Eto Nabuli
{{Short description|Fiji & Australia international rugby footballer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2018}}
{{Infobox rugby league biography
| name = Eto Nabuli
| image = Eto Nabuli 2017.jpg
| imagesize =
| caption = Nabuli playing for the Wallabies in 2017
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1988|8|24}}
| birth_place = Sigatoka, Viti Levu, Fiji
| height = {{convert|197|cm|ftin|frac=2|abbr=on}}
| weight = {{convert|108|kg|stlb lb|abbr=on}}
| position = Wing
| year1start = 2015
| club1 = St. George Illawarra
| appearances1 = 14
| tries1 = 7
| goals1 = 0
| points1 = 28
| yearAstart = 2014 | yearAend = 15
| teamA = Fiji
| appearancesA = 2
| pointsA = 0
| module = {{infobox rugby biography | embed = yes
| ru_currentposition = Wing
| ru_currentteam =
| ru_position =
| superyears1 = 2016–2018
| super1 = {{nowrap|Reds}}
| superapps1 = 39
| superpoints1 = 50
| super14update = 18 March 2018
| years1 = 2016–
| clubs1 = Queensland Country
| apps1 = 10
| points1 = 15
| years2 = 2018–2019
| clubs2 = Bordeaux Bègles
| apps2 = 15
| points2 = 5
| repyears1 = 2017
| repteam1 = Australia
| repcaps1 = 1
| reppoints1 = 0
}}
}}
Etonia Nabuli (born 24 August 1988) is a Fijian-born Australian professional rugby footballer who plays rugby league for the Wentworthville Magpies in the Ron Massey Cup. He previously played rugby league for the St. George Illawarra Dragons in the National Rugby League as a {{rlp|wg}}, also representing Fiji. He also played rugby union for the Reds.
Background
Nabuli was born in Sigatoka, Fiji.
In 2012, after coincidentally bumping into Andrew Johns and Brad Fittler while working as a porter at InterContinental in Fiji, Nabuli joined the Penrith Panthers for the 2013 NRL season. Johns and Fittler were in Fiji promoting rugby league, when the two first noticed Nabuli and decided to bring him to Australia to play rugby league.{{cite web|url=http://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl-premiership/penrith-sign-fijian-hotel-porter-sight-unseen-on-recommendation-of-brad-fittler-and-andrew-johns/story-fn2mcuj6-1226533005435|title=Penrith sign Fijian hotel porter sight unseen on recommendation of Brad Fittler and Andrew Johns|first=Phil|last=Rothfield|work=Fox Sports|date=9 December 2012}} Nabuli says he had only played rugby union prior to coming to Australia in late December 2012.{{cite web|url=http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/nrl/etonia-nabuli-spotted-in-fiji-by-andrew-johns-and-brad-fittler-ready-to-start-life-at-panthers/story-e6frfgbo-1226545151596|title=Etonia Nabuli, spotted in Fiji by Andrew Johns and Brad Fittler, ready to start life at Panthers|first=Nick|last=Walshaw|publisher=Herald Sun|date=29 December 2012}}
Rugby league
File:etonabuli.JPG in 2013]]
=2013=
Nabuli was a regular player for the Windsor Wolves in the New South Wales Cup during the 2013 season, finishing as the competition's leading try-scorer, with 30 tries.{{cite web|url=http://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl-premiership/penrith-panthers-speedster-eto-nabuli-set-to-fly-in-the-nrl-come-season-2014/story-fn2mcuj6-1226770411173|title=Penrith Panthers speedster Eto Nabuli set to fly in the NRL come season 2014|first=Nathan|last=Ryan|work=Fox Sports|date=28 November 2013}} On 23 September 2013, he was named on the wing in the 2013 New South Wales Cup Team of the Year.{{cite web|url=http://www.penrithpanthers.com.au/news/2013/09/23/nsw-cup-team-of-the-year.html|title=NSW Cup Team of the Year - Panthers|publisher=Penrithpanthers.com.au|access-date=2015-05-03|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150615151721/http://www.penrithpanthers.com.au/news/2013/09/23/nsw-cup-team-of-the-year.html|archive-date=15 June 2015|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|url=http://www.nswrl.com.au/news/2013/09/22/2013-nswrlcomau-vb-nsw-cup-team-of-the-year-announcement.html|title=2013 NSWRL.com.au VB NSW Cup Team of the Year - Announcement|publisher=NSWRL|access-date=2015-08-24|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150108222849/http://www.nswrl.com.au/news/2013/09/22/2013-nswrlcomau-vb-nsw-cup-team-of-the-year-announcement.html|archive-date=2015-01-08}}
=2014=
In February 2014, he was included in the Penrith Panthers' 16-man squad that participated in the 2014 Auckland Nines competition.{{cite web|url=http://www.penrithpanthers.com.au/news/2014/02/12/auckland_nines_team_announcement.html|title=Auckland Nines Team Announcement|publisher=Penrith Panthers|date=12 February 2014}} He sustained a medial collateral ligament injury on his left knee during the competition's quarter-final.{{cite web|url=http://www.penrithpanthers.com.au/news/2014/02/20/injury_update_0.html|title=Injury Update|publisher=Penrith Panthers|date=20 February 2014}}
In May, Nabuli played for Fiji in the 2014 Pacific Test. On 28 September, he played in the Panthers' 2014 New South Wales Cup Grand Final victory over the Newcastle Knights.{{cite web|url=http://www.nrl.com/vb-nsw-cup-grand-final-preview/tabid/10874/newsid/82139/default.aspx|title=VB NSW Cup Grand Final Preview|publisher=NRL.com|date=2014-09-25|access-date=2015-05-03}}
=2015=
On 27 October, Nabuli signed a 1-year contract with the St. George Illawarra Dragons, starting in 2015,{{cite web|url=http://www.dragons.com.au/news/2014/10/27/dragons_sign_eto_nabuli.html|title=Sign Eto Nabuli|publisher=Dragons.com.au|access-date=2015-05-03}} after rejecting interest from Super Rugby team, the Western Force.{{cite web|author=Ben Horne|url=http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-sport/fijian-nabuli-signs-with-nrl-dragons-20141007-3hgmu.html|title=Fijian Nabuli signs with NRL Dragons|publisher=News.smh.com.au|date=2014-10-07|access-date=2015-05-03}} In round 1 of the 2015 NRL season, he made his NRL debut for the Dragons, against the Melbourne Storm,{{cite web|url=http://www.dragons.com.au/news/2015/03/09/late_mail_round_1_v_.html|title=Late Mail: Round 1 v Melbourne Storm|publisher=Dragons.com.au|access-date=2015-05-03}} scoring a try on debut.{{cite web|url=http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/seasons/nrl-2015/round-1/st-george-illawarra-vs-melbourne/summary.html|title=NRL 2015 - Round 1|publisher=Rugby League Project|access-date=2015-11-29}} On 2 May, he played for Fiji against Papua New Guinea in the 2015 Melanesian Cup.{{cite web|url=http://www.nrl.com/representative-round-team-lists/tabid/10874/newsid/85557/default.aspx|title=Representative Round team lists|publisher=NRL.com|date=2015-04-28|access-date=2015-05-03}} On 14 June, he re-signed with the Dragons on a 1-year contract.{{cite web|url=http://www.dragons.com.au/news/2015/06/14/dragons_re_sign_nabu.html|title=Re-Sign Nabuli|publisher=Dragons.com.au|access-date=2015-06-20}} He finished off his debut season having played in 13 games and scoring 7 tries.{{cite web|url=http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/matches/Custom/OS0xNjYwLTQtLS0tLS0yMTQ3MC0tLS0tLS0tLS0tLS0=|title=Custom Match List|publisher=Rugby League Project|date=2015-10-31|access-date=2015-11-29}}
Rugby union
File:2017.06.17.16.30.42-Eto Nabuli carry (35373214315).jpg against Scotland in 2017]]
=2016=
In September, it was confirmed that Nabuli would join Super Rugby side, Queensland Reds from 2016 on a two-year contract,{{cite news|url=http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/reds/queensland-reds-sign-st-george-illawarra-dragons-winger-eto-nabuli-20150915-gjms0t.html|title=Queensland Reds sign St George Illawarra Dragons winger Eto Nabuli|last=Lutton|first=Phil|date=15 September 2015|publisher=Sydney Morning Herald|access-date=15 September 2015}} after being released from the final year of his Dragons contract.
After the first 12 rounds of Super rugby, Wallabies coach, Michael Cheika, selected Nabuli in his preliminary 39-man squad for the test series against {{nrut|England}} in 2016. He did not play for the Wallabies that season,{{cite news|url=http://www.rugby.com.au/en/news/2016/06/03/05/36/hodge-survives-first-wallabies-cut|title=Hodge survives first Wallabies cut|newspaper=rugby.com.au|date=3 June 2016}} but was selected again the following year, making his test debut against {{nrut|Scotland}} on 17 June 2017.
=2017=
In 2017 the Queensland Reds finished 3rd in the Australian conference and 14th overall, winning just four out of fifteen games. Nabuli was associated with 26% of the total scored tries for the Reds during the 2017 season scoring a total of eight tries and four try assists.
In October 2017, Nabuli played for the Barbarians against Australia at Allianz Stadium, Sydney. Losing the game 31–28.{{cite news|url=https://www.rugby.com.au/news/2017/10/28/barbarians-wallabies-match|title=Wallabies win comes at a cost|newspaper=rugby.com.au|date=28 October 2017}}
{{clear}}
=Bordeaux=
In March 2018, it has been rumoured that Nabuli along with other fellow Reds players will be leaving the club to join Bordeaux in the French Top 14, as they are off contract at the conclusion of the season.{{cite news|url=https://www.rugby.com.au/news/2018/03/16/nabuli-joins-bordeaux-reds-jaguares|title=Nabuli Bordeaux bound|newspaper=rugby.com.au|date=16 March 2018}}{{cite news|url=http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport/rugby/queensland-reds-winger-eto-nabuli-to-join-aussie-contingent-in-france-at-end-of-super-rugby-season/news-story/5ded659eacb03cc0c56cba604e941938|title=Queensland Reds winger Eto Nabuli to join Aussie contingent in France at end of Super Rugby season|newspaper=The Courier Mail|date=16 March 2018}}{{cite news|url=https://au.sports.yahoo.com/rugby/a/39532624/nabuli-douglas-linked-to-french-move/|title=Nabuli, Douglas linked to French move|newspaper=Yahoo7|date=15 March 2018}}
References
{{Reflist|50em|refs=
|title = Wallabies v England June 2016 Test series squad announced by Michael Cheika
|work = The Sydney Morning Herald| access-date = 2016-05-26
|url = http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/australia-rugby/wallabies-v-england-june-2016-test-series-squad-announced-by-michael-cheika-20160525-gp42rx.html}}
|date=17 June 2017
|title=Rugby Union: Scotland win thriller against Australia
|website=Yahoo Sports
|url=https://sports.yahoo.com/scotland-win-thriller-against-australia-072857395.html
|access-date=17 June 2017
|url-status=live
|archive-url=https://archive.today/20170617100551/https://sports.yahoo.com/scotland-win-thriller-against-australia-072857395.html
|archive-date=17 June 2017}}
}}
External links
{{commons category}}
- [http://www.itsrugby.co.uk/player-zoom-31137-superrugby-2015-game.html It's Rugby] profile
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20141206084128/http://www.dragons.com.au/team/profiles/eto_nabuli.html 2015 St. George Illawarra Dragons profile]
- [http://www.nrl.com/telstrapremiership/playerstats/playerprofile/tabid/10898/clubid/12/playerid/6526/seasonid/43/default.aspx NRL profile]
{{2013 New South Wales Cup Team of the Year}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Nabuli, Eto}}
Category:Australia international rugby union players
Category:Fijian expatriate rugby union players in France
Category:Fiji national rugby league team players
Category:Fijian rugby league players
Category:Fijian rugby union players
Category:I-Taukei Fijian people
Category:Queensland Reds players
Category:Rugby league players from Nadroga-Navosa Province
Category:Rugby union players from Nadroga-Navosa Province
Category:St. George Illawarra Dragons players
Category:Union Bordeaux Bègles players