{{Short description|NZ international rugby union player}} {{Use British English|date=August 2011}} {{Use dmy dates|date=May 2020}} {{Infobox rugby biography | name = Alex Tulou | image = Tulou 2013.jpg | caption = | birth_name = Alex Tulou Junior Tulou | birth_place = Faga'alu, American Samoa | death_date = | death_place = | height = {{height|m=1.92}} | weight = {{convert|114|kg|lb|abbr=on}} | position = Flanker / Number 8 | amatyears1 = | amatteam1 = | ru_amupdate = | repteam1 = | repyears1 = | repcaps1 = | reppoints1 = | ru_ntupdate = | years1 = 2010–2011 | years2 = 2011–2015 | years3 = 2015-2020 | years4 = 2020– | clubs1 = Bourgoin | clubs2 = Montpellier | clubs3 = Castres | clubs4 = Lyon | apps1 = 19 | apps2 = 88 | apps3 = 92 | apps4 = 0 | points1 = 20 | points2 = 80 | points3 = 100 | points4 = 0 | ru_clubupdate = 5 February 2013 | super1 = | superyears1 = | superapps1 = | superpoints1 = | super14update = | province1 = Wellington | province2 = Taranaki | provinceyears1 = 2006–2007 | provinceyears2 = 2008 | provinceapps1 = | provincepoints1 = | ru_provinceupdate = | repsevensyears1 = 2008 | repsevensteam1 = New Zealand | repsevenscomp1 = 1 | coachteams1 = | coachyears1 = | ru_coachupdate = | birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1987|3|21}} }}
'''Alex Tulou''' (born March 21, 1987, in Faga'alu, American Samoa) is a rugby union footballer, currently playing in the top French professional rugby competition, the Top 14, for Montpellier. He joined Montpellier in 2011. His usual position is number eight or Flanker.
==Career== Alex started his school boy rugby at Hastings Boys' High School in the province of Hawkes Bay, New Zealand. He was quickly identified as an up-and-coming young player with tremendous strength, ball skills and speed.
Tulou started his career with the Taranaki in the National Provincial Championship and the Hurricanes in the Super 14.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.montpellier-rugby.com/joueur/tulou-0 |language=French |title=Alex Tulou |url-status=dead |accessdate=23 May 2013 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130618094337/http://montpellier-rugby.com/joueur/tulou-0 |archivedate=18 June 2013 }}</ref> During this time he had a trial for the New Zealand 7's team.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/2272/Tietjens-names-NZ-sevens-trial-squad |date=27 October 2007 |title=Tietjens names NZ sevens trial squad |accessdate=23 May 2013}}</ref>
In 2010 he signed a two-year contract to play for Bourgoin<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.leparisien.fr/sports/rugby/le-samoan-alex-tulou-signe-a-bourgoin-20-05-2010-929690.php |date=20 May 2010 |language=French |title=Le Samoan Alex Tulou signe à Bourgoin |accessdate=23 May 2013 |archive-date=29 November 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141129030206/http://www.leparisien.fr/sports/rugby/le-samoan-alex-tulou-signe-a-bourgoin-20-05-2010-929690.php |url-status=dead }}</ref> in the Top 14. He played 15 Top 14 matches (9 starts and 6 as a replacement) for the club in the 2010/11 season, scoring 3 tries, and 4 matches in the European Challenge Cup, scoring one try.
Following this he signed for Montpellier to replace Jérôme Vallée after he was forced to retire due to injury.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.rugbyrama.fr/rugby/top-14/2010-2011/mhr-officiel-pour-tulou_sto2656164/story.shtml |date=8 February 2011 |language=French |title=MHR: Officiel pour Tulou |accessdate=23 May 2013}}</ref> He played a further 8 matches for Montpellier in 2010/11 but failed to add to his try tally.
During the 2011/12 season, Tulou established himself as a first team regular for Montpellier, starting 19 of the team's 27 league games at Number 8 and was a replacement for 5 more. He scored 9 tries, including the team's first try in their end of season playoff defeat to Castres.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.lnr.fr/alex-tulou,4869-2011-2012.html |language=French |title=La fiche de Alex Tulou (3ème ligne) |url-status=dead |accessdate=23 May 2013 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131203033223/http://www.lnr.fr/alex-tulou%2C4869-2011-2012.html |archivedate=3 December 2013 }}</ref> Tulou also played in his first Heineken Cup matches, scoring one try.
In September 2012 it was announced that Tulou had signed a new contract to keep him at Montpellier until 2015.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.rugby365.fr/infos-clubs/montpellier/montpellier-alex-tulou-jusqu-en-2015-889481.shtml |date=7 September 2012 |language=French |title=Montpellier : Alex Tulou jusqu'en 2015 |accessdate=23 May 2013}}</ref>
Afterwards he signed for French rivals Castres from the 2015–16 season.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://castres-olympique.com/effectifs/alex-tulou/|publisher=Castres Olmypique|title=Alex Tulou Castres Olympique Rugby Profile|date=1 June 2015|accessdate=3 February 2021|language=fr}}</ref> Afterwards, he rejected a move to Pro D2 side Beziers, he instead signed for another French club Lyon to remain in the Top 14 from the 2020–21 season.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.rugbypass.com/news/castres-no-8-tulou-pulls-out-of-beziers-move-confirming-new-top-14-club-on-social/|publisher=Rugby Pas|title=Castres No.8 Tulou pulls out of Beziers move, confirming new Top 14 club on social|date=27 July 2020|accessdate=3 February 2021}}</ref>
==Honours== === Club === {{Flag icon|France}} '''Castres''' *Top 14: 2017–18<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.planetrugby.com/castres-stun-montpellier-to-claim-third-top-14-title/ |title=Castres stun Montpellier to claim Top 14 title |publisher=planetrugby.com |date=2 June 2018 |accessdate=13 March 2021}}</ref>
==Notes and references== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{ESPNscrum|121264}} * [https://archive.today/20130412173056/http://www.lnr.fr/alex-tulou,4869-2012-2013.html LNR profile] * [http://www.ercrugby.com/eng/matchcentre/players_statistics_archive.php?player=97881&includeref=dynamic ERC profile] * [https://www.lequipe.fr/Rugby/RugbyFicheJoueur5523.html L'equipe profile]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tulou, Alex}} Category:1987 births Category:Living people Category:Montpellier Hérault Rugby players Category:CS Bourgoin-Jallieu players Category:American Samoan rugby union players Category:New Zealand expatriate rugby union players in France Category:American Samoan expatriate rugby union players