Petone's Belgium Tuatagaloa in action in the 2012 Swindale Shield against Poneke. Usually on the wing, Tuatgaloa was playing just his second Premier match at centre this day, helping Petone to a win over their old rivals.
Big and strapping and with pace to match, Tuatagaloa has proved a dangerous prospect out wide for any opposition team that he encounters, as both a wing and centre - and now as an international Sevens player.?
He caught the eye of the Ricoh Wellington Lions selectors and was part of the 2012 wider Lions training squad, playing a full game on the wing for the Wellington XV against Manawatu in an ITM Cup pre-season match in August 2012.
But it is the Sevens game where the former Wellington U19s (2009) and U20s player (2010) is making his mark, having impressed for the Wellington Sevens team at the nationals in Queenstown in January 2012 and then made his All Black Sevens Debut at the IRB Gold Coast Sevens in October.
In December 2012, Tuatagaloa earned one of 16 All Blacks Sevens contracts for 2013.?
| Date | Competition | Rnd | Pos | Team 1 | Score 1 | Team 2 | Score 2 | T | C | P | DG | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010-06-26 | Jubilee Cup Premier | 2 | 14 | Petone: Premier | 15 | HOBM: Premier | 22 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2010-04-17 | Swindale Shield 2005-2024 | 3 | 255 | Petone: Premier | 53 | J'ville: Premier | 14 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 2009-04-11 | Swindale Shield 2005-2024 | 3 | 11 | Petone: Premier | 17 | Wests: Premier | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |