Junior Tomasi Cama
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2023}}
{{Use New Zealand English|date=December 2015}}
{{Infobox rugby biography
| name = Tomasi Cama
| image = 059A5374-2.jpg
| caption =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1980|11|11}}
| birth_place = Suva, Fiji
| weight_kg=85
| height_cm=176
| relatives =Tomasi Cama (Father)
| ru_position = Halfback, first five-eighth, centre, wing
| amatyears1 =
| amatteam1 =
| ru_amupdate =
| ru_sevensnationalyears1 = 2005–2015
| ru_sevensnationalteam1 = {{ru7|New Zealand|noflag=1}}
| ru_sevensnationalcomp1 =128
| ru_province1 = Manawatu
| ru_provinceyears1 = 2003–13
| ru_provinceapps1 = 71
| ru_provincepoints1 =114
| ru_provinceyears2 =2004
| ru_province2 =Wanganui
| ru_provinceapps2 =3
| ru_provincepoints2 =25
| ru_provinceupdate = 14 October 2013
| coachteams1 = {{ru7|New Zealand|noflag=1}} 7s
| coachyears1 = 2023–
| coachteams2 = Delhi Redz
| coachyears2 = 2025-
| ru_coachupdate =
| medals =
{{MedalSport|Men's rugby sevens}}
{{MedalCountry| {{NZL}}}}
{{MedalCompetition|Commonwealth Games}}
{{MedalGold| 2010 Delhi | Team competition}}}}
Tomasi Cama (born 11 November 1980) is a New Zealand former rugby union player. He played for Manawatu in the Air New Zealand Cup, and the New Zealand Sevens team. Cama won the 2012 World Rugby Sevens Player of the Year Award.
He is currently the Head Coach of the All Blacks Sevens. He is the son of former Fiji sevens player Tomasi Cama.
Playing career
= Manawatu =
Cama moved to New Zealand to pursue a rugby career in 1999.{{Cite web |date=2023-08-11 |title=Tomasi Cama appointed Head Coach of All Blacks Sevens |url=https://fijionenews.com.fj/tomasi-cama-appointed-head-coach-of-all-blacks-sevens/ |access-date=2024-08-29 |website=Fiji One News |language=en-US}} He started out in the Manawatu Colts in 2001 having a strong season and earning a spot in the Manawatu Development Squad in 2002. He played for the Manawatu Development Squad again in 2003. 2004 saw a change of colours when he wore the Wanganui colours in the NPC. After one season with Wanganui he went back to play for Manawatu. In 2006 Cama focused on his Air New Zealand Cup season for Manawatu and had a strong season.
In 2011 he celebrated his 50th match for Manawatu.{{cite web |url=https://www.pressreader.com/new-zealand/manawatu-standard/20120209/281883000242916 |title=Junior gets his just desserts |work=Manawatu Standard|date=9 February 2012 |access-date=30 April 2023 |via=PressReader}}
= All Blacks Sevens =
In 2005 he was picked for the New Zealand Sevens team. Cama was back for the sevens, 2008 saw him selected once again for the sevens squad.
Cama was part of the team that won gold in the 2010 Commonwealth Games and the 2013 Rugby World Cup Sevens.{{cite web |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/4237566/Kiwi-sevens-player-Junior-Tomasi-Cama-returns-home |title=Kiwi sevens player Junior Tomasi Cama returns home |publisher=Stuff |date=16 October 2010 |access-date=30 April 2023}}{{Cite web |date=2015-11-24 |title=Rugby Sevens: New role for Tomasi Cama |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/rugby/rugby-sevens/rugby-sevens-new-role-for-tomasi-cama/HLK777UPWUSBCP2KE6PWZSDQEE/ |access-date=2024-08-29 |website=The New Zealand Herald |language=en-NZ}} He remains the All Blacks Sevens all-time leading point scorer.{{Cite web |date=2023-08-11 |title=Sevens 'master' Tomasi Cama named new coach of New Zealand men's side |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/sevens/300948331/sevens-master-tomasi-cama-named-new-coach-of-new-zealand-mens-side |access-date=2024-08-29 |website=www.stuff.co.nz}}
Cama won the 2012 World Rugby Sevens Player of the Year Award. In January 2014 he missed the Las Vegas sevens due to injury.{{cite web |date=16 January 2014 |title=Cama to miss Las Vegas sevens tournament |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/cama-to-miss-las-vegas-sevens-tournament/AUBLRDWNOTQVIQBRPPNZABK6TM/ |access-date=30 April 2023 |work=The New Zealand Herald }}
In 2015, Cama retired from playing rugby and joined the All Blacks Sevens management.{{cite web |date=25 November 2015 |title=Sevens star Tomasi Cama hangs up boots |url=https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/sport/2015/11/sevens-star-tomasi-cama-hangs-up-boots.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230430024730/https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/sport/2015/11/sevens-star-tomasi-cama-hangs-up-boots.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=30 April 2023 |access-date=30 April 2023 |publisher=Newshub }}
Coaching
In 2015, Cama took up a job with the New Zealand Sevens programme as a scout to identify talent in both men's and women's teams and as team analyst. Cama was also the coach of the Manawatu men's sevens team.{{Cite web |title=Sevens star Tomasi Cama hangs up boots |url=http://www.3news.co.nz/sport/sevens-star-tomasi-cama-hangs-up-boots-2015112516#axzz3uX3B47Q6 |access-date=17 December 2015}}{{Cite web |title=Tomasi Cama retires from Sevens |url=http://fijilive.com/sports/rugby/news/2015/11/27/37283.Fijilive |website=fijilive.com |access-date=17 December 2015}}
In 2017 Cama took on a full-time role as Assistant Coach for the All Blacks Sevens. As assistant coach he has helped lead the team to win the 2018 Rugby World Cup Sevens, 2018 Commonwealth Games gold, bronze and the 2022 Commonwealth Games and a silver medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
At the 2020 Hamilton Sevens, Cama celebrated being part of his 100th World Sevens Series tournament as a player & coach.
In August 2023, Cama was appointed the head coach of the All Blacks Sevens for the 2024 season.{{Cite web |date=2023-08-11 |title=Tomasi Cama appointed Head Coach of All Blacks Sevens |url=https://www.nzrugby.co.nz/news-and-events/latest-news/tomasi-cama-appointed-head-coach-of-all-blacks-sevens/ |access-date=2023-08-31 |website=NZ Rugby |language=en-NZ}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.allblacks.com/index.cfm?layout=nzTeamPlayerProfile&playerID=1442 Sevens Profile]
- {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100211145728/http://www.irb.com/irbsevens/statistics/pointdetails.html |title=IRB Sevens }}
- [http://www.allblacks.com/index.cfm?layout=displayNews&newsArticle=7564 NZ Sevens squad]
{{New Zealand Men's 2024 Summer Olympics Squad}}
{{New Zealand Squad 2010 Commonwealth Games}}
{{2010 New Zealand Commonwealth Games team}}
{{World Rugby Men's Sevens Player of the Year}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cama, Tomasi}}
Category:New Zealand rugby union coaches
Category:New Zealand rugby union players
Category:New Zealand people of I-Taukei Fijian descent
Category:Commonwealth Games rugby sevens players for New Zealand
Category:Manawatu rugby union players
Category:Fijian emigrants to New Zealand
Category:Commonwealth Games gold medallists for New Zealand
Category:Rugby sevens players at the 2010 Commonwealth Games
Category:New Zealand male rugby sevens players
Category:Commonwealth Games medallists in rugby sevens
Category:Medallists at the 2010 Commonwealth Games