Connor Tupai (born 8 December 1999) is a New Zealand born rugby union player currently playing for Northampton Saints in Premiership Rugby. He plays as a Scrum-Half.
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| Date of birth | 8 December 1999 | ||||||||||||||||||||
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| Place of birth | Rotorua, New Zealand | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.87 m (6 ft 2 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 89 kg (14 st 0 lb; 196 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| School | Northampton School for Boys | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Notable relative(s) | Paul Tupai (father) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Connor is the son of Paul Tupai who played over one thousand rugby union games for club and country across a 28-year playing career.[1]
Tupai was born in Rotorua, New Zealand on 8 December 1999.[2] At the age of 6 he moved to England with his family. His father, Paul Tupai had been playing for Bay of Plenty, stepping down in October 2005.[3] Following a tour to England with Samoa rugby, he was spotted by Budge Pountney, director of rugby at Northampton Saints at the time.[4] Paul Tupai signed for Northampton in December 2005.[5]
Connor Tupai began his rugby career playing for his school, Northampton School for Boys. He was billed as a dynamic utility back during his school playing career, excelling at fly-half and centre.[6]
In 2016, Tupai and the NSB team reached the 2016 NatWest Schools Cup Vase final at Twickenham Stadium. Connor scored a game winning drop goal and claimed man of the match.[7]
He has a close relationship with retired Saints and England Rugby captain, Dylan Hartley. Hartley and Connor’s father moved to Northampton from Rotorua at a similar time. Tupai took Hartley under his wing who in turn babysat the young Connor Tupai, teaching him ball skills. Their brotherly relationship remains strong today.[4]
Tupai joined the Northampton Saints junior academy at a young age and was awarded his first professional contract with the club’s senior academy in 2018.[8]
The young scrum half appeared in his first Northampton senior game in the annual Mobbs Memorial Match against the Army Rugby Football Club in 2018.[9]
He captained a young Northampton team during the Premiership Rugby Sevens Series in 2019.[10] Hosted at Franklin’s Gardens, the Saints team failed to win a game and did not progress in the competition, ultimately won by Saracens.[11]
Following a steady string of off the bench appearances for Northampton, Tupai started his first European Rugby Champions Cup game against Leinster at the age of 20.[12] Northampton lost, 50-21.[13]
References
edit- ^ "Paul Tupai ends 28-year career - 'I went from getting a few beers to thousands of dollars'". telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
- ^ "Connor Tupai Scrum Half". northamptonsaints.co.uk. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
- ^ "About Us - Union". boprugby.co.nz. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
- ^ a b "Paul Tupai, in perpetuity". samrobertsrugby.com. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
- ^ "Tupai to join Northampton". espn.com. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
- ^ "NSB Young Saints Join Senior Academy For 2018/19 Season". nsb.northants.sch.uk. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
- ^ "NatWest Schools Cup 2015-16". telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
- ^ "Tupai and Sleightholme stay on". northamptonchron.co.uk. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
- ^ "Army Take On Northampton Saints To Honour WWI Rugby Player". forces.net. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
- ^ "Tupai to lead young saints side for Premership Rugby 7s". northants-chamber.co.uk. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
- ^ "Premiership Rugby 7s Fixtures and Results". premiershiprugby.com. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
- ^ "Saints scrum-half Tupai admits his shock after 'surreal' Champions Cup experience". northamptonchron.co.uk. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
- ^ "Leinster beat Northampton 50-21 to secure last-eight spot with two pool rounds to spare". bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 31 December 2019.