Akuila Uate
Encyclopedia
Akuila Uate is a professional rugby league
footballer for the Newcastle Knights
of the National Rugby League
. A two time Dally M Winger of the Year, State of Origin
, Fijian
and Australian
representative winger, he has played his whole NRL career to date with the Knights.
His incredible speed and strength had seen Uate tipped as a future superstar by Andrew Johns. Johns said about Uate, "In all my years in rugby league I've never seen a better athlete than this bloke". He was also described by the talent scout who spotted him as "the next Lote Tuqiri".
being injured. Uate has maintained his spot with the Newcastle Knights
until the end of 2013.
In 2010, Uate has played on the right wing due to regular right winger James McManus
being injured. In reward for Uate's extremely good form he has kept James McManus
out of the right wing. He is currently on a four-year contract with the Newcastle Knights
.
In his short career, Uate has scored 5 doubles, 4 hat-trick
s and 1 quadruple at NRL level, 1 double and 1 hat-trick
for the Fiji Bati and 1 double for the Australian Kangaroos.
At the 2010 Dally M awards, Uate won the Winger of the Year award as well as taking out the top try-scoring player award.
At the 2011 Dally M awards, Uate won the Winger of the Year for the second time in a row. He finished the season as the highest try-scoring winger with 19 tries and the NRL's leading tackle-breaker.
Uate finished off his stellar 2011 season by winning the RLPA Players' Player of the Year Award.
On the 3rd of November 2011, Uate won the RLIF's International Winger of the Year Award beating the likes of Jason Nightingale
and Jharal Yow Yeh
.
for Fiji. He was considered one of the tournament's 'Players to Watch' by NRL Live pre-tournament, and lived up the billing, scoring 5 tries and leading the competition for line breaks as Fiji made it to the semi-finals of the tournament.
After the 2010 season ended, Uate was selected in the Prime Minister's XIII team to take on Papua New Guinea in Port Moresby. He celebrated a winning debut by scoring a try.
On the 28th of January 2011, Uate was selected in the 2011 NRL All Stars team after being the most voted in Knights player with the fans. He had an exceptional game in which he scored a try.
On the 6th of May 2011, Uate played for Country Origin in the annual City vs Country Origin
clash. He finished the game scoring the winning try for Country.
On the 15th of May 2011, Uate was selected on the wing for the NSW State of Origin team
for Game 1 of the 2011 State of Origin series. He also played in the second game which New South Wales won 18 - 8. He was then again selected in game 3 in which he scored a try, despite New South Wales losing to Queensland 34 - 24.
On the 16th of October 2011, Uate made his debut for Australia in a stand-alone Test match against New Zealand held at Ausgrid Stadium. He scored the first 2 tries of the match which helped Australia beat New Zealand 42-6.
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...
footballer for the Newcastle Knights
Newcastle Knights
The Newcastle Knights are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Newcastle, New South Wales. They compete in Australasia's premier rugby league competition, the National Rugby League premiership...
of the National Rugby League
National Rugby League
The National Rugby League is the top league of professional rugby league football clubs in Australasia. The NRL's main competition, called the Telstra Premiership , is contested by sixteen teams, fifteen of which are based in Australia with one based in New Zealand...
. A two time Dally M Winger of the Year, State of Origin
Rugby League State of Origin
State of Origin is an annual best of three series of rugby league football matches contested by the Maroons and the Blues, who represent the Australian states of Queensland and New South Wales respectively...
, Fijian
Fiji national rugby league team
-Competitions:Fiji have participated in:*Pacific Cup *World Cup *World Sevens *Superleague World Nines *Superleague Oceania Tournament *Pacific Rim Competition -Results:...
and Australian
Australian national rugby league team
The Australian national rugby league team have represented Australia in senior men's rugby league football competition since the establishment of the game in Australia in 1908. Administered by the Australian Rugby League, the Kangaroos' are ranked number one in the RLIF World Rankings...
representative winger, he has played his whole NRL career to date with the Knights.
Early Career
Uate attended Brisbane Waters Senior College and represented Australia and schoolboy level in 2005. As a junior, Uate came 3rd in the underage Australian sprinting finals.His incredible speed and strength had seen Uate tipped as a future superstar by Andrew Johns. Johns said about Uate, "In all my years in rugby league I've never seen a better athlete than this bloke". He was also described by the talent scout who spotted him as "the next Lote Tuqiri".
Newcastle Knights
Following his performances in the World Cup, Uate scored a regular starting place on the wing for the Knights in the 2009 NRL Season due to Cooper VunaCooper Vuna
Kerry Cooper Vuna is a professional rugby union player. He played league, on the wing for the Newcastle Knights , before switching to rugby union to play wing for the Melbourne Rebels.-Early years:...
being injured. Uate has maintained his spot with the Newcastle Knights
Newcastle Knights
The Newcastle Knights are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Newcastle, New South Wales. They compete in Australasia's premier rugby league competition, the National Rugby League premiership...
until the end of 2013.
In 2010, Uate has played on the right wing due to regular right winger James McManus
James McManus (rugby league)
James McManus is a Australian professional rugby league footballer for the Newcastle Knights of the National Rugby League...
being injured. In reward for Uate's extremely good form he has kept James McManus
James McManus (rugby league)
James McManus is a Australian professional rugby league footballer for the Newcastle Knights of the National Rugby League...
out of the right wing. He is currently on a four-year contract with the Newcastle Knights
Newcastle Knights
The Newcastle Knights are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Newcastle, New South Wales. They compete in Australasia's premier rugby league competition, the National Rugby League premiership...
.
In his short career, Uate has scored 5 doubles, 4 hat-trick
Hat-trick
A hat-trick or hat trick in sport is the achievement of a positive feat three times during a game, or other achievements based on threes. The term was first used in 1858 in cricket to describe HH Stephenson's feat of taking three wickets in three balls. A collection was held for Stephenson, and he...
s and 1 quadruple at NRL level, 1 double and 1 hat-trick
Hat-trick
A hat-trick or hat trick in sport is the achievement of a positive feat three times during a game, or other achievements based on threes. The term was first used in 1858 in cricket to describe HH Stephenson's feat of taking three wickets in three balls. A collection was held for Stephenson, and he...
for the Fiji Bati and 1 double for the Australian Kangaroos.
At the 2010 Dally M awards, Uate won the Winger of the Year award as well as taking out the top try-scoring player award.
At the 2011 Dally M awards, Uate won the Winger of the Year for the second time in a row. He finished the season as the highest try-scoring winger with 19 tries and the NRL's leading tackle-breaker.
Uate finished off his stellar 2011 season by winning the RLPA Players' Player of the Year Award.
On the 3rd of November 2011, Uate won the RLIF's International Winger of the Year Award beating the likes of Jason Nightingale
Jason Nightingale
Jason Nightingale is a professional rugby league footballer for the St. George Illawarra Dragons of the Australian National Rugby League...
and Jharal Yow Yeh
Jharal Yow Yeh
Jharal Yow Yeh is an Australian professional rugby league footballer for the Brisbane Broncos of the National Rugby League...
.
Representative Career
He played in the 2008 Rugby League World Cup2008 Rugby League World Cup
The 2008 Rugby League World Cup was the thirteenth staging of the Rugby League World Cup since the inauguration of the tournament in 1954, and the first since the 2000 event...
for Fiji. He was considered one of the tournament's 'Players to Watch' by NRL Live pre-tournament, and lived up the billing, scoring 5 tries and leading the competition for line breaks as Fiji made it to the semi-finals of the tournament.
After the 2010 season ended, Uate was selected in the Prime Minister's XIII team to take on Papua New Guinea in Port Moresby. He celebrated a winning debut by scoring a try.
On the 28th of January 2011, Uate was selected in the 2011 NRL All Stars team after being the most voted in Knights player with the fans. He had an exceptional game in which he scored a try.
On the 6th of May 2011, Uate played for Country Origin in the annual City vs Country Origin
City vs Country Origin
City vs Country is an annual Australian rugby league football match that takes place in New South Wales between City and Country representative sides. The City side represents the Sydney metropolitan area...
clash. He finished the game scoring the winning try for Country.
On the 15th of May 2011, Uate was selected on the wing for the NSW State of Origin team
New South Wales rugby league team
The New South Wales rugby league team has represented the Australian state of New South Wales in rugby league football since the sport's beginnings there in 1907. Administered by the New South Wales Rugby League, the team competes in the annual State of Origin series against arch-rivals, the...
for Game 1 of the 2011 State of Origin series. He also played in the second game which New South Wales won 18 - 8. He was then again selected in game 3 in which he scored a try, despite New South Wales losing to Queensland 34 - 24.
On the 16th of October 2011, Uate made his debut for Australia in a stand-alone Test match against New Zealand held at Ausgrid Stadium. He scored the first 2 tries of the match which helped Australia beat New Zealand 42-6.
External links
- 2011 Newcastle Knights profile
- Uate may finally get his chance
- Newcastle's Fijian flyer
- Uate in demand Fijian rookie's manager urges Knights to talk fast
- Fijian flyer chooses to stay in Knights castle
- Uate extends deal with Newcastle
- Fiji
- Australian Secondary Schools Rugby League
- Akuila Uate named RLPA player of year