Benjamin Tapuloa Roberts(born 8 July 1985) is a former professionalrugby leaguefootballer who played as afive-eighth,halfbackorfullbackin theNRLand theSuper Leaguein the 2000s and 2010s. He representedNew ZealandandSamoaat international level.
 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Benjamin Tapuloa Roberts[1] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 8 July 1985 Westmead,New South Wales, Australia | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Playing information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 183 cm (6 ft 0 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 94 kg (14 st 11 lb)[2] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Five-eighth,Halfback,Hooker,Fullback | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
He began hisNRLcareer in 2006 with theCanterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs,where he spent six seasons and made over 90 appearances. He also went on to play for theParramatta Eelsand theMelbourne Storm.Roberts made the move toSuper Leaguein 2015, joining theCastleford Tigers.After a five-year spell, he departed the Tigers and retired from professional rugby league.
Roberts representedNew Zealandin five test matches in 2006 and 2007. He made fifteen appearances forSamoabetween 2008 and 2017 and represented the team at threeRugby League World Cups.
Background
editRoberts was born inWestmead,New South Wales,Australia. He is ofSamoanandNew Zealanddescent and is the cousin of soccer playersTim CahillandChris Cahill.
Roberts was educated atJohn Therry Catholic High School, Rosemeadow.He then studied atPatrician Brothers' College, Fairfield,alongside former Sharks centreDean Colliswhere he represented2003 Australian Schoolboys.
Playing career
edit
Joining theCanterbury-Bankstown Bulldogsin 2006 as a five-eighth, Roberts was originally recruited fromWestern Suburbs Magpiesbefore became a regular member of theNSWRL Premier Leagueteam. In 2007, he has started in halfback in the early rounds due to injury to regular playmakerBrent Sherwin.With Sherwin's return from injury and form, Roberts was shifted tofive-eighth.
He made his second international appearance for theNew Zealand Kiwison Friday 20 April at the 2007ANZAC Testagainst theAustralia national rugby league teaminBrisbane.In February 2008, Roberts was arrested by police who were forced to use capsicum spray on the player after an altercation outside the Glasshouse Tavern in Wollongong. He was later fined $2,000 after pleading guilty to assaulting police and resisting arrest.[5]
In the2008 NRL season,Robert played 21 games for Canterbury as the club finished bottom of the table and claimed the wooden spoon. The season was also a sour one off the field with star playerSonny Bill Williamswalking out on the team.[6]
He was named in theNew ZealandandSamoanextended training squads for the2008 Rugby League World Cup.[7][8]In the end he was selected in the Samoan squad for the tournament.
Five years later he was selected for Samoa in April 2013, for atest matchagainstTongainPenrith, New South Wales.Later in the year he was selected for Samoa again, but this time for their2013 Rugby League World Cupcampaign. He featured in all four games that the Samoans played, scoring two tries. He scored one try against heavyweightsNew Zealandin an entertaining 42–24 defeat. He scored his second try in Samoa's 38–4 thrashing ofThe Kumuls.
On 17 May 2011 Roberts signed a two-year deal with theParramatta Eels.[9]Roberts was a member of theParramattasides which finished last in 2012 and 2013.[10][11]
On 23 January 2014, it was announced he had signed on with theMelbourne Stormfor the 2014 season. In round 1 of the 2014 NRL season, Roberts made his début for the Storm against theManly-Warringah Sea Eagles.
On 7 October 2014, Roberts was selected in the Samoan 24 man squad for the2014 Four Nationsseries.[12][13]
Super League career
editOn 7 July 2014, it was announced that Roberts signed a contract to play for theSuper Leagueclub theCastleford Tigersin 2015.[14]
He played his first Super League game against the Catalans Dragons in the second round of the season. He scored his first Super League try against the Warrington Wolves in round 9.
Roberts scored in Castleford's opening home fixture against Wakefield in round 2 of the 2016 season. The following season, Roberts played in the2017 Super League Grand Finaldefeat by theLeeds RhinosatOld Trafford.[15][16][17][18]
References
edit- ^ROBERTS, BENJAMIN TAPULOA 2006 – 2007 – KIWI #727Archived23 April 2012 at theWayback Machinenzleague.co.nz
- ^"Castleford Tigers 1st Team Ben Roberts".Official Castleford Tigers web site.Castleford Tigers Rugby League Football Club Ltd. 2015. Archived fromthe originalon 22 June 2015.Retrieved22 June2015.
- ^Ferguson, Shawn Dollin and Andrew."Ben Roberts - Career Stats & Summary - Rugby League Project".www.rugbyleagueproject.org.
- ^"Players - Love Rugby League".
- ^"League's off-field incidents during centenary year".Stuff. 31 January 2009.Retrieved4 December2021.
- ^"Most boring team ever? 2008 wooden spoon Bulldogs would beat 2017 version by twenty points".The81stminute.
- ^"Kiwis select Sonny Bill".Sky Sports. 8 August 2008.Retrieved8 August2008.
- ^"Samoa, Tonga and Fiji name squads".BBC. 8 October 2008.Archivedfrom the original on 13 October 2008.Retrieved9 October2008.
- ^"Eels win race for Roberts".
- ^"Ben Roberts, Joel Romelo sign with Melbourne Storm for NRL season".ABC. 23 January 2014.Retrieved4 December2021.
- ^"Season review: Parramatta Eels".www.nrl.com.
- ^Toa Samoa name Four Nations squad.NRL.com. Retrieved on 21 September 2016.
- ^Toa Samoa name Four Nations squadArchived3 February 2016 at theWayback Machine.Zero Tackle (7 October 2014). Retrieved on 2016-09-21.
- ^Ben Roberts: Castleford Tigers sign Melbourne Storm playmaker – BBC Sport.Bbc.com (7 July 2014). Retrieved on 2016-09-21.
- ^"Castleford 6-24 Leeds: Grand Final 2017 – as it happened".Guardian. 7 October 2017.Retrieved6 November2019.
- ^"Grand Final 2017: Castleford 6-24 Leeds Rhinos".BBC Sport.7 October 2017.Retrieved6 November2019.
- ^"Danny McGuire guides Leeds to Grand Final success over Castleford".Guardian.7 October 2017.Retrieved6 November2019.
- ^"Castleford Tigers: Ben Roberts will be a real threat from full-back insists Daryl Powell".Yorkshire Evening Post. 9 December 2017.Retrieved4 December2021.
External links
edit