{{short description|NZ rugby league footballer}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Use New Zealand English|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox rugby league biography |name = Upu Poching |fullname = Mataupu Poching |image = Upu Poching.jpg |image_size = |position = {{rlp|PR}} |birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1988|02|07}} |birth_place = Auckland, New Zealand |height = {{convert|187|cm|ftin|abbr=on}} |weight = {{convert|106|kg|stlb|abbr=on}} |club1 = {{nowrap|New Zealand Warriors}} |year1start = 2010 |year1end = |appearances1 = 1 |tries1 = 0 |goals1 = 0 |fieldgoals1 = 0 |points1 = 0 |club2 = {{nowrap|AS Carcassonne}} |year2start = 2012 |year2end = |appearances2 = |tries2 = 0 |goals2 = 0 |fieldgoals2 = 0 |points2 = 0 |source = <ref>{{cite web|website=Rugby League Project|accessdate=20 Jan 2021|title=Mataupu Poching|url=https://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/players/upu-poching/summary.html}}</ref> | updated = 14 Sep 2022 }}
'''Mataupu Poching''' (born 7 February 1988 in Auckland, New Zealand) is a professional rugby league footballer who currently plays for in NSW Cup. He has previously played in the National Rugby League for the New Zealand Warriors and the AS Carcassonne in the French Elite One Championship.
==Early years== Poching attended Aorere College and played for the Mangere East Hawks in the Auckland Rugby League competition. He also played for the Counties Manukau Jetz in the Bartercard Cup.{{fact|date=May 2022}}
==Warriors== As a 19-year-old he played in the NSWRL Premier League for the Auckland Lions in twenty matches before joining the Junior Warriors in 2008 with the creation of the Toyota Cup. He played in 24 of the team's 27 games and scored one try.<ref name=rleague>[http://www.rleague.com/db/player/p/poching_upu/index.php Mataupu POCHING] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100212085811/http://rleague.com/db/player/p/poching_upu/index.php |date=2010-02-12}} ''rleague.com''</ref> This led to him being resigned for the 2009 and 2010 seasons.<ref name=rleague />
He joined the New Zealand Warriors senior side in 2009 but his season was hampered with injury. He made his first grade debut on 15 May 2010, against the North Queensland Cowboys.<ref name="Stuff.co.nz_3686522">{{cite news|url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/league/3686522/Bigger-Warriors-seek-more-impact|title=Warriors seek more impact against Cowboys|author=Johnstone, Duncan|date=12 May 2010|work=Stuff.co.nz|accessdate=22 October 2011}}</ref>
In 2011 he was named the Auckland Vulcans Player of the Year.<ref name=awards>[http://www.aucklandleague.co.nz/display_page.asp?item=468 2011 Awards] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110910202521/http://www.aucklandleague.co.nz/display_page.asp?item=468 |date=2011-09-10}} ''aucklandleague.co.nz''</ref> He played in the French Elite One Championship for AS Carcassonne in 2012.<ref>[https://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=fr&u=http://www.lindependant.fr/2012/03/25/carcassonne-vise-la-tete,126377.php&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dupu%2Bpoching%2Bcarcassonne%26safe%3Doff%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26hs%3D9Iu%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26channel%3Dsb%26biw%3D1194%26bih%3D639 Carcassonne is the head] ''L'Independent'', 25 March 2012</ref>
He played for the Counties Manukau Stingrays in the 2013 and 2015 National Competitions and in 2014 played in the NSW Cup for the New Zealand Warriors.<ref>[http://www.voxy.co.nz/sport/nsw-cup-first-round-new-era-launched/5/183536 NSW Cup first round: New era launched] ''voxy.co.nz'', 5 March 2014</ref><ref>[http://www.nzrl.co.nz/tournaments/premiership/team-rosters/counties-manukau-stingrays/ Counties Manukau Stingrays]{{dead link|date=June 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes}} ''nzrl.co.nz''</ref>
==Representative career== Poching was a Junior Kiwi in 2006 and played for the NZ Under-18s in 2007.
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *[https://web.archive.org/web/20160820163419/http://www.nrl.com/telstrapremiership/playerstats/playerprofile/tabid/10898/clubid/14/playerid/848/seasonid/6/default.aspx NRL profile]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Poching, Matupu}} Category:1988 births Category:Living people Category:21st-century New Zealand sportsmen Category:AS Carcassonne players Category:Auckland rugby league team players Category:Counties Manukau rugby league team players Category:Junior Kiwis players Category:Mangere East Hawks players Category:New Zealand people of Chinese descent Category:Sportspeople of Chinese descent Category:New Zealand people of Samoan descent Category:Sportspeople of Samoan descent Category:New Zealand rugby league players Category:New Zealand Warriors players Category:Rugby league players from Auckland Category:Rugby league props