Tumatauenga Palatiso Umaga-Marshall (born 3 March 1983) is a New Zealand former professional rugby union player and semi-professional basketball player.

Tu Umaga-Marshall
Full nameTumatauenga Palatiso Umaga-Marshall
Date of birth (1983-03-03) 3 March 1983 (age 41)
Height190 cm (6 ft 3 in)
Weight101 kg (223 lb)
SchoolHutt Valley High School
Notable relative(s)Tana Umaga (uncle)
Benji Marshall (cousin)
Rugby union career
Position(s) Wing / Centre
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2012–14 Coca-Cola Red Sparks ()
Provincial / State sides
Years Team Apps (Points)
2008 Wellington 10 (10)
2009–10 Canterbury 21 (25)
2011 Hawke's Bay 9 (5)
2014–15 Wellington 7 (5)
Super Rugby
Years Team Apps (Points)
2010–11 Crusaders 2 (0)

Raised in Wainuiomata, Lower Hutt, Umaga-Marshall is a nephew of All Black Tana Umaga and cousin of rugby league player Benji Marshall. He is of Samoan heritage and attended Hutt Valley High School.[1]

Umaga-Marshall played limited rugby union growing up, with basketball being his focus. He played basketball as a point guard for the Waikato Titans and Nelson Giants in the National Basketball League (NBL).[2]

Primarily a winger, Umaga-Marshall transitioned to rugby union via sevens and made his international debut for New Zealand at the 2006 Hong Kong Sevens.[3] He began playing provincial rugby for Wellington in 2008, the season the province ended a 26-year Ranfurly Shield title drought.[4] After crossing to Canterbury in 2009, Umaga-Marshall was occasionally called up by the Crusaders, making two Super 14 appearances.[5]

Umaga-Marshall turned down a contract offer to return to the NBL with the Wellington Saints in 2012, instead playing two seasons of Japanese professional rugby at Coca-Cola Red Sparks.[6]

References

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  1. ^ "Rugby: Making a jump from basketball". NZ Herald. 6 November 2009.
  2. ^ "Umaga-Marshall revelling in new colours". Stuff.co.nz. 6 November 2009.
  3. ^ "Rugby sevens: NZ through in Hong Kong". NZ Herald. 1 April 2006.
  4. ^ "Umaga uncle, nephew test kinship over shield". Stuff.co.nz. 16 October 2010.
  5. ^ "Tumatauenga Palatiso Umaga-Marshall". New Zealand Rugby History.
  6. ^ "Wellington offer tempts Tu Umaga-Marshall". Stuff.co.nz. 4 December 2011.
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