of Samoa, formerly known as Western Samoa is a country encompassing the western part of the Samoan Islands in the South Pacific Ocean. It became independent from New Zealand in 1962. The two main islands of Samoa are Upolu and one of the biggest islands in...
.
Playing career
Until the formation of the Auckland Warriors, Tony remained largely unheard off outside of the Auckland Scene. He played for the Mt Albert LionsMt Albert Lions
The Mount Albert Lions are a rugby league club based in Mount Albert, New Zealand. The Lions home ground is at Fowlds Park. Their patron is the former Prime Minister of New Zealand, Helen Clark. In 2008 and 2009 the Lions won the Fox Memorial....
and Northcote Tigers
Northcote Tigers
The Northcote Tigers are a rugby league club based in Northcote, New Zealand. The club was founded in 1910 as the Northcote Warriors.The Tigers compete in the Fox Memorial competition run by the Auckland Rugby League. Between 2000 and 2002 the Northcote Tigers competed in the national Bartercard...
in the Auckland Rugby League
Auckland Rugby League
The Auckland Rugby League is the governing body for the sport of rugby league in the Auckland Region of New Zealand. It is responsible for rugby league in the region and was the owner of Carlaw Park, once the "spiritual home of rugby league in New Zealand".-History:The Auckland Rugby League was...
competition. He was an Auckland
Auckland rugby league team
The Auckland rugby league team is the team which traditionally represents all of the clubs which play in the Auckland Rugby League competition. The Auckland Rugby League team has traditionally been a powerhouse of New Zealand domestic rugby league...
rep from 1988 to 1994 playing over 30 matches for the province. In 1994 he played for the Waitakere City Raiders
Waitakere City Raiders
The Waitakere City Raiders were a New Zealand rugby league club that represented Waitakere City in the Lion Red Cup from 1994 to 1996.-Notable players:...
in the Lion Red Cup
Lion Red Cup
The Lion Red Cup was a New Zealand domestic rugby league competition that ran from 1994-1996 sponsored by brewers Lion Nathan. It was created due to the increase in public awareness of domestic rugby league due to the Auckland Warriors being accepted into the Winfield Cup. The competition was a...
and captained the Western Samoa tour of New Zealand.
He was in the inaugural Warriors side in 1995 and remained a fixture in the squad until his retirement in 2000. He was the last of the inaugural team to leave the club.
Representative career
A Kiwi in 1995, Tuimavave also represented Western Samoa in the 1990 Pacific Cup1990 Pacific Cup
-Group B:-Finals:-Semi Finals:-Final:-External links:* The Vault...
, 1992 Pacific Cup
1992 Pacific Cup (rugby league)
-Section 2:An opening ceremony was held at Carlaw Park before the New Zealand Māori v Australian Aboriginies match.-Finals:-Semi Finals:-Third place playoff:-Final:...
and at the 1995 World Cup
1995 Rugby League World Cup
The 1995 Rugby League World Cup was held during October in the United Kingdom. It was the eleventh staging of the Rugby League World Cup and was marketed as the Halifax Centenary World Cup, reflecting the tournament's sponsorship and the fact that 1995 marked the 100th birthday of the sport...
.
Coaching career
In 2010 he was named the head coach of the Ponsonby PoniesPonsonby Ponies
The Ponsonby Ponies are a rugby league club based in Ponsonby, New Zealand. The club was founded in 1908 and competes in the Auckland Rugby League's Fox Memorial competition.-History:...
in the Auckland Rugby League
Auckland Rugby League
The Auckland Rugby League is the governing body for the sport of rugby league in the Auckland Region of New Zealand. It is responsible for rugby league in the region and was the owner of Carlaw Park, once the "spiritual home of rugby league in New Zealand".-History:The Auckland Rugby League was...
competition.
Later years
After his retirement from rugby league he flirted with becoming a professional boxerBoxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
, winning his only professional fight in 2001. He returned to play for the Mt Albert Lions
Mt Albert Lions
The Mount Albert Lions are a rugby league club based in Mount Albert, New Zealand. The Lions home ground is at Fowlds Park. Their patron is the former Prime Minister of New Zealand, Helen Clark. In 2008 and 2009 the Lions won the Fox Memorial....
in the Bartercard Cup
Bartercard Cup
The Bartercard Cup was the top level rugby league club competition in New Zealand from 2000 until 2007. For the entire life of the tournament it was sponsored by Bartercard. The cup was administered by the New Zealand Rugby League...
in 2004.
He now runs a jet ski
Jet ski
Jet Ski is the brand name of a personal watercraft manufactured by Kawasaki Heavy Industries. The name is sometimes mistakenly used by those unfamiliar with the personal watercraft industry to refer to any type of personal watercraft; however, the name is a valid trademark registered with the...
rental business in Apia, Western Samoa and is involved in the grassroots of Samoan rugby league.
Family
The Tuimavave family has a large presence in Auckland rugby league. He is Uncle to current players Evarn TuimavaveEvarn Tuimavave
Evarn Tuimavave is a professional rugby league footballer who currently plays for the Newcastle Knights of the National Rugby League. He has also represented the New Zealand Kiwis and was part of the 2008 World Cup-winning squad...
(Newcastle Knights), Carlos Tuimavave (Warriors) and Antonio Winterstein
Antonio Winterstein
Antonio Winterstein is an Australian professional rugby league footballer for the North Queensland Cowboys of the NRL. A speedy outside back who played under-20s with the Roosters in 2008, his usual position is on the wing...
(Broncos) Chanel Tuimavave played alongside Tony for the Mt Albert Lions
Mt Albert Lions
The Mount Albert Lions are a rugby league club based in Mount Albert, New Zealand. The Lions home ground is at Fowlds Park. Their patron is the former Prime Minister of New Zealand, Helen Clark. In 2008 and 2009 the Lions won the Fox Memorial....
in the Bartercard Cup
Bartercard Cup
The Bartercard Cup was the top level rugby league club competition in New Zealand from 2000 until 2007. For the entire life of the tournament it was sponsored by Bartercard. The cup was administered by the New Zealand Rugby League...
, Paddy Tuimavave
Paddy Tuimavave
Paddy Tuimavave is a former professional rugby league player who represented New Zealand and Western Samoa. His position of preference was at Fullback...
played for the New Zealand Kiwis and Western Samoa and Paki Tuimavave
Paki Tuimavave
Paki Tuimavave is a former rugby league player who represented Samoa. He is the brother of fellow internationals Tony and Paddy Tuimavave.-Playing career:...
also represented Western Samoa.