Nigel Vagana
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Full name | Nigel Faletoese Vagana | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Born | Auckland, New Zealand | 7 February 1975|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Playing information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Height | 183 cm (6 ft 0 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Weight | 87 kg (13 st 10 lb) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Position | Wing, Centre, Five-eighth | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Source: [1] |
Nigel Faletoese Vagana (born 7 February 1975), also known by the nicknames of "Pablo",[2] and "Chiko",[3] is a former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1990s and 2000s, as a wing, centre and five-eighth . A New Zealand and Samoa international representative, he retired as the Kiwis' all-time top try-scorer with 19. Vagana played club football in New Zealand for the Warriors, in England for Warrington, and in Australia for the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs, Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks and the South Sydney Rabbitohs. Vagana represented the New Zealand national team 32 times between 1998 and 2006, including playing in the 2000 World Cup.[1] He is also the cousin of Bradford Bulls prop-forward Joe Vagana, and former Silver Ferns netball player Linda Vagana.
Background
Of
Playing career
1990s
Vagana was selected as part of the Samoa national team for the 1995 World Cup, but did not play a game. During the 1996 Auckland Warriors season Vagana made his first Premiership appearance for the club at centre. He also was selected in the New Zealand team that competed in the Super League World Nines tournament in Fiji. The side won the title, New Zealand's first world trophy.
Vagana left New Zealand to play in 1997's
Vagana finished the 1999 Auckland Warriors season second only to Stacey Jones in total tries scored for the club. He was selected for the New Zealand team to compete in the end of season 1999 Tri-Nations tournament. In the final against Australia he played on the wing and scored a try in the Kiwis' 22–20 loss. He was the tournament's top try-scorer.
2000s
Vagana was selected to play for New Zealand on the wing in the 2000 Anzac Test. He finished the 2000 Auckland Warriors season as the club's top try-scorer. Vagana was then selected in the New Zealand squad for the 2000 World Cup. The Kiwis reached the final against Australia, and he played on the wing in the loss to the Kangaroos.
Vagana commenced playing for Sydney's
In April 2002, Vagana became the first Canterbury player since 1942 to score five tries in a match.
During the 2002 NRL season the ladder-leading Canterbury were stripped of 37 competition points and given then-record breaking fines for salary cap breaches, meaning they finished the season with the wooden spoon.[5]
Vagana moved to another Sydney club, the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks for the 2004 NRL season. He was selected to play for New Zealand at fullback in the 2004 Anzac Test. Vagana finished the 2004 Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks season at the club's top try-scorer. In the post-season 2004 Tri-Nations tournament Vagana was selected to play in the centres for New Zealand in all four of their matches.
Vagana was selected play for New Zealand at centre in the 2005 Anzac Test. At the end of the season he was selected to go to Britain with the Kiwis for the 2005 Tri-Nations tournament, playing at five-eighth in all matches, including the final in which they defeated Australia.
Vagana was selected to play for New Zealand at
Vagana signed a two-year contract with NRL club
Honours
Post playing
Following his retirement from the playing field, Vagana became a National Rugby League education and welfare officer.[8]
References
- ^ a b "Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org". rugbyleagueproject.org. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
- ^ "Nigel Vagana player profile". Bulldogs (official website). Archived from the original on 30 August 2007. Retrieved 31 May 2007.
- ^ "Nigel Vagana player profile". South Sydney Rabbitohs (official website). Archived from the original on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 31 May 2007.
- ^ Steve Mascord and Brad Walter (6 April 2002). "One-man band Vagana puts on a five-star performance". The Sydney Morning Herald. Australia: Fairfax Media. Retrieved 28 July 2010.
- ^ "History of NRL Salary Cap breaches". NRL.
- ^ "Samoa, Tonga and Fiji name squads". BBC. 8 October 2008. Retrieved 9 October 2008.
- ^ "Nigel Vagana - Career Stats & Results". Rugby League Project. Retrieved 25 July 2015.
- ^ Dekker, Diana (10 July 2010). "In a league of their own". The Dominion Post. New Zealand: Fairfax New Zealand Limited. Retrieved 28 July 2010.