VA’AIGA TUIGAMALA (September 4, 1969 – February 24, 2022)
Wigan coach Matt Peet, a man well versed in the rich history of his club, was quick to dedicate Thursday’s Super League victory over Huddersfield to former fans’ favourite Va’aiga Tuigamala, whose death at just 52 was announced on the morning of the match.
Peet grew up watching the then-dominant Cherry and Whites and reflected on the qualities which made the dual-code Samoa international, who also represented the famous All Blacks before switching to Rugby League in 1994, such a towering Central Park figure, and not just because of his physical stature.
In between signing from Auckland in January 1994 (he had emerged via the Ponsonby club) and returning to rugby union in a then-work-record £1 million move to Newcastle Falcons just over three years later, ‘Inga the winger’, who was also a highly-effective centre, helped Wigan win a World Club Challenge, three league titles, two Challenge Cups, two Regal Trophies, a Premiership and a Charity Shield.
Tuigamala, born in the Western Samoan village settlement of Faleasi’u, then raised in New Zealand, also made the inaugural Super League Dream Team, in the centres, in 1996.
The year before, he played in the World Cup, in between featuring in rugby union’s version for New Zealand in 1991 and Samoa in 1999.
“He encapsulated what a good Wigan team should be about,” said Peet of the man who made 102 appearances for the club, scoring 62 tries and kicking three goals.
“He was a good man on and off the field. He was entertaining and formidable. I think he was one of those players people would pay to watch.
“I remember hearing that we had signed him. I would have been nine or ten. He was described as a superstar.
“But such was the Wigan team at the time, they had to get him fit. He did that through the ‘A’ team and he was held back initially, but the excitement continued to build.
“As soon as you saw him play, you couldn’t take your eyes off him with every carry. When you talk about people being on their feet, he combined that speed and power with wonderful handling skills.
“When he had the players around him like he did, such as Martin Offiah, Jason Robinson and Henry Paul, you can see why people flocked to the games.
“I think he helped inspire a generation, and this performance should be dedicated to him.
“The commitment the lads showed to one another and the desire to be brave with the ball and to entertain is what we spoke about in tribute to Va’aiga.”
Along with his two Samoa Rugby League appearances, Tuigamala, who was last year diagnosed with type-two diabetes, played 19 times for the All Blacks and 23 times for the Samoa union team, as well as helping Wasps win the Premiership title in 1996/97 and Newcastle the season after.
He made a try-scoring Wigan debut in the 27-12 First Division win at Widnes in February 1994, and made ten further appearances that campaign, including the Challenge Cup final in which Leeds were beaten 26-12 at Wembley by John Dorahy’s side, who completed the double after beating Bradford to the league title on points difference.
Having crossed twice as Sheffield were defeated in the semi-final of the Premiership, by which time Graeme West had taken charge, he missed the final win over Castleford at Old Trafford but returned in June as Wigan went to Brisbane and beat the Broncos 20-14 to win the World Club Challenge.
The 1994/95 season, when he played 39 times and scored 25 tries, brought another impressive haul of silverware – the Regal Trophy (Warrington were beaten 40-10 at Huddersfield with the help of two Tuigamala tries), the league title and the Challenge Cup (30-10 against Leeds at Wembley, with another Tuigamala score).
While he didn’t feature as Wigan won the end-of-season Premiership, he was back for a 54-20 Charity Shield win over Leeds in Dublin at the start of the final (and truncated) winter season, 1995/96, when he scored one of 20 tries in 26 games as his side lifted the Regal Trophy by defeating St Helens 25-16 at Huddersfield, then claimed a seventh straight league title.
In the first summer season, 1996, when Tuigamala played 25 times, Wigan were unexpectedly knocked out of the Challenge Cup fifth round (last 16) by Salford, while their title stranglehold was broken by St Helens (there was no Grand Final until 1998), although a measure of revenge was gained in the penultimate Premiership, when the new champions were defeated 44-14 at Old Trafford.
With rugby union now a professional sport, he contributed to Wasps’ title triumph before one last outing for Wigan in the first match of the 1997 season, the 26-12 Challenge Cup fourth-round (last 32) loss at St Helens, after which he joined newly-promoted Newcastle, where he also proved a huge hit.
His former Wigan team-mate and now executive director Kris Radlinski said: “Every now and then a player comes along who touches the heart and soul of every single fan, player, coach and administrator. Inga was one of them.
“He was one of the most exciting rugby players to play either code.
“His presence on the rugby field was huge. As a teenager, he gave me the most precious thing that anyone could, time.
“We would spend hours on the field doing one-on-ones together. His death was a very sad day for the club. Rest in peace, my friend.”
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