Paul Ngauamo

{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2017}}

{{Infobox rugby biography

| name = Paul Ngauamo

| image = USO-RCT - 20141003 - Plaquage 3.jpg

| image_size =

| caption = Ngauamo representing Oyonnax during the Top 14

| fullname = Paula Mark Ngauamo

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1990|02|19|df=y}}

| birth_place = Christchurch, New Zealand

| height = {{convert|1.85|m|ftin|0|abbr=on}}

| weight = {{convert|122|kg|lb stlb|0|abbr=on}}

| school = Christchurch Boys' High School

| university =

| relatives =

| position = Hooker

| currentclub = Castres

| years1 = 2010–2011

| clubs1 = Canterbury

| apps1 = 11

| points1 = 0

| years2 = 2014–2015

| clubs2 = Oyonnax

| apps2 = 20

| points2 = 5

| years3 = 2015–2017

| clubs3 = Mont-de-Marsan

| apps3 = 26

| points3 = 5

| years4 = 2017–2020

| clubs4 = Agen

| apps4 = 65

| points4 = 15

| years5 = 2021–

| clubs5 = Castres

| apps5 = 43

| points5 = 0

| repyears1 = 2010

| repteam1 = New Zealand U20

| repcaps1 = 5

| reppoints1 = 5

| repyears2 = 2014–

| repteam2 = Tonga

| repcaps2 = 27

| reppoints2 = 10

| clubupdate = 28 August 2023

| repupdate = 28 August 2023

| ru_sevensnationalyears1 =

| ru_sevensnationalteam1 =

| ru_sevensnationalcomp1 =

| ru_sevensupdate =

}}

Paula Mark Ngauamo (born 19 February 1990) is a professional rugby union player who plays as a hooker for Top 14 club Castres. Born in New Zealand, he represents Tonga at international level after qualifying on ancestry grounds.

Club career

In 2010 Ngauamo played with {{Rut|Canterbury}} in the National Provincial Championship.{{cite web |url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/3943191/Ngauamo-gains-in-confidence-with-Canterbury |title=Ngauamo gains in confidence with Canterbury |publisher=Stuff |date=22 July 2010 |author=Hamish Bidwell |access-date=26 June 2022}}

In 2012, he went to Australia to compete in the Shute Shield with West Harbour RFC . The following season he returned to New Zealand and played as an amateur with Sydenham Rugby.{{cite web |url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/sport/rugby/9905732/New-Brighton-clear-favourites |title=New Brighton clear favourites |publisher=Stuff |date=5 April 2014 |access-date=26 June 2022}}

In 2014, when he was initially supposed to join French club Bergerac in Fédérale 1, he finally joined {{Rut|Oyonnax}} in Top 14 as Neil Clark's medical replacement.{{cite web |url=https://www.leprogres.fr/sports/2014/09/24/paula-ngauamo-qualifie-comme-joker-medical-a-l-us-oyonnax |title=Paula Ngauamo qualifié comme joker médical à l’US Oyonnax |publisher=Le Progres |date=24 September 2014 |language=fr |access-date=26 June 2022}}{{cite web |url=https://www.ladepeche.fr/article/2017/12/15/2705016-ngauamo-premier-club-france-fut-bergerac-suis-reste-six-jours.html |title=Agen. Paula Ngauamo : "Mon premier club en France fut Bergerac. J'y suis resté six jours..." |publisher=La Depeche |date=15 December 2017 |language=fr |access-date=26 June 2022}}

At the end of the 2014-2015 season, he signed for two seasons at Stade Montois in Pro D2.{{cite web |url=https://www.sudouest.fr/sport/rugby/prod2/stade-montois-ngauamo-s-engage-pour-deux-ans-7799750.php |title=Stade Montois : Ngauamo s’engage pour deux ans |publisher=Sud Ouest |language=fr |date=7 May 2015 |access-date=26 June 2022}}

In 2017, he signed with SU Agen as a medical joker for Marc Barthomeuf.{{cite web |url=https://www.rugbyrama.fr/rugby/transferts/2016/transferts-su-agen-paula-ngauamo-joker-medical-de-marc-barthomeuf_sto6205595/story.shtml |title=TRANSFERTS - SU Agen : Paula Ngauamo joker médical de Marc Barthomeuf |publisher=Rugbyrama |language=fr |date=8 June 2017 |access-date=26 June 2022}} In January 2018, after strong performances, he extended his contract until the end of the season as an "extra player".{{cite web |url=https://www.ladepeche.fr/article/2018/01/12/2720276-talonneur-joker-medical-paula-ngauamo-bientot-joueur-supplementaire-su-agen.html |title=Le talonneur joker médical Paula Ngauamo bientôt joueur supplémentaire au SU Agen |publisher=La Depeche |language=fr |date=12 January 2018 |access-date=26 June 2022}} In April of that same year, he further extended his commitment with the Agenais club until 2020.{{cite web |url=https://www.ladepeche.fr/article/2018/04/20/2783993-mcintyre-toujours-la-mais-pas-de-facteur-x.html |title=McIntyre toujours là mais pas de " facteur X " |publisher=La Depeche |language=fr |date=20 April 2014 |access-date=26 June 2022}}

In January 2021, after extra-sporting incidents, he was released from his contract with Agen and immediately joined Castres Olympique.{{cite web |url=https://www.lefigaro.fr/sports/rugby/top-14/actualites/agen-remercie-ngauamo-file-a-castres-et-vend-ses-maillots-du-sua-sur-internet-1028091 |title=Agen : remercié, Ngauamo file à Castres et vend ses maillots du SUA sur internet |author=David Reyrat |language=fr |publisher=Le Figaro |date=5 January 2021|access-date=26 June 2022}}{{cite web |url=https://www.rugbyrama.fr/rugby/top-14/2018-2019/top-14-ngauamo-a-signe-a-castres_sto8067788/story.shtml |title=Ngauamo a signé à Castres |publisher=Rugbyrama |language=fr |date=15 January 2021 |access-date=26 June 2022}}

International career

Ngauamo played for the New Zealand national under-20 rugby union team in the 2010 IRB Junior World Championship.{{Cite web|url = http://allblacks.com/News/12827/new-zealand-under-20-squad-named|title = New Zealand Under 20 squad named|date = 29 April 2010|accessdate = 19 October 2015|website = |publisher = allblacks.com|last = |first = }}

He made his debut for Tonga in on 7 June 2014 for a match against Samoa. He was later selected for the Tongan squad at the 2015 Rugby World Cup.{{cite web|url=http://www.rugbyworldcup.com/tonga/player/50000|title=Profile|date=17 September 2015|work=Official Site 2015 Rugby World Cup|accessdate=17 September 2015|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150922063257/http://www.rugbyworldcup.com/tonga/player/50000|archivedate=22 September 2015|df=dmy-all}} He played three games in the competition against Georgia, Namibia and New Zealand. He was suspended for three weeks for a dangerous tackle in the Pool match against New Zealand on 9 October.{{Cite web|url = http://www.rugbyworldcup.com/news/111744|title = Disciplinary update - Paula Ngauamo (Tonga)|date = 12 October 2015|accessdate = 19 October 2015|website = |publisher = rugbyworldcup.com|last = |first = }}{{Cite web|url = http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/international/72953236/paula-ngauamo-banned-for-tripping-dan-carter-irelands-sean-obrien-cited|title = Paula Ngauamo banned for Dan Carter tackle, Ireland's Sean O'Brien cited|date = 13 October 2015|accessdate = 19 October 2015|website = |publisher = Stuff.co.nz|last = |first = }}

In 2019, he was retained in the Tongan group to compete in the World Cup in Japan.{{cite web |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/rugby-world-cup/rwc-2019-japan/115453828/rugby-world-cup-2019-tonga-fixated-on-playoffs-dream-says-coach-toutai-kefu |title=Rugby World Cup 2019: Tonga 'fixated' on playoffs dream, says coach Toutai Kefu |publisher=Stuff |date=2 September 2019 |access-date=26 June 2022}} He played three games in this competition, against Argentina, France and the United States.{{cite web |url=http://en.espn.co.uk/scrum/rugby/player/117371.html |title=Paula Ngauamo Tonga |publisher=ESPn Scrum |access-date=26 June 2022}}

References

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