Hale T-Pole
Encyclopedia
Tevita Hale Nai Tu'uhoko, often known simply as Hale T-Pole or Hale T Pole, (born 30 April 1979 in Longolongo, Tonga
) is a Tongan rugby union
footballer who plays as a flanker
or number eight for the Ricoh Black Rams
in the Top League
in Japan
. He has also played internationally for the Tongan national team
and the Pacific Islanders rugby union team
.
in 2000, and quickly became a core member of the squad. He would go on to score 16 tries in 60 appearances for the Stags.
After several strong seasons with Southland, T-Pole made his debut for the Highlanders in the 2004 Super 12 season
. After making only three appearances in his first two seasons with the Highlanders, he emerged as a regular in the 2006 Super 14 season
, appearing in 10 of 13 matches including 5 starts.
In the 2007 Super 14 season
, T-Pole was limited to 6 substitute appearances for the Highlanders, although he did manage to score his first and only Super Rugby try, against the Stormers
on 24 February.
T-Pole's last matches for Southland were the first two rounds of the 2007 Air New Zealand Cup
, after which he departed for the 2007 Rugby World Cup
and then Europe.
. However, he endured a difficult season in Wales, making only 7 appearances before leaving in 2008.
of the Top League
in Japan in 2008, and spent two seasons with the club.
For the 2010-11 season, he signed with the Ricoh Black Rams
.
.
He was selected to the Pacific Islanders rugby union team
which toured Europe in 2006, and selected again for the same tour in 2008.
T-Pole scored a try on his debut for Tonga
against Korea
on 10 February 2007, and was selected to the Tongan squad for the 2007 Rugby World Cup
. However, his World Cup was blighted by a red-carding in a match against Samoa
on 16 September.
After the World Cup, T-Pole continued as a regular member of the Tongan side until 2009.
Tonga
Tonga, officially the Kingdom of Tonga , is a state and an archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, comprising 176 islands scattered over of ocean in the South Pacific...
) is a Tongan rugby union
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...
footballer who plays as a flanker
Flanker (rugby union)
A flanker is a position in the sport of rugby union. Flankers play in the forwards, and are generally classified as either blindside, or openside flankers; numbers six and seven respectively. The name comes from their position in a scrum in which they flank each set of forwards...
or number eight for the Ricoh Black Rams
Ricoh Black Rams
Ricoh Black Rams is a Japanese rugby union team in the Top League. Placed 10th in the 2004-5 season which meant it had to win a play-off against one of the top regional teams to stay in the league, as it did.Slogan for 2006 season: TAFU...
in the Top League
Top League
The Top League is a professional rugby union league created by the Japan Rugby Football Union to drive up the overall standard and popularity of the sport in the country and improve the results of the Japan national rugby union team. The first season was 2003-04 and featured 12 teams...
in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. He has also played internationally for the Tongan national team
Tonga national rugby union team
The Tonga national rugby union team is nicknamed Ikale Tahi . Like their Polynesian neighbours, the Tongans start their matches with a war dance – the Kailao . They are members of the Pacific Islands Rugby Alliance along with Fiji and Samoa...
and the Pacific Islanders rugby union team
Pacific Islanders rugby union team
The Pacific Islanders rugby union team is an international rugby union team, started in 2004, that represents Fiji, Samoa and Tonga. While Niue and the Cook Islands are not members of the Pacific Tri-Nations competition, they did supply players to the squad for the Pacific Islanders' tour in 2004...
.
New Zealand
An impressive talent from a young age, T-Pole was selected to national secondary school sides and made his provincial rugby debut with Otago in 1999. He transferred to SouthlandSouthland
-Australia:* Westfield Southland, a large retail complex located in the suburb of Cheltenham, approximately 16 kilometres from the Melbourne CBD in Australia-Canada:* Greater Toronto Area...
in 2000, and quickly became a core member of the squad. He would go on to score 16 tries in 60 appearances for the Stags.
After several strong seasons with Southland, T-Pole made his debut for the Highlanders in the 2004 Super 12 season
2004 Super 12 season
The 2004 Super 12 season was the ninth season of the Super 12, contested by teams from Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. The season ran from February to May 2004, with each team playing all the others once. At the end of the regular season, the top four teams entered the playoff semi finals,...
. After making only three appearances in his first two seasons with the Highlanders, he emerged as a regular in 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...
, appearing in 10 of 13 matches including 5 starts.
In 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...
, T-Pole was limited to 6 substitute appearances for the Highlanders, although he did manage to score his first and only Super Rugby try, against the Stormers
Stormers
The Stormers, for sponsorship reasons referred to as DHL Stormers, are a South African rugby union team based in Cape Town competing in the Super Rugby competition . Despite their lack of silverware over the years, their home stadium, Newlands, typically draws the highest average attendance figures...
on 24 February.
T-Pole's last matches for Southland were the first two rounds of the 2007 Air New Zealand Cup
2007 Air New Zealand Cup
The 2007 Air New Zealand Cup was a provincial rugby union competition involving 14 teams from New Zealand. Matches started on Thursday 26 July 2007, and the Final, in which Auckland defeated Wellington, was held on Saturday 20 October....
, after which he departed for the 2007 Rugby World Cup
2007 Rugby World Cup
The 2007 Rugby World Cup was the sixth Rugby World Cup, a quadrennial international rugby union competition inaugurated in 1987. Twenty nations competed for the Webb Ellis Cup in the tournament, which was hosted by France from 7 September to 20 October. France won the hosting rights in 2003,...
and then Europe.
Europe
T-Pole left New Zealand to sign with Ospreys for the 2007–08 Celtic League season, joining the squad after the 2007 Rugby World Cup2007 Rugby World Cup
The 2007 Rugby World Cup was the sixth Rugby World Cup, a quadrennial international rugby union competition inaugurated in 1987. Twenty nations competed for the Webb Ellis Cup in the tournament, which was hosted by France from 7 September to 20 October. France won the hosting rights in 2003,...
. However, he endured a difficult season in Wales, making only 7 appearances before leaving in 2008.
Japan
T-Pole signed with Suntory SungoliathSuntory Sungoliath
Suntory Sungoliath is owned by the Suntory beverage company and is one of the Japanese rugby union teams in the Top League. The team is based in Fuchū, Tokyo, as is their local rival Toshiba Brave Lupus...
of the Top League
Top League
The Top League is a professional rugby union league created by the Japan Rugby Football Union to drive up the overall standard and popularity of the sport in the country and improve the results of the Japan national rugby union team. The first season was 2003-04 and featured 12 teams...
in Japan in 2008, and spent two seasons with the club.
For the 2010-11 season, he signed with the Ricoh Black Rams
Ricoh Black Rams
Ricoh Black Rams is a Japanese rugby union team in the Top League. Placed 10th in the 2004-5 season which meant it had to win a play-off against one of the top regional teams to stay in the league, as it did.Slogan for 2006 season: TAFU...
.
International Play
T-Pole represented New Zealand at the under-21 level but never received a senior callup to the All BlacksAll Blacks
The New Zealand men's national rugby union team, known as the All Blacks, represent New Zealand in what is regarded as its national sport....
.
He was selected to the Pacific Islanders rugby union team
Pacific Islanders rugby union team
The Pacific Islanders rugby union team is an international rugby union team, started in 2004, that represents Fiji, Samoa and Tonga. While Niue and the Cook Islands are not members of the Pacific Tri-Nations competition, they did supply players to the squad for the Pacific Islanders' tour in 2004...
which toured Europe in 2006, and selected again for the same tour in 2008.
T-Pole scored a try on his debut for Tonga
Tonga national rugby union team
The Tonga national rugby union team is nicknamed Ikale Tahi . Like their Polynesian neighbours, the Tongans start their matches with a war dance – the Kailao . They are members of the Pacific Islands Rugby Alliance along with Fiji and Samoa...
against Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
on 10 February 2007, and was selected to the Tongan squad for the 2007 Rugby World Cup
2007 Rugby World Cup
The 2007 Rugby World Cup was the sixth Rugby World Cup, a quadrennial international rugby union competition inaugurated in 1987. Twenty nations competed for the Webb Ellis Cup in the tournament, which was hosted by France from 7 September to 20 October. France won the hosting rights in 2003,...
. However, his World Cup was blighted by a red-carding in a match against Samoa
Samoa national rugby union team
The Manu Samoa is the men's representative side of the Samoa Rugby Union in both the 15's and the 7's for international competitions. The Samoa Rugby Union is owned by the affiliated rugby unions of Samoa. In Samoa, Manu Samoa is in honour of a famous Samoan warrior. From 1924 to 1997 Samoa was...
on 16 September.
After the World Cup, T-Pole continued as a regular member of the Tongan side until 2009.