Solomone Kata

Solomone Kata
Kata playing for the Warriors in 2014.
Personal information
Born (1994-12-03) 3 December 1994
Neiafu, Tonga
Height 177 cm (5 ft 10 in)
Weight 97 kg (15 st 4 lb)
Playing information
Position Centre
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
2015– New Zealand Warriors 45 27 0 0 108
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
2014–16 Tonga 4 3 7 0 26
2016 New Zealand 4 1 0 0 4
Source: [1]

Solomone Kata (born 3 December 1994) is a Tongan born New Zealand professional rugby league footballer who currently plays for the New Zealand Warriors in the National Rugby League. A New Zealand and Tongan national representative,[2] he plays at centre.

Background

Born in Neiafu, Tonga, Kata moved to New Zealand in 2011 on a rugby union scholarship at Sacred Heart College, Auckland. Kata represented the Tongan under-21 side.[3]

Rugby league career

Kata in action for the Warriors

2013

Kata switched to rugby league in 2013, signing with the New Zealand Warriors. Kata played for the Warriors Holden Cup team and was part of the side that lost the Grand Final 30–42 to the Penrith Panthers. Kata played in the 2014 Auckland Nines with the first grade side, before returning to the under 20s competition.[4]

2014

Kata played for the Warriors in the inaugural NRL Auckland Nines[5] At the end of the regular season, Kata played at centre in the 2014 Holden Cup grand final, scoring a hat-trick in the Junior Warriors' 34–32 defeat of the Brisbane Broncos juniors. Kata won the Jack Gibson Medal as the grand final player of the match.[6] On 20 October 2014 Kata made his international début, playing for Tonga in their end-of-year test-match against Papua New Guinea.[7]

2015

Kata again played in the Warriors NRL Auckland Nines team in 2015 and was named in the team of the tournament.[8][9] In Round 1 of the 2015 NRL season, Kata made his first grade NRL debut for the New Zealand Warriors against the Newcastle Knights on the wing in the Warriors' 14–24 loss at Hunter Stadium.[10][11][12] In Round 2, against the Canberra Raiders, Kata scored his first NRL career try in the Warriors' 18–6 win at Canberra Stadium.[13] On 2 May 2015, Kata played for Tonga against Samoa in the Polynesian Cup, playing at centre and kicking 2 goals in Tonga's 16–18 loss at Cbus Super Stadium.[14][15] Kata finished his debut year in the NRL with him playing in all of the Warriors 24 matches and being the top tryscorer with 12 tries in the 2015 NRL season, while mid-year his contract was extended until the end of 2018.[16] On 8 September 2015, Kata was named in the New Zealand Kiwis' training squad.[17] After not making the final New Zealand squad for the England tour, Kata played for Tonga in their Asia-Pacific Qualifier match against the Cook Islands for the 2017 Rugby League World Cup.[18][19] He played at fullback, scored a try and kicked 4 goals in Tonga's 28–8 win at Campbelltown Stadium.[20]

2016

In February, Kata played for the Warriors in the 2016 NRL Auckland Nines.[21] On 7 May, he played for Tonga against Samoa in the 2016 Polynesian Cup, where he played at centre and kicked 1 goal.[22]

References

  1. ↑ "Solomone Kata – Career Stats & Summary". Rugby League Project. Retrieved 22 December 2015.
  2. ↑ "Tonga name 58-man squad for Cook Islands qualifier". theroar.com.au. 12 September 2015. Retrieved 30 December 2015.
  3. ↑ "Solomone Kata". Warriors. Retrieved 22 December 2015.
  4. ↑ "Warriors name star-studded Nines squad". NRL.com. Retrieved 22 December 2015.
  5. ↑ "2014 NRL Auckland Nines – Results". League Unlimited. 15 February 2014. Retrieved 11 January 2016.
  6. ↑ "Warriors survive Broncos scare to win Holden Cup". NRL.com. 5 October 2014. Retrieved 22 December 2015.
  7. ↑ "PNG beat Tonga in Lae". Loverugbyleague.com. 19 October 2014. Retrieved 22 December 2015.
  8. ↑ "WARRIORS NAME 2015 NINES SQUAD". Rugby League Week. 16 January 2015. Retrieved 22 December 2015.
  9. ↑ "Warriors Unearth a New Beast in Solomone Kata". Foxsports.com.au. Retrieved 22 December 2015.
  10. ↑ "Two players ruled out". warriors.co.nz. 7 March 2015. Retrieved 7 March 2015.
  11. ↑ "New faces galore for New Zealand Warriors' clash with Newcastle Knights". Stuff.co.nz. 3 March 2015. Retrieved 22 December 2015.
  12. ↑ "Knights fight back to beat Warriors". NRL.com. 7 March 2015. Retrieved 22 December 2015.
  13. ↑ "New Zealand Warriors outlast Canberra Raiders to secure first win of season". Smh.com.au. Retrieved 22 December 2015.
  14. ↑ "Tonga Named To Face Samoa In Pacific Test". Rugby League Week. 26 April 2015. Retrieved 22 December 2015.
  15. ↑ "Sam Kasiano Try Saving tackle on Jorge Taufua Secures Pacific Test Win for Samoa Against Tonga". Foxsports.com.au. Retrieved 22 December 2015.
  16. ↑ "Solomone Kata, Tuimoala Lolohea and Sam Lisone all sign contract extensions with the Warriors". The Daily Telegraph. 3 June 2015. Retrieved 11 January 2016.
  17. ↑ "League: Kiwis to manage Mannering's workload on England tour – Rugby League – NZ Herald News". Nzherald.co.nz. 8 September 2015. Retrieved 22 December 2015.
  18. ↑ "Tonga finalise squad for World Cup Qualifier". asiapacificrl.com. 9 October 2015. Retrieved 21 October 2015.
  19. ↑ "Tonga qualify for 2017 World Cup". NRL.com. 17 October 2015. Retrieved 21 October 2015.
  20. ↑ "Tonga qualify for 2017 World Cup". NRL.com. 17 October 2015. Retrieved 22 December 2015.
  21. ↑ "Warriors name 2016 Nines squad". Rugby League Week. 29 January 2016. Retrieved 4 February 2016.
  22. ↑ "Samoa holds on in pulsating Pacific Test". nrl.com. Retrieved 7 May 2016.
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