Ben Nakubuwai

Petero Benjamin "Ben" Nakubuwai (born 15 March 1996) is a Fiji international rugby league footballer who plays as a prop.

Ben Nakubuwai
Personal information
Full namePetero Benjamin Nakubuwai[1]
Born (1996-03-15) 15 March 1996
Leeton, New South Wales, Australia
Height194 cm (6 ft 4 in)
Weight108 kg (17 st 0 lb)
Playing information
PositionProp
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
2017 Gold Coast Titans 2 1 0 0 4
2018–19 Salford Red Devils 40 3 0 0 12
Total 42 4 0 0 16
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
2016–19 Fiji 10 3 0 0 12
As of 18 September 2019
Source: [2][3][4]

Nakubuwai played for the Gold Coast Titans in the NRL and the Salford Red Devils in the Super League, and was a member of Fiji's squad for the 2017 World Cup.

Background

Nakuwabi was born in Leeton, New South Wales, Australia to Fijian parents Pio and Eseta.[5] His father was a dual-code rugby international for Fiji during the 1990s, and is known as one of the pioneers of rugby league in Fiji.[6]

Nakubuwai grew up playing rugby union from the age of eight for the Leeton Phantoms,[5] and later took up rugby league at a junior level at age fourteen, playing for the Yanco-Wamoon Hawks and Bidgee Hurricanes. Having been spotted by the Melbourne Storm, Nakubwai moved to Melbourne after completing his Higher School Certificate to play in their S. G. Ball Cup team.[7]

Playing career

Early career

Nakubuwai joined Melbourne's National Youth Competition team in 2015, playing 42 matches over two seasons.[8] He made his international debut for Fiji against Papua New Guinea in May 2016.[9] In December 2016, Nakubuwai signed with the Gold Coast Titans.[10]

2017

Nakubuwai spent most of the 2017 season playing for one of the Titans' feeder clubs, the Tweed Heads Seagulls, in the Queensland Cup. He was called upon to play two NRL matches for the Titans at the end of the season.[11]

On 29 November 2017, it was revealed Nakubuwai had signed a two-year deal to join English side Salford Red Devils in the Super League.[12][13]

References
  1. Baselala, Elenoa (28 October 2017). "Kubuwai re-born". Fiji Times. Archived from the original on 13 February 2018. Retrieved 14 February 2018.
  2. loverugbyleague
  3. "Ben Nakubuwai - Career Stats & Summary - Rugby League Project". Rugby League Project.
  4. love rugby league
  5. "Rep Honours for Big Ben". Leeton Phantoms Junior Rugby Club. 17 June 2008. Archived from the original on 19 July 2008.
  6. Cabenatabua, Leone (2 March 2014). "Inducted". Fiji Sun. Retrieved 14 February 2018.
  7. Gray, John (1 October 2013). "Storm front - Hurricanes young gun on Melbourne's radar". Irrigator. Retrieved 20 August 2017.
  8. "N". NYC Database.
  9. "NRL Match Centre 2017". matchcentre.nrl.com. Retrieved 20 August 2017.
  10. Webeck, Tony (23 December 2016). "Titans snare 'next Petero' from Storm". NRL.com. Retrieved 14 February 2018.
  11. "Nakubuwai reflects on Titans debut". QRL.com.au. 18 August 2017. Retrieved 14 February 2018.
  12. "NRL Market Watch: Panther's code switch consideration, Knights contract twist". Fox Sports Australia. 29 November 2017. Retrieved 24 January 2018.
  13. "Ben Nakubuwai: Salford Red Devils sign Fiji international". BBC. 1 December 2017. Retrieved 14 February 2018.


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