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David Niumataiwalu, better known as David Niu (born 3 January 1966), is an Australian-American rugby league and rugby union administrator, coach, and former player. Regarded as one of the founders of rugby league in the United States, he established the American National Rugby League (AMNRL), the country's oldest rugby league competition and the national governing body for the sport. He is currently president of AFL Global, an organization that hopes to spread arena football around the world. Niu played for the St. George Rugby Union Club from 1984 to 1989 before shifting to the rugby league code. His professional league career included two seasons with the St. George Dragons in Australia's New South Wales Rugby League (now the National Rugby League) from 1990 to 1991; his position was . In 1993 he relocated to the United States where he was involved in promoting both codes. He was one of the founders of the United States national rugby league team, and played on the USA Eagles national rugby union team, appearing in the 1999 Rugby World Cup. In 1997 he founded the competition that became the modern AMNRL, serving as its president until 2013. ==Early life and rugby career== Niumataiwalu was born and raised in Sydney, and attended James Cook Boys Technology High School in nearby Kogarah.〔("R2K interviews David Niu" ) ''R2K'', 19 May 2002〕 He is of Fijian descent. Niu played rugby union for St. George Rugby Union Club from 1984 to 1989, playing a total of 250 first division games.〔 He also represented Sydney, the New South Wales Waratahs and was a member of the Australian Barbarians, and captained the Australian College and University teams from 1984 to 1988. In 1986 he was one of three winners of the Ken Catchpole Medal.〔(【引用サイトリンク】url= http://www.heavensgame.com/competitions/super-14/fardy-and-harvey-share-2008-ken-catchpole-medal.html ) 〕 In 1987 he earned a spot on the Australian national rugby union team training squad for the 1987 Rugby World Cup.〔〔http://www.americantowns.com/nj/seaislecity/news/american-national-rugby-league-war-at-the-shore-amazed-spectators-on-july-26-115576〕 Niu shifted to professional rugby league in 1989. In 1990 he was signed by the St. George Dragons of the New South Wales Rugby League premiership (now the National Rugby League), Australia's highest rugby league competition, as a . He played for St. George for two seasons, appearing in a total of nineteen games and scoring two tries and one field goal.〔http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/players/David_Niu.html〕 As a former Dragons player, Niu has been outspoken about the club moving away from Kogarah's WIN Jubilee Oval.〔(David Niu: Dragons need to consider Kogarah fans ) ''Return to Kogarah Press Release''〕 He later played for the Villeneuve Leopards in France, and had spells with the Bramley and Bradford Bulls in the United Kingdom before retiring. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア(Wikipedia)』 ■ウィキペディアで「David Niu」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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