View source for Matt Rua

{{Short description|New Zealand international rugby league footballer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2020}}
{{Infobox rugby league biography
|name               = Matt Rua
|fullname           = Matthew James Rua<ref>[http://nzleague.co.nz/kiwis/player_profile.php?letter=R&id=681 RUA, MATTHEW JAMES 1999 - 2001 - KIWI #681] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120402171757/http://nzleague.co.nz/kiwis/player_profile.php?letter=R&id=681 |date=2 April 2012}} ''nzleague.co.nz''</ref>
|image              = Replace this image male.svg
|caption            = 
|birth_date         = {{Birth date and age|1977|7|20|df=yes}}
|birth_place        = [[Auckland]], New Zealand
|height             = {{convert|187|cm|ftin|abbr=on}}
|weight             = {{convert|105|kg|stlb lb|0|abbr=on}}
|position           = {{rlp|SR}}
|club1              = [[Melbourne Storm]]
|year1start         = 1998
|year1end           = 02
|appearances1       = 100
|tries1             = 14
|goals1             = 0
|fieldgoals1        = 0
|points1            = 56
|club2              = [[Melbourne Storm]]
|year2start         = 2007
|year2end           = 
|appearances2       = 1
|tries2             = 0
|goals2             = 0
|fieldgoals2        = 0
|points2            = 0
|teamA              = [[New Zealand national rugby league team|New Zealand]]
|yearAstart         = 1999
|yearAend           = 01
|appearancesA       = 11
|triesA             = 2
|goalsA             = 0
|fieldgoalsA        = 0
|pointsA            = 8
|retired = yes
|source             = <ref name="Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org">{{cite web|url=http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/players/Matt_Rua/summary.html|title=Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org|publisher=rugbyleagueproject.org|date=31 December 2017|accessdate=1 January 2018}}</ref>
| module       = {{infobox person
| embed        = yes
| father       = 
| mother       = 
| spouse       = 
| education    = {{nowrap|[[Kelston Boys High School]]}}<br>[[Waitākere College]]
| alma_mater   = 
| children     = Tayla Rua,<br>Caleb Rua,<br>Jacob Rua
}}
}}

'''Matthew Rua''' (born 20 July 1977) is a New Zealand former professional [[rugby league]] footballer who played in the 1990s and 2000s. A New Zealand international representative forward, he played in the [[National Rugby League]] for the [[Melbourne Storm]], winning the [[1999 NRL Premiership]] with them.

He attended High School at [[Kelston Boys High School]] and [[Waitākere College]].

==Playing career==
Rua was a [[Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles]] junior in 1996 and played for the [[Junior Kiwis]]. Rua signed for the [[Melbourne Storm]] in 1998 and played for the [[Norths Devils]] in the [[Queensland Cup]].<ref>[http://queensland.rleague.com/results/1998/round-22.php Round 22: August 15, 16] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080517203353/http://queensland.rleague.com/results/1998/round-22.php |date=17 May 2008}} ''queensland.rleague.com''</ref> In 1999 he was named the Melbourne club's rookie of the year,<ref>{{cite web|last=melbournestorm.com.au |title=NRL Honour Board |url=http://www.melbournestorm.com.au/default.aspx?s=nrl-honour-board |work=Club |publisher=[[Melbourne Storm]] |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130928161940/http://www.melbournestorm.com.au/default.aspx?s=nrl-honour-board |archivedate=28 September 2013 }}</ref> playing from the interchange bench in the Storm's [[1999 NRL Grand Final]] victory. Rua was selected for the [[New Zealand national rugby league team|New Zealand team]] to compete in the end of season [[1999 Rugby League Tri-Nations]] tournament. In the final against [[Australia national rugby league team|Australia]] he played at second-row forward in the Kiwis' 22–20 loss.

Having won the 1999 Premiership, the [[Melbourne Storm]] traveled to England to contest the [[2000 World Club Challenge]] against [[Super League]] Champions [[St Helens R.F.C.]], with Rua playing at lock forward in the victory. Rua represented [[New Zealand national rugby league team|New Zealand]] eleven times between 1999 and 2001, including the [[2000 Rugby League World Cup|2000 World Cup]]. Rua had played 100 games for the club before being released at the end of the [[2002 NRL season]]. He signed with the [[Canberra Raiders]] for the 2003 season, but walked out of his contract before the season started for personal reasons. In 2006 he played for the [[Waitakere Rangers]] in the [[Bartercard Cup]] before being signed by the [[Central Comets]] in the [[Queensland Cup]]. This was enough to get him signed by the Melbourne Storm in 2007. However he only played one first grade game that season, his first since 2002, in Melbourne's round 13 win over the [[New Zealand Warriors]] at [[Mount Smart Stadium]] in Auckland. He retired at the end of the year.

Rua is of [[Cook Islands]] heritage and has been involved with the [[Cook Islands national rugby league team|Cook Islands]] national team as a coach.<ref name="Islander blood runs deep">{{cite news|url=http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/sport/nrl/story/0,21985,21383990-14823,00.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20121228183352/http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/sport/nrl/story/0,21985,21383990-14823,00.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=28 December 2012 |title=Islander blood runs deep |work=Herald Sun|date=15 March 2007 |accessdate=2008-07-31 |first=Dave |last=Donaghy}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Norths Devils squad - 1998 Queensland Cup premiers}}
{{Melbourne Storm squad 1999 NRL premiership}}
{{Melbourne Storm - 2000 World Club Challenge winners}}
{{New Zealand squad 2000 Rugby League World Cup}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rua, Matt}}
[[Category:1977 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:21st-century New Zealand sportsmen]]
[[Category:Central Queensland Capras players]]
[[Category:Junior Kiwis players]]
[[Category:Melbourne Storm players]]
[[Category:New Zealand national rugby league team players]]
[[Category:New Zealand rugby league players]]
[[Category:New Zealand sportspeople of Cook Island descent]]
[[Category:Norths Devils players]]
[[Category:People educated at Waitākere College]]
[[Category:Rugby league centres]]
[[Category:Rugby league locks]]
[[Category:Rugby league players from Auckland]]
[[Category:Rugby league second-rows]]
[[Category:Waitakere rugby league team players]]