Clinton Toopi
Personal information
Born	29 February 1980 (1980-02-29) (age 29)
	Stratford, New Zealand
Height	6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Weight	15 st 8 lbs (99 Kg)
Playing information
Position	Centre
Club
Years	Team	Pld	T	G	FG	P
1999–2006	Warriors	119	57	0	0	228
2006–2008	Leeds	15	2	0	0	8 club3 = Gold Coast Titans year3start = 2010-
	Total	134	59	0	0
Representative
Years	Team	Pld	T	G	FG	P
2000	New Zealand	14	0	0	0	14

Clinton Toopi (born 29 February 1980 in Stratford, New Zealand) is a New Zealand rugby footballer who is currently playing for the Gold Coast Titans in the NRL^[1]previously playing rugby union for the Bay of Plenty Steamers in the Air New Zealand Cup. His usual position is centre.

[edit] Playing career

Originally a rugby league player, Toopi began his career with the junior ranks of the Mt Wellington and Otahuhu Leopards clubs. His first grade career began with the then Auckland Warriors, debuting against the South Sydney Rabbitohs on May 2, 1999. He went on to play 119 games for the club, including the 2002 Grand Final.

On 31 May 2006 Leeds Rhinos announced the capture of Toopi for the 2007 season as a replacement for Chev Walker. On July 17 he was granted an early release from the New Zealand Warriors so he could join the Rhinos for the rest of the season, this was granted the day before the deadline to register players in Super League. He made his debut on 4^th August, 2006 against Hull FC ^[2]. On August 23, Leeds released Toopi, due to a knee reconstruction that would keep him out of action for 9 months. He attracted interest from the Japanese rugby union club Sanyo Wild Knights and expressed interest in joining the Manly Sea Eagles in the National Rugby League competition however he did not secure a contract.^[3][4]

[edit] Rugby Union

Following the end of his contract with Leeds, Toopi returned to New Zealand and switched to rugby union, joining the Whakatane Marist team in the Eastern Bay rugby union competition. On June 18 2009 it was announced that he had made the Bay of Plenty Rugby Union's squad for the Air New Zealand Cup, justifying his switch of codes.^[5] He agreed to join the Gold Coast Titans for 2010.

[edit] International career

He has also represented New Zealand on twelve occasions between 2001 and 2005, including the 2000 World Cup. Toopi played for the Kiwis 14 times. He scored three tries in one match against Australia in the 2005 Tri Nations.

[edit] External links

• Profile at leedsrugby

[edit] References