Penioni Tagituimua (born 20 January 1999)[2] is a Fijian professional rugby league footballer who plays as a hooker or halfback for the Kaiviti Silktails in the Ron Massey Cup and Fiji at international level.
 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Penioni Tagituimua | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 20 January 1999 Suva, Central Division, Fiji | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 175 cm (5 ft 9 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 90 kg (14 st 2 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Playing information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Hooker, Halfback | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Source: [1] As of 10 November 2023 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Playing career
Tagituimua began playing rugby league in 2013 for the Nadera Panthers.[3]
While attending Suva Grammar School in 2015, he was awarded a three-year rugby union scholarship at Ellesmere College.[4][3]
In 2019, Tagituimua was the only player from the Fijian domestic competition to be included in Fiji's squad for their mid-season match against Lebanon. Initially selected to be the 18th man, a number of injuries and unavailabilities allowed him to make his Test debut off the interchange bench in the 56–14 win.[5][6] In November, Tagituimua played off the interchange bench in both of Fiji's Oceania Cup matches.[citation needed]
Tagituimua joined the Kaiviti Silktails for their inaugural season in 2020, scoring twice[7] in their first and only match of the COVID-19 affected year.
In 2021, Tagituimua was named the captain of the Kaiviti side.[8]
On 23 May 2021, he made his NSW Cup debut after being called into the North Sydney Bears' team to play Mounties.[9]
In the second group stage match of the 2021 Rugby League World Cup, Tagituimua scored two tries for Fiji in their 60-4 victory over Italy.[10]
Personal life
Tagituimua's father Ilaitia is a pastor and was a spiritual adviser for the Fijian team at the 2008, 2013, and 2017 Rugby League World Cups.[2] Tagituimua's uncle Nemani Matirewa was a Fijian dual-code rugby international who was a pioneer of rugby league in the country.[11]