{{short description|French rugby union player}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2024}} {{Use New Zealand English|date=August 2024}} {{expand French|topic=bio|date=November 2024}} {{Infobox rugby biography | name = Patrick Tuifua | image = | image_size = | caption = | fullname = | birth_date = {{birth date and age|2004|08|25|df=y}} | birth_place = [[New Caledonia]] | height = {{convert|191|cm|ftin|0|abbr=on}} | weight = {{convert|113|kg|lb stlb|0|abbr=on}} | school = [[Lindisfarne College, New Zealand|Lindisfarne College]] | university = | relatives = [[Laurent Simutoga]] (uncle) | position = [[Flanker (rugby union)|Flanker]] | currentclub = {{Rut|Toulon}} | years1 = 2023–2024 | clubs1 = [[Hawke's Bay (National Provincial Championship)|Hawke's Bay]] | apps1 = 8 | points1 = 0 | years2 = 2025– | clubs2 = {{Rut|Toulon}} | apps2 = 2 | points2 = 0 | years3 = | clubs3 = | apps3 = | points3 = | repyears1 = 2024 | repteam1 = [[France national under-20 rugby union team|France U20]] | repcaps1 = 2 | reppoints1 = 5 | clubupdate = 7 May 2026 | repupdate = 6 August 2024 }}
'''Patrick Tuifua''' (born 25 August 2004) is a French [[rugby union]] player,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.ultimaterugby.com/app/public/index.php/patrick-tuifua |title=Patrick Tuifua |access-date=14 May 2024 |work=Ultimate Rugby}}</ref> who currently plays as a [[Flanker (rugby union)|loose forward]] for {{Rut|Toulon}} in the French [[Top 14]].<ref name="Patrick Tuifua s’engage avec le Rugby Club Toulonnais jusqu’en 2028"/> He previously played for [[Hawke's Bay (National Provincial Championship)|Hawke's Bay]] in New Zealand's domestic [[National Provincial Championship (2006–present)|National Provincial Championship]] competition.<ref name="Magpies 2024 NPC squad confirmed">{{cite press release | url=https://www.sporty.co.nz/magpies/newsarticle/143605 | title=Magpies 2024 NPC squad confirmed | work=Hawke's Bay Rugby Union | date=29 July 2024 | access-date=6 August 2024}}</ref><ref name="Squad 2024">{{cite instagram | user=hbmagpies | postid=C-EgO2Ph29V | date=31 July 2024 | title=Squad 2024 | access-date=1 August 2024}}</ref>
==Early life== Born in [[New Caledonia]], a French territory in the Pacific Ocean, Tuifua moved to New Zealand in 2020 at the age of 15 years-old and attended [[Lindisfarne College]] on a scholarship.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.planetrugby.com/news/all-blacks-and-france-in-tug-of-war-for-teenage-sensation-as-hurricanes-starlet-wanted-by-five-top-14-giants |work=Planet Rugby |title=All Blacks and France in tug-of-war for teenage sensation as Hurricanes starlet 'wanted' by five Top 14 giants |first=Colin |last=Newboult |date=29 March 2024 |access-date=14 May 2024}}</ref>
==Senior career== Tuifua played for [[Hawke's Bay (National Provincial Championship)|Hawke's Bay]] in the [[National Provincial Championship (2006–present)|National Provincial Championship]] in [[2023 Bunnings NPC|2023]] and [[2024 Bunnings NPC|2024]], and has represented the [[Hurricanes (rugby union)|Hurricanes]] at age-grade level.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.planetrugby.com/news/france-plan-to-block-all-blacks-swoop-for-wonderkid-as-tug-of-war-intensifies |title=France plan to 'block' All Blacks' swoop for wonderkid as tug-of-war intensifies |work=Planet Rugby |first=Colin |last=Newboult |date=14 May 2024 |access-date=14 May 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.sixnationsrugby.com/en/u6n/u20-mens/news/france-u20-rugby-five-to-watch |title=France U20: Five to watch |first=Willy |last=Billiard |work=Six Nations Rugby |date=30 January 2024 |access-date=14 May 2024}}</ref>
In April 2025, [[Top 14]] club {{Rut|Toulon}} announced that Tuifua had signed a three-year deal with the club, starting from the [[2025–26 Top 14 season|2025–26 season]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/rugby/french-youngster-patrick-tuifua-to-join-toulon-despite-all-blacks-interest/5WBMXNWEV5E6DO72PW6JVG5UOM/ |work=NZ Herald |title=French youngster Patrick Tuifua to join Toulon despite All Blacks interest |date=4 April 2025 |access-date=15 July 2025}}</ref><ref name="Patrick Tuifua s’engage avec le Rugby Club Toulonnais jusqu’en 2028">{{cite press release | url=https://rctoulon.com/patrick-tuifua-sengage-avec-le-rugby-club-toulonnais-jusquen-2028/ | title=Patrick Tuifua s’engage avec le Rugby Club Toulonnais jusqu’en 2028 | trans-title=Patrick Tuifua commits to RC Toulon until 2028 | work=[[RC Toulon]] | language=French | date=4 April 2025 | access-date=15 July 2025}}</ref>
==International career== Tuifua played for [[France national under-20 rugby union team|France U20]] at the [[2024 Six Nations Under 20s Championship]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/68193375 |title= Under-20s Six Nations: France 31–37 Ireland - Visitors off to winning start |first=Glenn |last=Kelly |work=BBC Sport |date=3 February 2024 |access-date=14 May 2024}}</ref>
==Personal life== Tuifua is the nephew of former rugby union player [[Laurent Simutoga]].<ref>{{cite web |title=France and All Blacks in tug of war over latest star from New Caledonia |first=Gavin |last=Mortimer |url=https://www.rugbypass.com/plus/france-and-all-blacks-in-tug-of-war-over-rising-star-from-new-caledonia/ |work=Rugby Pass |date=17 April 2024 |access-date=14 May 2024}}</ref>
== References == {{reflist}}
==External links== *[https://www.rugbyhistory.co.nz/player/patrick-l-tuifua NZ Rugby History profile] *{{All.Rugby profile|patrick-tuifua}}
{{RC Toulonnais squad}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tuifua, Patrick}} [[Category:2004 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:People educated at Lindisfarne College, New Zealand]] [[Category:21st-century French sportsmen]] [[Category:Rugby union players from Wallis and Futuna]] [[Category:French rugby union players]] [[Category:Rugby union flankers]] [[Category:Rugby union number eights]] [[Category:Hawke's Bay rugby union players]] [[Category:RC Toulon players]]