Manu Vatuvei facts for kids
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Personal information
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| Full name | Manu Mapuhola Mafi-Vatuvei | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 4 March 1986 Auckland, New Zealand |
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Playing information
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| Height | 189 cm (6 ft 2 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 112 kg (17 st 9 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Wing | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Manu Mapuhola Mafi-Vatuvei (born 4 March 1986), often called "The Beast", is a famous former professional rugby league player from New Zealand. He played as a winger. Manu represented both the Tonga and New Zealand international teams.
He spent most of his career playing for the New Zealand Warriors in the NRL. Later, he played for the Salford Red Devils in the Super League. Manu was a key player in the New Zealand team that won the 2008 World Cup. He became the Warriors' top try scorer and made history as the first player in NRL to score at least 10 tries in 10 seasons in a row.
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Early Life and Beginnings
Manu Vatuvei was born in Auckland, New Zealand, on 4 March 1986. His family comes from Tonga. He grew up in the Ōtara area, the same neighbourhood as rugby legend Ruben Wiki.
Manu played for local teams like the Otara Scorpions and Otahuhu Leopards. When he was just 16 years old, he joined the New Zealand Warriors' special development squad. This was the start of his amazing rugby league journey.
NRL Career Highlights
Starting Out: 2004–2009
Manu Vatuvei made his first appearance in the NRL for the New Zealand Warriors in 2004. He played his first game in Round 11 against the South Sydney Rabbitohs.
In 2005, Manu scored his first NRL try in a game against the South Sydney Rabbitohs. That year, he played 12 matches and scored 9 tries. After the NRL season, he made his international debut for New Zealand. He helped the Kiwis win the 2005 Rugby League Tri-Nations final against Australia, scoring two tries in the victory.
In 2006, Manu continued to score, finishing the season with 10 tries. He also played for New Zealand in the 2006 Rugby League Tri-Nations. By 2007, he was one of the top try scorers for the Warriors, with 10 tries from 23 matches.
The 2008 season was a big one for Manu. Even after breaking his leg, he came back strong. He scored three tries in a crucial game against the Eels, helping the Warriors reach the playoffs. In the finals, he played a vital role, helping his team win against the Melbourne Storm.
Manu was chosen for the 2008 Rugby League World Cup. He was a star in the tournament, scoring four tries in one match against England. This set a new record for New Zealand in the World Cup. He then helped New Zealand win the World Cup for the first time, beating Australia in the final. Manu was named the International Winger of the Year in 2008.
In 2009, Manu scored 13 tries in 19 matches, making him the Warriors' top try-scorer for the season.
Continuing Success: 2010–2017
In 2010, Manu played in the first-ever NRL All Stars match. He reached a big milestone, playing his 100th NRL career game. Manu also broke Stacey Jones' club record for most tries, becoming the Warriors' highest try-scorer for the fourth year in a row with 20 tries.
In 2011, Manu scored his 90th NRL try in the 2011 NRL Grand Final. This was his first and only Grand Final appearance. He was the Warriors' top try-scorer for the fifth year in a row, with 12 tries.
In 2012, Manu played in the All Stars match again and scored a try. He also captained the Warriors for a few games due to an injury to the regular captain. He made history by becoming the first player to score 100 tries for the Warriors. He finished the season as one of the Warriors' top try-scorers with 12 tries.
In 2013, Manu signed a new contract with the Warriors. He was the team's top try-scorer for the seventh year in a row, with 16 tries. He also played in the 2013 Rugby League World Cup for New Zealand. In the opening game, he scored three tries against Samoa. He played in the World Cup final, where New Zealand lost to Australia.
Manu continued his strong performance in 2014, being the Warriors' top try-scorer with 17 tries. He was also selected for the New Zealand Kiwis' squad for the 2014 Rugby League Four Nations. In the final against Australia, he scored two tries. With his second try, he became the all-time top try scorer for the Kiwis, breaking Nigel Vagana's record.
In 2015, Manu played his 200th NRL game for the Warriors, scoring two tries in the match. The following week, he passed Nigel Vagana again, becoming the most prolific New Zealand try scorer in the NRL with his 141st career try. He also made history by becoming the first player in NRL history to score at least 10 tries in 10 seasons in a row.
In 2016, Manu scored his 150th first-grade try. He was the first New Zealander and the 11th player overall to reach this milestone.
In 2017, Manu made his debut for Mate Ma'a Tonga and scored a try in his first game. On 10 July, he left the New Zealand Warriors and signed with the Salford Red Devils. His last game for the Warriors was an emotional farewell at Mt Smart Stadium, which was temporarily renamed Manu Vatuvei Stadium for the match. He played eight games for Salford before an injury ended his time there.
Manu officially announced his retirement from rugby league on 15 July 2019.
Boxing Career
| Manu Vatuvei | |
|---|---|
| Statistics | |
| Nickname(s) | The Beast |
| Rated at | 126.4 kg |
| Height | 189 cm |
| Nationality | New Zealand |
| Born | 4 March 1986 Auckland, New Zealand |
| Boxing record | |
| Total fights | 1 |
| Wins | 1 |
| Wins by KO | 1 |
| Losses | 0 |
| Draws | 0 |
Manu Vatuvei also tried his hand at boxing. He had his first corporate boxing match in 2012 to help raise money for The Prostate Cancer Foundation of NZ. He won that fight against Olympic Gold medalist Eric Murray.
In November 2018, Manu made his professional boxing debut against David Letele, also known as Brown Buttabean. Manu won the fight by knockout in the first round. After this fight, Manu discovered he had a cyst on his brain during health checks. Because of this, he decided to cancel all future boxing matches for his safety.
Professional Boxing Record
| 1 fight | 1 win | 0 losses |
| By knockout | 1 | 0 |
| By decision | 0 | 0 |
| Draws | 0 | |
| No. | Result | Record | Opponent | Type | Round, time | Date | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Win | 1–0 |  David Letele |
KO | 1 (4), 0:28 | 15 December 2018 | Horncastle Arena, Christchurch, New Zealand |
professional debut |
Personal Life
Manu Vatuvei married his wife in 2009. They have five daughters together.
Television Appearances
In 2019, Manu Vatuvei won the eighth season of Dancing with the Stars in New Zealand.
