# Matt Vaega

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> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Matt_Vaega.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matt_Vaega
> Source revision: 1356876757
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{{Short description|NZ rugby union player}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2015}}
{{Use New Zealand English|date=March 2015}}
{{Infobox rugby biography
|           name = Matt Vaega
|          image = 
|       fullname = 
|     birth_date = {{birth date and age|1994|09|07|df=y}} 
|    birth_place = [Auckland](/source/Auckland), [New Zealand](/source/New_Zealand)
|         height = {{convert|1.78|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
|         weight = {{convert|89|kg|stlb lb|0|abbr=on}}
|       nickname = 
|     occupation = 
|         school = [Kelston Boys' High School](/source/Kelston_Boys'_High_School)
|     university = 
|      relatives = [To’o Vaega](/source/To%E2%80%99o_Vaega) (father) <br> [Cardiff Vaega](/source/Cardiff_Vaega) (brother)
|       position = [Centre](/source/Centre_(rugby_union)), [Wing](/source/Wing_(rugby_union)), [Fullback](/source/Fullback_(rugby_union)), [Fly-half](/source/Fly-half_(rugby_union))
|    currentclub = [Mitsubishi Dynaboars](/source/Mitsubishi_Sagamihara_DynaBoars)
|    youthyears1 = 
|    youthclubs1 = 
|         years1 = 2014–2017
|         clubs1 = {{Rut|North Harbour}}
|          apps1 = 38
|        points1 = 67
|         years2 = 2015–2017
|         clubs2 = {{Rut|Blues}}
|          apps2 = 2
|        points2 = 0
|         years3 = 2018–
|         clubs3 = [Mitsubishi Dynaboars](/source/Mitsubishi_Sagamihara_DynaBoars)
|          apps3 = 84
|        points3 = 286
|     amatyears1 = 
|      amatteam1 = 
|      amatcaps1 = 
|    amatpoints1 = 
|      repyears1 = 2012
|       repteam1 = [New Zealand Schools](/source/New_Zealand_national_schoolboy_rugby_union_team)
|       repcaps1 = 
|     reppoints1 = 
|     clubupdate = 21 October 2022
|      repupdate = 
}}

'''Matt Vaega''' (born 7 September 1994) is a [New Zealand](/source/New_Zealand_people) [rugby union](/source/Rugby_Union) player who currently plays as a [midfield back](/source/Centre_(rugby_union)) for {{Rut|North Harbour}} in the [Mitre 10 Cup](/source/Mitre_10_Cup).<ref name="Matt Vaega North Harbour Player Profile">{{cite web | url=http://www.harbourrugby.co.nz/profile/player/146/ | title=Matt Vaega North Harbour Player Profile | work=Harbour Rugby | accessdate=30 November 2016}}</ref><ref name="Matt Vaega itsrugby.co.uk Player Statistics">{{cite web | url=http://www.itsrugby.co.uk/player_33351.html | title=Matt Vaega itsrugby.co.uk Player Statistics | work=itsrugby.co.uk | accessdate=12 December 2014}}</ref><ref name="Matt Vaega ESPN Scrum Player Profile">{{cite web | url=http://www.espn.co.uk/newzealand/rugby/player/240747.html | title=Matt Vaega ESPN Scrum Player Profile | work=ESPN Scrum | accessdate=12 December 2014}}</ref><ref name="Blues 2017 Squad Guide">{{cite web | url=http://files.allblacks.com/comms/2016-ISR/2017_ISR_Squad_Naming_Blues-PUBLISHED-01.pdf | title=Blues 2017 Squad Guide | publisher=All Blacks.com | accessdate=30 November 2016 | archive-date=27 March 2017 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170327154352/http://files.allblacks.com/comms/2016-ISR/2017_ISR_Squad_Naming_Blues-PUBLISHED-01.pdf | url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="Matt Vaega Blues Player Profile">{{cite web | url=http://theblues.co.nz/players/matt-vaega/ | title=Matt Vaega Blues Player Profile | publisher=Blues Rugby | accessdate=30 November 2016}}</ref>

==Early career==

The son of {{nrut|Samoa}}n legend [To'o Vaega](/source/To'o_Vaega), he was born and raised in Auckland, New Zealand and attended school at [Kelston Boys' High School](/source/Kelston_Boys'_High_School).   While there, he helped them to lift the World Rugby Youth Tournament in Japan.<ref name="Matt Vaega Blues Player Profile"/>

==Senior career==

Vaega began his senior career with Auckland-based, North Harbour in [2014](/source/2014_ITM_Cup) scoring 2 tries in 6 appearances.   Although the season was not successful for Harbour, Vaega impressed in their midfield and was retained for [the following season](/source/2015_ITM_Cup).   He played 9 times in 2015 and was then an ever present during Harbour's Championship winning season in [2016](/source/2016_Mitre_10_Cup), scoring 4 tries in the process.<ref name="Matt Vaega itsrugby.co.uk Player Statistics"/>

==Super Rugby==

Impressive form at provincial level was rewarded when after only 6 senior appearances, he was surprisingly included in the {{Rut|Blues}} wider training group for the [2015 Super Rugby season](/source/2015_Super_Rugby_season).<ref name="Blues 2015 Squad Naming">{{cite web | url=http://files.allblacks.com/comms/2015_ISR/2015_ISR_Squad_Naming_BluesF02.pdf | title=Blues 2015 Squad Naming | work=All Blacks.com | accessdate=12 December 2014 | archive-date=9 December 2014 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141209154717/http://files.allblacks.com/comms/2015_ISR/2015_ISR_Squad_Naming_BluesF02.pdf | url-status=dead }}</ref>   He debuted against the {{rut|Crusaders}} and made a total of 3 appearances during the campaign including 1 start and also scored his first try at Super Rugby level.<ref name="Matt Vaega itsrugby.co.uk Player Statistics"/>

New head coach [Tana Umaga](/source/Tana_Umaga) dropped him from the squad for [2016 Super Rugby season](/source/2016_Super_Rugby_season), however a mid-season injury crisis in the Blues midfield saw him called upon as an injury replacement and he made 2 appearances from the replacements bench.<ref name="Matt Vaega Blues Player Profile"/>

Outstanding performances in North Harbour's successful Mitre 10 Cup campaign in 2016 saw him earn a recall to the Blues squad for [2017](/source/2017_Super_Rugby_season).<ref name="Blues 2017 Squad Guide"/>

==International==

Vaega represented [New Zealand Schools](/source/New_Zealand_national_schoolboy_rugby_union_team) in 2012.<ref name="Matt Vaega Blues Player Profile"/><ref name="Matt Vaega All Blacks Player Profile">{{cite web | url=http://www.allblacks.com/Player/Schools/2241 | title=Matt Vaega All Blacks Player Profile | publisher=All Blacks.com | accessdate=30 November 2016}}</ref><ref name="NZSchools team named for internationals">{{cite web | url=http://www.allblacks.com/News/20535/nzschools-team-named-for-internationals | title=NZSchools team named for internationals | publisher=All Blacks.com | date=20 September 2012 | accessdate=1 December 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181019001832/http://www.allblacks.com/News/20535/nzschools-team-named-for-internationals | archive-date=19 October 2018 | url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Career Honours==

'''North Harbour'''

*[Mitre 10 Cup Championship](/source/Mitre_10_Cup) - [2016](/source/2016_Mitre_10_Cup)

==Super Rugby Statistics==

{{updated|30 November 2016}}<ref name="Matt Vaega itsrugby.co.uk Player Statistics"/>
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; line-height:90%; font-size:95%; width:70%;"
|-
! Season !! Team !! Games !! Starts !! Sub !! Mins !! Tries !! Cons !! Pens !! Drops !! Points !! Yel !! Red 
|-
| [2015](/source/2015_Super_Rugby_season) || {{Rut|Blues}} || 3 || 1 || 2 || 116 || 1 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 5 || 0 || 0
|-
| [2016](/source/2016_Super_Rugby_season) || {{Rut|Blues}} || 2 || 0 || 2 || 42 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0
|-
!colspan="2"|Total || 5 || 1 || 4 || 158 || 1 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 5 || 0 || 0
|}

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Mitsubishi Sagamihara DynaBoars squad}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Vaega, Matt}}
Category:1994 births
Category:Living people
Category:New Zealand rugby union players
Category:Rugby union centres
Category:North Harbour rugby union players
Category:Blues (Super Rugby) players
Category:Rugby union players from Auckland
Category:New Zealand people of Samoan descent
Category:Sportspeople of Samoan descent
Category:People educated at Kelston Boys' High School
Category:Mitsubishi Sagamihara DynaBoars players
Category:New Zealand expatriate rugby union players in Japan

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Matt Vaega](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matt_Vaega) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matt_Vaega?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.