Jordan Taufua is a New Zealand rugby union player who primarily plays as a loose forward. He has had a successful career playing for various teams in New Zealand and overseas.
Taufua started his rugby career at a young age and attended Alfriston College and Sacred Heart College in Auckland. After completing his schooling, he moved to Christchurch to attend Lincoln University, where he also played local club rugby.
In 2012, Taufua made his senior rugby debut when he was loaned to the Tasman Mako by Canterbury for the Mitre 10 Cup. He performed well in his first year, playing all 10 regular-season games for Tasman. However, he was controversially recalled by Canterbury for the playoffs, and he played as a replacement in their championship-winning campaign.
The following year, Taufua became a full member of the Canterbury squad and played a key role in their successful defense of the ITM Cup Premiership title. He continued to impress in provincial rugby and made a move to the Pukekohe-based Counties Manukau Steelers in 2014. He started every game in his first season with the Steelers and became a consistent performer for them.
In 2017, Taufua returned to the Tasman Mako after a four-year absence. That season, the Mako reached the Premiership Final but lost to Canterbury.
Taufua's performances in provincial rugby caught the attention of the Crusaders, a Super Rugby franchise based in Christchurch. He joined the Crusaders for the 2013 Super Rugby season and gained valuable experience playing alongside seasoned professionals such as Richie McCaw, Kieran Read, and Matt Todd. Over the years, Taufua established himself as a regular starter for the Crusaders and played a significant role in their campaigns.
Despite being born in New Zealand, Taufua initially chose to represent Samoa at the 2011 IRB Junior World Championship. However, he later switched his allegiance back to New Zealand in 2012 and played for the New Zealand U20 team. He also received a call-up to the All Blacks for the June Series but didn't make his debut due to injury.
In addition to his domestic and Super Rugby career, Taufua has had stints overseas. He joined Premiership Rugby side Leicester Tigers for the 2019-20 season but was granted an early release in February 2021. He then signed for French club Lyon as injury cover and extended his stay until the end of the 2021/22 season.
Overall, Taufua has made a name for himself as a talented and versatile loose forward, contributing to the success of his teams both domestically and in Super Rugby.
Ahead of the World Rugby Cup 2023, Taufua has been named in the squad for Samoa.
KG(05/07/2023)
Career
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Nice Rugby Openside Flanker |
2024 - present |
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World XV Openside Flanker |
2015 - 2015 |
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Canterbury Openside Flanker |
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Counties Manukau Openside Flanker |
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Barbarians Openside Flanker |
2016 - 2018 |
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New Zealand Openside Flanker |
2018 - 2019 |
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Crusaders Openside Flanker |
2013 - 2019 |
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Tasman Mako Openside Flanker |
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NZ Barbarians Openside Flanker |
2015 - 2019 |
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Leicester Tigers Openside Flanker |
2019 - 2021 |
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Samoa Openside Flanker |
2022 - 2024 |
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Lyon Openside Flanker |
2021 - 2024 |
