George Tuakura
Encyclopedia
George Tuakura is a Cook Islands
rugby league
player who currently plays for the Central Comets
in the Queensland Cup
. His position of choice is at prop-forward
.
in the Auckland Rugby League
competition.
for the inaugural Bartercard Cup
.
In 2004 Tuakura moved to Australia
and played for the Central Comets
in the Queensland Cup
. Tuakura has also spent time playing in France.
in 2005. Returning to New Zealand, he played for the Otahuhu Ellerslie Leopards in the Bartercard Cup, hoping to impress the Warriors coaching staff.
In 2006 he was in the 25 man squad for the Warriors. Despite starting several trial games and being named 18th man several times, George did not play a game in the National Rugby League
competition. Instead he spent the year playing for the new Tamaki Titans in the Bartercard Cup.
at the 2000 Rugby League World Cup
, playing in all three games.
In 2002 Tuakura toured France
and the United States
with New Zealand 'A'. He again played for New Zealand 'A' in 2003 when they toured Great Britain
.
He again represented the Cook Islands in 2005.
In 2006 he played for the New Zealand Residents in the Trans Tasman Quadrangular Series and also played for the Residents against the New Zealand Kiwis in a warm up match for the 2006 Rugby League Tri Nations.
Cook Islands
The Cook Islands is a self-governing parliamentary democracy in the South Pacific Ocean in free association with New Zealand...
rugby league
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...
player who currently plays for the Central Comets
Central Comets
Central Queensland Capras are an semi-professional rugby league football club based in Rockhampton, Queensland. They currently play in the Queensland Cup, the premier rugby league competition in Queensland....
in the Queensland Cup
Queensland Cup
The Queensland Cup is the premier rugby league football competition in the State of Queensland, Australia.It is a statewide competition with the majority of teams based in South East Queensland but also including sides based in Cairns, Mackay and Rockhampton.The competition began in 1996 as a...
. His position of choice is at prop-forward
Rugby league positions
A rugby league football team consists of thirteen players on the field, with four substitutes on the bench. Players are divided into two general categories: "forwards" and "backs"....
.
Early years
Born in South Auckland, Tuakura first played rugby league for the Mangere East HawksMangere East Hawks
The Mangere East Hawks are a rugby league based in Mangere, New Zealand. The Hawks compete in Auckland Rugby League's Fox Memorial competition.-History:The club was founded in 1964, before this teams from the area had been attached to the Otahuhu club...
in the Auckland Rugby League
Auckland Rugby League
The Auckland Rugby League is the governing body for the sport of rugby league in the Auckland Region of New Zealand. It is responsible for rugby league in the region and was the owner of Carlaw Park, once the "spiritual home of rugby league in New Zealand".-History:The Auckland Rugby League was...
competition.
Playing career
In 2000 he joined the Otahuhu LeopardsOtahuhu Leopards
The Otahuhu Leopards are a rugby league club based in Otahuhu, New Zealand. The club competes in the Fox Memorial competition run by the Auckland Rugby League. They are coached by Peter Caccioppoli. Between 2000 and 2003 they also competed in the Bartercard Cup.The team are the current holders of...
for the inaugural Bartercard Cup
Bartercard Cup
The Bartercard Cup was the top level rugby league club competition in New Zealand from 2000 until 2007. For the entire life of the tournament it was sponsored by Bartercard. The cup was administered by the New Zealand Rugby League...
.
In 2004 Tuakura moved to Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and played for the Central Comets
Central Comets
Central Queensland Capras are an semi-professional rugby league football club based in Rockhampton, Queensland. They currently play in the Queensland Cup, the premier rugby league competition in Queensland....
in the Queensland Cup
Queensland Cup
The Queensland Cup is the premier rugby league football competition in the State of Queensland, Australia.It is a statewide competition with the majority of teams based in South East Queensland but also including sides based in Cairns, Mackay and Rockhampton.The competition began in 1996 as a...
. Tuakura has also spent time playing in France.
Warriors
Tuakura signed a two year contract with the New Zealand WarriorsNew Zealand Warriors
The New Zealand Warriors are a professional rugby league football club based in Auckland, New Zealand. They compete in the National Rugby League premiership and are the League's only team from outside Australia...
in 2005. Returning to New Zealand, he played for the Otahuhu Ellerslie Leopards in the Bartercard Cup, hoping to impress the Warriors coaching staff.
In 2006 he was in the 25 man squad for the Warriors. Despite starting several trial games and being named 18th man several times, George did not play a game in 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...
competition. Instead he spent the year playing for the new Tamaki Titans in the Bartercard Cup.
Queensland
Tuakura was released by the Warriors after the 2006 season and he returned to the Central Comets. In 2007 he fell out of favour with coach Steve Anderson but made a comeback and returned to the side in 2008. Tuakura maintained his spot in the Comets lineup for the 2009 and 2010 seasons.International
In 2000 he represented the Cook IslandsCook Islands national rugby league team
-2008 World Cup Qualifying:See 2008 Rugby League World Cup qualifyingThe Cook Islands played Fiji, Tonga and Samoa in the Pacific pool of Qualifying for the 2008 Rugby League World Cup. Fiji and Tonga qualified, and Samoa earned a second chance in the repecharge round...
at the 2000 Rugby League World Cup
2000 Rugby League World Cup
The 2000 Rugby League World Cup was the twelfth staging of the Rugby League World Cup and was held during October and November of that year in Great Britain, Ireland and France...
, playing in all three games.
In 2002 Tuakura toured France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
with New Zealand 'A'. He again played for New Zealand 'A' in 2003 when they toured Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
.
He again represented the Cook Islands in 2005.
In 2006 he played for the New Zealand Residents in the Trans Tasman Quadrangular Series and also played for the Residents against the New Zealand Kiwis in a warm up match for the 2006 Rugby League Tri Nations.