Misi Taulapapa

Misi Taulapapa (born (1982-01-25) 25 January 1982 in Auckland) is a New Zealand rugby league player. He has previously played professionally in Australia and England. Taulapapa's position of choice is on the Wing.

Early years

Taulapapa originally played rugby union for the Waitemata Football club, in the Auckland Rugby Union competition. He played with Waitemata when they won the Gallagher Shield in 2003. Taulapapa also represented the Kelston Boys High School's First XV in both regional and national tournaments.

Playing career

Taulapapa switched to rugby league in 2004. Taulapapa was selected to play in the Bartercard Cup competition for the Marist Richmond Brothers from where he was picked up by the New Zealand Warriors.

Taulapapa played in six matches for the New Zealand Warriors in 2006 before he was released mid-season for turning up to a training session intoxicated.

After being released by the Warriors halfway through the 2006 season he moved to Queensland to finish the season at the Central Comets.

Cronulla Sharks

Taulapapa signed with the Cronulla Sharks in 2007. Here he played as a solid winger and was a fringe NRL player.

He scored a hat trick in the qualifying finals game against the Canberra Raiders.

Move to England

Taulapapa originally signed with the Gateshead Thunder for the 2010 season. However the club had financial difficulties which voided Taulapapa's contract. He eventually signed with the Sheffield Eagles. After starting on the wing, he moved to full back after a long term injury ruled out the player in that position. He also took on the captaincy and by the end of the season was one of the stand out players for the Eagles, scoring a hat trick in a win over Leigh Centurions. two weeks later, against the same opponents in the play-offs, he suffered a broken leg that ruled him out for the remainder of the 2010 season.

Later years

In August 2011 Taulapapa signed to Super League club Hull Kingston Rovers. However, after his signature had been announced, Hull KR appointed a new manager - Craig Sandercock - who subsequently decided that Taulapapa did not fit into his plans for the 2012 season. Taulapapa was released from his contract with Hull KR, without having played a single game, and re-signed for Sheffield.

Representative career

Taulapapa was a part of the Samoa squad for the 2008 Rugby League World Cup.

In 2009 he was named as part of the Samoan side for the Pacific Cup.