Taniela Tupou (rugby union) national squad for the 2016 Wallabies tour. His strong NRC form for Queensland Country the following year led to his international debut for the Wallabies against at Murrayfield on 24 November 2017. Taniela Tupou (rugby union) Taniela Tupou (born 10 May 1996) is an Australian professional rugby union player. He plays as a tight head prop for the Queensland Reds in Super Rugby and has represented in international rugby. Born in Tonga he qualifies for Australia by residency. Tupou became known as a schoolboy rugby player. While playing for Auckland’s Sacred Heart College First XV in 2014, he became an
Tupou VI included peacekeeping operations in Bougainville. He graduated with a masters in Defence Studies from the University of New South Wales in 1997 and with an MA in International Relations from Bond University in 1999. In 1998 he ended his military career to become part of the government, first as the defence minister and the foreign minister at the same time, from October 1998 until August 2004. He took over these posts from his elder brother Tupoutoʻa, at that time still the crown prince, later to become King Siaosi Tupou V (see below). Soon he was appointed as Prime Minister on