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World Cup Warriors -Episode 2 – Va’aiga Tuigamala

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Another one of the unsung heroes of world rugby coming your way, this time, it’s the Pacific Island powerhouse, Va’aiga Tuigamala, also know as Inga the winger. A dual code superstar and a World cup representative of 2 proud rugby nations, New Zealand in ’91 and Samoa in ’99.

Inga made his name playing for Ponsonby and Auckland in New Zealand, becoming known for his wrecking ball-esque runs. Playing on the wing or in the centre, his 17 stone plus, and 5″11 frame could move at a speed that didn’t seem possible and it made him a fearsome opponent throughout his career. The most similar players to Tuigamala in the past few years have been the likes of Lesley Vainikolo or Manu and Alesana Tuilagi.

He received his first New Zealand test cap in 1991against the USA and was a regular for the next 4 years, earning 19 caps and scoring 21 points.

The twists in the tale started in 1993, when Inga decided to go professional, at which point only left him one option, defection to rugby league, and the Wigan Warriors.  He made a great name for himself playing the 13 man code, representing Wigan in a period in which they won the World Club Challenge title, the League Championship, the Challenge Cup twice, the Regal trophy twice, the Premiership three times, the charity shield and the BBC Sports team of the year! He also managed a pair of Samoa caps and a brace of tries to boot!

In 1996, with Union becoming professional, Inga made his way back to the sport, signing for Wasps and bagging 4 tries in 13 appearances before again moving on to represent Newcastle Falcons where he grabbed a further 32 tries in 113 appearances over a 5 year spell, where he was a star turn in the championship winning side of 1998.During his time at Falcons, Scottish international and Newcastle team mate Doddie Weir said he was “simply the best player in the world”. Quite the compliment!

Spotting a loophole in rugby law, Inga’s sojourn to league made him eligible to represent Samoa, despite previously aligning himself to the All Blacks, and he went on to make 23 appearances in the blue jersey, scoring 3 tries. Samoa failed to qualify for the knockout stages due to a defeat at the hands of Argentina, although they did manage the customary upset victory over Wales in Cardiff!

I’m not sure whether he is the only player to represent 2 nations at World Cup finals, but he’s certainly a small minority of people who’ve done so.

During his spell at Wigan Warriors, he struck a great friendship with a fellow cross code legend, Jason Robinson, and Inga is credited for helping JR to turn his life around and find religion.

Since retiring from all forms of rugby, Inga has gone through a varied selection of jobs, he was an advisor to his cousin, heavyweight boxer David Tua but has now settled down to run Tuigamala and the sons of Glendene….. a firm of undertakers! They even had the honour of being responsible for the funeral of Taufa’ahau Tupou IV – the former King of Tonga

In 2008, Inga was appointed as a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to Rugby and the Community by Queen Elizabeth.

 

If you fancy reading a far better bio than what I manage to rustle up, there is a book available at this link http://www.ingathewinger.com/ written by Bob Howitt.

 


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