Will Genia

{{Infobox rugby biography

| name = Will Genia

| image = File:2017.06.24.15.32.46-Folau highball-0002 (34777581813) (cropped).jpg

| caption =

| birth_name = Sanchez William Genia

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1988|1|17|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea

| height = 174 cm

| weight = {{convert|81|kg|stlb lb|abbr=on}}

| school = Brisbane Boys' College

| university =

| relatives =

| spouse =

| children =

| occupation =

| ru_position = Scrum-half

| ru_currentteam =

| amatyears1 =

| amatteam1 =

| years1 = 2007

| years2 = 2014–2015

| years3 = 2015–2017

| years4 = 2019–2025

| clubs1 = Ballymore Tornadoes

| clubs2 = Brisbane City

| clubs3 = Stade Français

| clubs4 = Kintetsu Liners

| apps1 = 6

| apps2 = 3

| apps3 = 21

| apps4 = 8

| points1 = 5

| points2 = 5

| points3 = 10

| points4 = 19

| superyears1 = 2007–2015

| superyears2 = 2018–2019

| super1 = Reds

| super2 = Rebels

| superapps1 = 114

| superapps2 = 23

| superpoints1 = 90

| superpoints2 = 30

| super14update = 16 June 2019

| ru_currentclub =

| provinceyears1 =

| province1 =

| provinceapps1 =

| provincepoints1 =

| repyears1 = 2005

| repyears2 = 2006

| repyears3 = 2008

| repyears4 = 2009–2019

| repteam1 = Australia Schoolboys

| repteam2 = Australia U19

| repteam3 = Australia U20

| repteam4 = Australia

| repcaps1 =

| repcaps2 =

| repcaps3 =

| repcaps4 = 110

| reppoints1 =

| reppoints2 =

| reppoints3 =

| reppoints4 = 90

| ru_ntupdate = 1 November 2019

| repsevensyears1 =

| repsevensteam1 =

| repsevenscomp1 =

| website =

}}

File:Will Genia 2011.jpg

Sanchez William Genia (born 17 January 1988) is a professional rugby union player, currently playing scrum-half for the Kintetsu Liners in Japan. He had previously played Super Rugby for the Queensland Reds (2007–2015) and Melbourne Rebels (2018–2019). He also had previously played for Stade Français in France's Top 14 from 2015 to 2017.

Born in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, he played for Australia at international level from 2009 to 2019. Genia made his test debut against New Zealand, and went on to earn 110 international caps. Former New Zealand scrum-half Justin Marshall said Genia was "best in the world for his position".{{Cite news|url=https://www.news.com.au/sport/rugby/will-genia-would-be-only-wallabies-player-to-make-anzac-xv-at-the-moment-justin-marshall-says/news-story/dfd4f2f6458b2a9d67f9dd4349e2ef8c|title = Genia only Aussie in ANZAC XV: Marshall|publisher= News.com.au|date = 18 October 2013|first=Jim |last=Tucker}}

Family and early life

Genia was born in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea. He was introduced to rugby union when he moved to Brisbane, Australia at the age of 12 for his secondary education at Brisbane Boys' College, boarding at the school from 2000 to 2005. Genia played rugby for the Australia 'A' Schoolboys team in 2005,{{cite web | url=http://austschools.rugbynet.com.au/verve/_resources/AUSTRALIAN_SCHOOLBOYS_BY_YEAR.pdf | title=Nurseries of Australian Schoolboys' Rugby | publisher=Australian Schools Rugby Union | access-date=27 June 2012 | author=Brave and Game | year=2010 }} and was part of the Australian Under 19 rugby team that won the IRB World Championship in 2006.{{cite web | url=http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/union-news/were-not-part-of-the-old-losing-culture-20100717-10f38.html#ixzz1z0L9KbD9 | title='We're not part of the old losing culture' | work=The Sydney Morning Herald | date=18 July 2010 | access-date=27 June 2012 | last=Rakic | first=Josh}}

Genia's Papua New Guinean father, Kilroy Genia, is a former Cabinet Minister in the Papua New Guinean government. His Australian mother, Elizabeth Genia, was appointed assistant governor and later Governor at the Bank of Papua New Guinea in 2011.{{cite web | url=https://pmnec.gov.pg/prime-minister-marape-announces-historic-appointment-of-ms-elizabeth-genia-as-the-first-woman-governor-of-the-bank-of-papua-new-guinea/ | title=PM Marape Announces Historic Appointment | work=Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea | date=January 17, 2024 | access-date=27 June 2024 }} His older brother, Frank Genia, plays international rugby union for Papua New Guinea Pukpuks .{{cite web | url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/international/australia/6516869/Australia-scrum-half-Will-Genia-burns-with-desire-to-beat-arch-enemy-England.html | title=Australia scrum-half Will Genia burns with desire to beat arch-enemy England | work=The Daily Telegraph|location=London | date=6 November 2009 | access-date=27 June 2012 | last=Mairs | first=Gavin | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110429012740/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/international/australia/6516869/Australia-scrum-half-Will-Genia-burns-with-desire-to-beat-arch-enemy-England.html | archive-date=29 April 2011 | url-status=live}}

Despite playing 110 tests for Australia and having lived in Australia since he was 12, Genia does not hold Australian citizenship, owing to him playing professional rugby union overseas and the legal requirement for applicants to not have been absent from the country for more than 12 months in total in the four-year period, including no more than 90 days in total in the 12-month period prior to application.{{cite web |title=Rugby Championship: Quade Cooper set to end quest for Australian citizenship days after beating Springboks |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/rugby-championship-quade-cooper-set-to-end-quest-for-australian-citizenship-days-after-beating-springboks/NTXNSWM34QJNJPBWX36SJ3DPUU/ |website=The New Zealand Herald |date=11 September 2021 |access-date=18 September 2021}}{{cite news |last1=Doran |first1=Matthew |title=Wallabies rugby star Quade Cooper can become an Australian, after citizenship rules changed |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-09-14/citizenship-rules-changed-quade-cooper-can-become-aussie/100459276 |date=13 September 2021 |publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation |access-date=18 September 2021}}{{cite web |last1=Decent |first1=Tom |title='He's an Australian hero': Cooper set to be awarded Australian citizenship |url=https://www.smh.com.au/sport/rugby-union/he-s-an-australian-hero-cooper-could-have-citizenship-by-the-end-of-week-20210913-p58r7v.html |website=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=13 September 2021 |access-date=18 September 2021}}{{cite web |title=Cooper grateful after citizenship victory, but Genia's wait to continue |url=https://www.smh.com.au/sport/rugby-union/cooper-grateful-after-citizenship-victory-but-genia-s-wait-to-continue-20210914-p58rl6.html |website=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=14 September 2021 |access-date=18 September 2021}}

Rugby union career

Genia was recruited to the Queensland Reds from the GPS club at the end of 2006 before their tour to Japan and obtained his first state cap for the Reds playing against Japan.{{cite web | title = Queensland Rugby Annual Report 2006 | page = 24

| url = http://www.redsrugby.com.au/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=jU98S3ViwyU%3d&tabid=654 | access-date = 29 October 2013}}

=2007–2010=

Genia made his Super 14 debut for the Reds as a 19-year-old against the Hurricanes at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane on 3 February 2007. He shared the scrum half position with starting halfback {{nowrap|Nic Berry}} for most of the season, appearing in 11 of 13 matches for the Reds during the season. Later in 2007, Genia played for the Ballymore Tornadoes in the Australian Rugby Championship, appearing in all 8 games played by the team for the year.{{cite web | url=http://www.redsrugby.com.au/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=QXx7gfQohvQ%3D&tabid=654 | title=Queensland Rugby Annual Report 2007 | access-date=29 June 2012 | pages=20–22}}

In 2008, Genia added a further seven Super Rugby Caps (although only one starting) for the Reds. He was selected as the first choice scrumhalf for the Australian Under 20 team for the 2008 IRB Junior World Cup in Wales.

Genia played in eight Super Rugby matches in 2009, half of which were starting appearances, and scored four tries during the tournament but missed Queensland's final two matches of the season due to an injured finger tendon.

Genia was selected in the Wallabies squad for the 2009 Tri Nations and made his test debut against the All Blacks at Eden Park in Auckland on 18 July 2009. He came off the bench in the first four matches before getting starting berths against the Springboks in Brisbane, and against the All Blacks in Wellington. Genia then started in all five Tests of Australia's Spring Tour of Japan and Europe, before staying on at the tour's end to help the Barbarians beat the All Blacks at Twickenham.{{cite web | url=http://www.aru.rugby.com.au/players/wallabies/2010_squad/genia,_will,139013.html | title=Will Genia 2010 Career Timeline | publisher=ARU | access-date=27 June 2012 }}

In 2010, Genia captained the Reds, after regular captain James Horwill suffered an injury in the second match of the season. At the end of the season Genia was voted by his teammates as the 2010 players' player of the year and he won the Pilecki Medal. He was also voted the fans' player of the year, winning the People's Choice award.

=2011–present=

Genia won the Pilecki Medal again in 2011, and was voted the Australian Super Rugby Player of the Year by Australian rugby writers.{{cite web | url=http://www.rugby.com.au/superrugby/News/Article/tabid/959/ArticleID/3582/Default.aspx | title=Reds clean up at Australia's Super Rugby annual awards | publisher=ARU | date=23 June 2011 | access-date=23 June 2011 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140203210956/http://www.rugby.com.au/superrugby/News/Article/tabid/959/ArticleID/3582/Default.aspx | archive-date=3 February 2014 | url-status=dead}} He became the 78th Test captain of the Wallabies when he led the side against the United States at the 2011 Rugby World Cup. He was one of two Australian nominees, alongside David Pocock, for the 2011 IRB Player of the Year award.

In April 2012, he signed a new three-year deal with the Reds after turning down a lucrative offer from the Force.{{cite web |url=http://tvnz.co.nz/rugby-news/reds-not-force-genia-4858027 |title=Reds, not Force for Genia | agency=AAP | publisher = TVNZ | date=30 April 2012 |access-date=30 April 2012}} In early September Genia suffered a knee injury in Australia's win over South Africa. Genia missed eight Tests in a row and didn't expect to return to domestic action until the Reds play the Bulls in Brisbane on 23 March 2013.{{cite press release | first = Marc | last = Heywood | url = http://www.lionsrugby.com/news/12352.php | title= Genia ready for 'amazing' Lions | date= 19 December 2012 | publisher= Lions | access-date= 20 December 2012}}

It was rumoured that Genia was leaving Australia after the 2015 Rugby World Cup, possibly going to the English Club Bath,[https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/28245922 Bath: Post-Rugby World Cup signings already made, says owner] BBC. 10 July 2014.[http://www.espn.co.uk/premiership-2014-15/rugby/story/233195.html Bath make post-World Cup signings] ESPN. 10 July 2014. but he left Australia at the start of the 2015–16 season to play for Stade Français.

On 15 August 2017, Genia signed with the Melbourne Rebels for the 2018 and 2019 Super Rugby seasons.{{cite web|title=REBELS SIGN WALLABIES VICE-CAPTAIN WILL GENIA|url=https://melbournerebels.com/2017/08/15/rebels-sign-wallabies-vice-captain-will-genia/|publisher=Melbourne Rebels|access-date=15 August 2017}}{{cite web|title=Rebels move a 'simple decision' for Genia|url=http://www.rugby.com.au/news/2017/08/15/00/57/genia-rebels-contract-2018|website=rugby.com.au|date=15 August 2017 |publisher=Australian Rugby Union|access-date=15 August 2017}}

On 24 November 2018, Genia became just the 10th Wallaby and the second Wallabies halfback after George Gregan to play 100-Tests for Australia; playing against England at London's Twickenham Stadium.

On 12 July 2019, Genia announced his test rugby retirement stating that he will not play for the Wallabies after the 2019 Rugby World Cup having signed to play for Kintetsu Liners in Japan.

Super Rugby statistics

{{updated|16 June 2019|{{cite web | url=http://www.itsrugby.co.uk/player_5058.html | title=Player Statistics | work=It's Rugby}}}}

Season	Team	Games	Starts	Sub	Mins	Tries	Cons	Pens	Drops	Points	Yel	Red
class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; line-height:90%; font-size:95%; width:60%;"
2007	{{Rut\|Reds}}	10	2	8	241	1	0	0	0	5	0	0
2008	{{Rut\|Reds}}	7	1	6	246	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
2009	{{Rut\|Reds}}	8	4	4	396	4	0	0	0	20	0	0
2010	{{Rut\|Reds}}	13	13	0	1030	2	0	1	0	13	0	0
2011	{{Rut\|Reds}}	18	18	0	1433	4	0	0	0	20	0	0
2012	{{Rut\|Reds}}	17	17	0	1360	4	1	0	0	22	0	0
2013	{{Rut\|Reds}}	12	12	0	906	1	0	0	0	5	0	0
2014	{{Rut\|Reds}}	13	13	0	981	1	1	0	0	7	0	0
2015	{{Rut\|Reds}}	16	16	0	1269	1	0	0	0	5	0	0
2018	{{Rut\|Rebels}}	9	9	0	568	1	0	0	0	5	0	0
2019	{{Rut\|Rebels}}	14	14	0	1014	5	0	0	0	25	0	0
colspan="2"\|Total \|\| 137 \|\| 119 \|\| 18 \|\| 9444 \|\| 24 \|\| 2 \|\| 1 \|\| 0 \|\| 127 \|\| 0 \|\| 0

Outside rugby

Genia is an ambassador for The Kokoda Track Foundation.[http://www.kokodatrackfoundation.org/ambassadors.aspx Ambassador: Will Genia] Kokoda Track Foundation. 2012.

Honours

Queensland Reds
Super Rugby: 2011
Super Rugby Centurion
Australia
Tri-Nations: 2011
The Rugby Championship: 2015
Wallabies Captain 2011-2013
Test Rugby Centurion

Reference list

{{Reflist|refs=

{{cite web | url=http://www.rugby.com.au/wallabies/TheTeam/WallabiesProfiles/ProfilePage/tabid/1513/playerid/19/Default.aspx | title=Will Genia ARU profile | publisher=ARU | access-date=27 June 2012 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120622105206/http://www.rugby.com.au/wallabies/TheTeam/WallabiesProfiles/ProfilePage/tabid/1513/playerid/19/Default.aspx | archive-date=22 June 2012 | url-status=dead}}

{{cite web | url=http://www.redsrugby.com.au/Reds/RedsSquad/PlayerPage/tabid/583/playerid/11/Default.aspx | title=Will Genia Reds profile | publisher=QRU | access-date=27 June 2012 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140125163709/http://redsrugby.com.au/Reds/RedsSquad/PlayerPage/tabid/583/playerid/11/Default.aspx | archive-date=25 January 2014 | url-status=live}}

}}

External links

{{sport links}}
{{cite web|title=Will Genia ARU profile|publisher = ARU|url = http://www.rugby.com.au/wallabies/TheTeam/WallabiesProfiles/ProfilePage/tabid/1513/playerid/19/Default.aspx

|url-status= dead|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120622105206/http://www.rugby.com.au/wallabies/TheTeam/WallabiesProfiles/ProfilePage/tabid/1513/playerid/19/Default.aspx |archive-date= 22 June 2012}}

{{cite web|title = Will Genia Reds profile|publisher = QRU|url = http://www.redsrugby.com.au/Reds/RedsSquad/PlayerPage/tabid/583/playerid/11/Default.aspx|url-status=dead

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140125163709/http://redsrugby.com.au/Reds/RedsSquad/PlayerPage/tabid/583/playerid/11/Default.aspx|archive-date=25 January 2014}}

{{succession box|title=[[Australia rugby union captains|

Australian national rugby union captain]]|before=James Horwill|after=David Pocock|years=2011-2013{{citation needed|date=February 2015}}}}

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Category:1988 births

Category:Living people

Category:Papua New Guinean rugby union players

Category:Australia international rugby union players

Category:Australian rugby union players