Connor Tupai

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Connor Tupai
Date of birth (1999-12-08) 8 December 1999 (age 24)
Place of birthRotorua, New Zealand
Height1.87 m (6 ft 2 in)
Weight89 kg (14 st 0 lb; 196 lb)
SchoolNorthampton School for Boys
Notable relative(s)Paul Tupai (father)
Rugby union career
Position(s) Scrum-Half
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2018– Northampton Saints 9 (0)
Correct as of 31 December 2019

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.

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]

  1. ^ "Paul Tupai ends 28-year career - 'I went from getting a few beers to thousands of dollars'". telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
  2. ^ "Connor Tupai Scrum Half". northamptonsaints.co.uk. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
  3. ^ "About Us - Union". boprugby.co.nz. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
  4. ^ a b "Paul Tupai, in perpetuity". samrobertsrugby.com. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
  5. ^ "Tupai to join Northampton". espn.com. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
  6. ^ "NSB Young Saints Join Senior Academy For 2018/19 Season". nsb.northants.sch.uk. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
  7. ^ "NatWest Schools Cup 2015-16". telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
  8. ^ "Tupai and Sleightholme stay on". northamptonchron.co.uk. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
  9. ^ "Army Take On Northampton Saints To Honour WWI Rugby Player". forces.net. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
  10. ^ "Tupai to lead young saints side for Premership Rugby 7s". northants-chamber.co.uk. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
  11. ^ "Premiership Rugby 7s Fixtures and Results". premiershiprugby.com. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
  12. ^ "Saints scrum-half Tupai admits his shock after 'surreal' Champions Cup experience". northamptonchron.co.uk. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
  13. ^ "Leinster beat Northampton 50-21 to secure last-eight spot with two pool rounds to spare". bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
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