Willie Talau
Encyclopedia
Viliamu Talau (born 25 January 1976, in Samoa
) is a New Zealand professional rugby league
footballer who plays for English club Salford City Reds
of Super League
. A Samoa
and New Zealand international
representative three-quarter back, he has played club football previously in the National Rugby League
for the Bulldogs as well as for St Helens.
. At 21, his father gave him a one way ticket to Australia to try his luck playng league. While playing in the metropolitan Cup he was spotted by the Canterbury Bulldogs
who signed him to play in the National Rugby League
. In the 1994 Lion Red Cup Talau played in nine matches, scoring one try. He then played in all 22 matches for the Rockets in the 1995 season.
He played in 101 National Rugby League
games for the Bulldogs, scoring 38 tries, including one in the 1998 NRL Grand Final
loss to the Broncos.
Final.
He signed for St. Helens in late 2003, having previously played for Canterbury Bulldogs. He made his Super League debut on 24 August 2003 against Hull.
Talau scored two tries in the 2004 Challenge Cup
Final, and participated in St Helens' 2006 treble, scoring in both the Challenge Cup Final and the Super League Grand Final. Talau scored 11 tries in 29 games during the 2006 season.
He played in the 2008 Super League Grand Final defeat to the Leeds Rhinos
.
side Salford City Reds
for the start 2009 season.
representative, Talau played in 13 games for the New Zealand Kiwis from 1999 to 2006, including the 2000 World Cup
.
In 2007 Talau switched allegiances to Samoa
. The following year he represented Samoa in the 2008 Rugby League World Cup
, playing two matches.
Samoa
Samoa , officially the Independent State of Samoa, formerly known as Western Samoa is a country encompassing the western part of the Samoan Islands in the South Pacific Ocean. It became independent from New Zealand in 1962. The two main islands of Samoa are Upolu and one of the biggest islands in...
) is a New Zealand professional 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...
footballer who plays for English club Salford City Reds
Salford City Reds
Salford City Reds are an English rugby league club based in Salford, Greater Manchester. Formed in 1873, they currently play in the Super League. They have won six Rugby Football League Championships and one Challenge Cup...
of Super League
Super League
Super League is the top-level professional rugby league football club competition in Europe. As a result of sponsorship from engage Mutual Assurance the competition is currently officially known as the engage Super League. The League features fourteen teams: thirteen from England and one from...
. A Samoa
Samoa national rugby league team
-Notable Players & Coaches:* John Ackland * Steve Kaiser Coach 1990 - 1994* Steve Kaiser 1986* Afi Ah Koui 1986* Andrew Ah Koui 1986* George Apelu 1986* Fa'ausu Afoa circa-1995* Wing Afoa 1990 - 1994* Isaak Ah Mau circa-2006...
and New Zealand international
New Zealand national rugby league team
The New Zealand national rugby league team has represented New Zealand in rugby league football since intercontinental competition began for the sport in 1907. Administered by the New Zealand Rugby League, they are commonly known as the Kiwis, after the native bird of that name...
representative three-quarter back, he has played club football previously 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...
for the Bulldogs as well as for St Helens.
Early years
Talau played for the Taranaki Rockets in the Lion Red CupLion Red Cup
The Lion Red Cup was a New Zealand domestic rugby league competition that ran from 1994-1996 sponsored by brewers Lion Nathan. It was created due to the increase in public awareness of domestic rugby league due to the Auckland Warriors being accepted into the Winfield Cup. The competition was a...
. At 21, his father gave him a one way ticket to Australia to try his luck playng league. While playing in the metropolitan Cup he was spotted by the Canterbury Bulldogs
Canterbury Bulldogs
The Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Belmore, a suburb in the Canterbury-Bankstown region of Sydney. They compete in the National Rugby League premiership, as well as New South Wales Rugby League junior competitions...
who signed him to play 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...
. In the 1994 Lion Red Cup Talau played in nine matches, scoring one try. He then played in all 22 matches for the Rockets in the 1995 season.
He played in 101 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...
games for the Bulldogs, scoring 38 tries, including one in the 1998 NRL Grand Final
1998 NRL grand final
The 1998 NRL grand final was the conclusive and premiership-deciding game of the 1998 NRL season. It was the first grand final since the National Rugby League's formation and featured minor premiers and the previous year's Super League premiers, the Brisbane Broncos against the Canterbury Bulldogs,...
loss to the Broncos.
St Helens
Talau has 13 New Zealand caps and played for the Kiwis at Old Trafford in the 2000 World Cup2000 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...
Final.
He signed for St. Helens in late 2003, having previously played for Canterbury Bulldogs. He made his Super League debut on 24 August 2003 against Hull.
Talau scored two tries in the 2004 Challenge Cup
Challenge Cup
The Challenge Cup is a knockout cup competition for rugby league clubs organised by the Rugby Football League. Originally it was contested only by British teams but in recent years has been expanded to allow teams from France and Russia to take part....
Final, and participated in St Helens' 2006 treble, scoring in both the Challenge Cup Final and the Super League Grand Final. Talau scored 11 tries in 29 games during the 2006 season.
He played in the 2008 Super League Grand Final defeat to the Leeds Rhinos
Leeds Rhinos
Leeds Rhinos is an English professional rugby league football club based in Leeds, West Yorkshire. The club won the 2011 Super League and became the most successful club in the Super League era, beating St Helens 32-16 on 8th October 2011. Formed in 1890, Leeds competes in Europe's Super League...
.
Salford
Talau joined European Super LeagueSuper League
Super League is the top-level professional rugby league football club competition in Europe. As a result of sponsorship from engage Mutual Assurance the competition is currently officially known as the engage Super League. The League features fourteen teams: thirteen from England and one from...
side Salford City Reds
Salford City Reds
Salford City Reds are an English rugby league club based in Salford, Greater Manchester. Formed in 1873, they currently play in the Super League. They have won six Rugby Football League Championships and one Challenge Cup...
for the start 2009 season.
Representative career
A Junior KiwisJunior Kiwis
The Junior Kiwis side represents New Zealand in the sport of rugby league. They are commonly known as the Junior Kiwis, after the native bird of that name. They are not necessarily an age grade side, but the second national team behind the New Zealand national rugby league team. They are...
representative, Talau played in 13 games for the New Zealand Kiwis from 1999 to 2006, including the 2000 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...
.
In 2007 Talau switched allegiances to Samoa
Samoa national rugby league team
-Notable Players & Coaches:* John Ackland * Steve Kaiser Coach 1990 - 1994* Steve Kaiser 1986* Afi Ah Koui 1986* Andrew Ah Koui 1986* George Apelu 1986* Fa'ausu Afoa circa-1995* Wing Afoa 1990 - 1994* Isaak Ah Mau circa-2006...
. The following year he represented Samoa in the 2008 Rugby League World Cup
2008 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...
, playing two matches.