Connor Tupai Explained

Connor Tupai
Birth Date:1999 12, df=yes
Birth Place:Rotorua, New Zealand
Relatives:Paul Tupai (father)
Weight:890NaN0
Ru Position:Scrum-Half
Clubs1:Northampton Saints
Apps1:9
Points1:0
Years1:2018–
Ru Ntupdate:31 December 2019
School:Northampton School for Boys

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]

Notes and References

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