David Te Moana
Encyclopedia
David Te Moana is a rugby union
player who currently plays provincial rugby for Manawatu in the ITM Cup and the Highlanders in the Super Rugby competition.
academy, and for the 2006 Super 14 season
was included in the Western Force
squad for their inaugural season.
After making 6 substitute appearances in his season for the Force, Te Moana found himself back with the Reds
for the 2007 Super 14 season
, making 5 starts. However, this would be his last appearance in the competition for a further 4 years.
Te Moana returned to New Zealand to compete in the 2006 Air New Zealand Cup
, and after his options in Australia were at an end, continued on until 2009 as one of the starting props for the province. For the 2009-10 season, he signed in France with 2nd division SU Agen
. He made 13 appearances for the squad, helping them earn promotion to the Top 14 but was released at the conclusion of the season due to import restrictions.
On his return to New Zealand, Te Moana signed to play for Wellington for the 2010 ITM Cup
. He made only 2 appearances for the side, and transferred back to Manawatu at the conclusion of the campaign.
Despite his lack of playing time for Wellington, he impressed coach Jamie Joseph
enough that, when Joseph was hired of the coach of the Highlanders for the 2011 Super Rugby season, Te Moana was offered a contract.
Te Moana made his Highlanders debut as the starting tighthead prop in the team's 14-9 win over the Hurricanes in the opening fixture of the season on 18 February.
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
player who currently plays provincial rugby for Manawatu in the ITM Cup and the Highlanders in the Super Rugby competition.
Playing career
A late starter, Te Moana didn't play an organized rugby match until he was 18, and had moved to Australia to work in construction before he started taking the sport seriously. By 2005, he had found his way into the Queensland RedsQueensland Reds
The Queensland Reds represent Queensland in the sport of rugby union in the Southern Hemisphere Super Rugby competition. Prior to 1996 they were a representative team selected on merit from the rugby union club competitions in Queensland...
academy, and for the 2006 Super 14 season
2006 Super 14 season
The 2006 Super 14 season started on Friday 10 February 2006. The Grand Final was held on Saturday 27 May 2006. Super 14 is a provincial rugby union competition with 14 teams from New Zealand, Australia and South Africa. This season was the first of the expansion, which saw two new teams, the...
was included in the Western Force
Western Force
Western Force is a rugby union team based in Perth, Western Australia playing in the international Super Rugby competition. They first competed in the 2006 season and finished with the wooden spoon in that year, however their performances greatly improved in 2007. In 2008 they finished in 8th...
squad for their inaugural season.
After making 6 substitute appearances in his season for the Force, Te Moana found himself back with the Reds
Queensland Reds
The Queensland Reds represent Queensland in the sport of rugby union in the Southern Hemisphere Super Rugby competition. Prior to 1996 they were a representative team selected on merit from the rugby union club competitions in Queensland...
for the 2007 Super 14 season
2007 Super 14 season
The 2007 Super 14 season started in February 2007 with preseason matches held from mid-January. It finished on 19 May with the final at ABSA Stadium in Durban, in the first final between two South African teams in the history of Super Rugby...
, making 5 starts. However, this would be his last appearance in the competition for a further 4 years.
Te Moana returned to New Zealand to compete in the 2006 Air New Zealand Cup
2006 Air New Zealand Cup
The 2006 Air New Zealand Cup is a provincial rugby union competition involving 14 teams from New Zealand. Matches started on Friday 28 July 2006, and the Grand Final was won by Waikato on 21 October 2006....
, and after his options in Australia were at an end, continued on until 2009 as one of the starting props for the province. For the 2009-10 season, he signed in France with 2nd division SU Agen
SU Agen Lot-et-Garonne
Sporting Union Agen Lot-et-Garonne is a French rugby union club based in Agen in the department of Lot-et-Garonne. They currently play in the top flight of French professional rugby, Top 14; they were most recently promoted after winning the 2010 title in the second-level Pro D2. Agen also...
. He made 13 appearances for the squad, helping them earn promotion to the Top 14 but was released at the conclusion of the season due to import restrictions.
On his return to New Zealand, Te Moana signed to play for Wellington for the 2010 ITM Cup
2010 ITM Cup
The 2010 ITM Cup was the 34th provincial rugby union competition, the fifth since the competition reconstruction in 2006 and the first under the new sponsor of ITM , involving the top 14 provincial unions of New Zealand...
. He made only 2 appearances for the side, and transferred back to Manawatu at the conclusion of the campaign.
Despite his lack of playing time for Wellington, he impressed coach Jamie Joseph
Jamie Joseph
James Whitinui Joseph is a former All Black flanker.Joseph's All Blacks career spanned 30 matches including 20 tests from 1992 to 1995 including the 1995 World Cup....
enough that, when Joseph was hired of the coach of the Highlanders for the 2011 Super Rugby season, Te Moana was offered a contract.
Te Moana made his Highlanders debut as the starting tighthead prop in the team's 14-9 win over the Hurricanes in the opening fixture of the season on 18 February.