Taulima Tautai
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Taulima Tautai born 3 April 1988[1] is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer, who has most recently played as a Template:Rlp for the Wigan Warriors in the Super League. He previously played for the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks, Parramatta Eels and the Wakefield Trinity Wildcats.
Background
Born in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Tautai attended St Gregory's College, Campbelltown.[2]
Taulima played his junior rugby league for CVD Edensor Park Cobras, before being signed by the Parramatta Eels.
Playing career
Tautai's position of choice was originally in the Template:Rlps or on the Template:Rlp.
He made his first-grade début for the Parramatta Eels in round 1 of the 2008 NRL season, going on to play 30 games for the club between 2008 and 2009. Tautai won Parramatta Eels' rookie of the season award in 2008.Script error: No such module "Unsubst".
Although born in Sydney, Tautai is of Samoan and New Zealand descent. Because of his heritage, he was named in the Samoan[3] and New Zealand training squads for the 2008 World Cup.[4] However, he suffered an injury and did not make the final squad for either nation.Script error: No such module "Unsubst".
Tautai played 33 games for the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks between 2010 and 2011.
He returned to the Parramatta Eels in 2012 but injury and form kept him to only 9 appearances. Tautai was part of the Parramatta side that finished last in the competition that year which was the first time the club had finished last since 1972.[5][6]
Tautai joined the Wakefield Trinity Wildcats in the Super League for the 2013 and 2014 seasons, playing in 22 matches.
Tautai joined the Wigan Warriors in November 2014, signing a three-year deal.[7]
He played from the bench in the 2016 Super League Grand Final victory over the Warrington Wolves at Old Trafford.[8]
He played in the 2017 Challenge Cup Final defeat by Hull F.C. at Wembley Stadium.[9]
In 2018, he played over 20 matches for the season, but was not selected in the finals series, and was not a part of the 2018 Super League Grand Final final winning side.[10][11] Tautai left the Wigan Warriors in June 2019 following a drink-driving conviction.[12]
Whilst Tautai was known mostly for his Rugby career, he took place in charity and community work off the field. He donated his 2016 Grand Final ring to a local Wigan family to assist them in raising money for the SANDs charity. A Charity that looks after family who have lost their babies.[13] Alongside his wife, they started the Wigan Warriors Campaign 'Respect Her' after working with the Women's Refuge to draw attention to issues within the local community.[14] Tautai also shaved off his long locks to raise money for suicide awareness in honour of his mother-in-law 'The Jenny Project'.[15]
On 30 June 2019, he announced that he would be retiring from rugby league.[16]
References
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External links
Template:Wigan Warriors - 2016 Super League Grand Final winners Template:Wigan Warriors - 2017 World Club Challenge winners
- Pages with script errors
- 1988 births
- Living people
- Australian people of New Zealand descent
- Australian sportspeople of Samoan descent
- Australian rugby league players
- Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks players
- Parramatta Eels players
- Rugby league centres
- Rugby league locks
- Rugby league players from Sydney
- Rugby league props
- Rugby league wingers
- Wakefield Trinity players
- Wentworthville Magpies players
- Wigan Warriors players
- Australian expatriate rugby league players in England
- People educated at St Gregory's College, Campbelltown
- 21st-century Australian sportsmen