Nigel Vagana

  • Playing Career

Playing Career

Vital Statistics

Born
Friday, 7th February, 1975
Current Age
49 years and 40 days
Place Of Birth
Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand

Awards & Accolades

Dally M Centre Of The Year
2001, 2002

Known Family Links

Cousin
Joe Vagana

Biography

Auckland winger/centre, the cousin of Test forward Joe Vagana, played a season with Warrington in 1997 before returning to the Warriors. Vagana made his Test debut the following year and has proved to be a consistent try scoring at club and international level. In 1999 Vagana (along with captain Matthew Ridge) was suspended for three matches for ‘man-handling’ the referee in a match against Balmain. A member of NZ’s World Cup squad in 2000, Vagana has played fullback, centre, winger and five-eighth at Test level. He joined the Bulldogs in 2001 following the change of ownership of the Auckland club but the move paid dividends, winning the ‘Dally M’ centre-of-the-year award. In early 2002, in a match against Souths, Vagana scored a club record-equalling 5 tries in a match but following the club’s salary cap problems he signed with Cronulla for 2004. Vagana was a regular in the NZ team in ensuing years, often playing five-eighth, and was instrumental in the Kiwis success in the 2005 Tri Nations final. After signing with Souths for 2007 Vagana retired from international football after the Kiwis 16-12 loss to Australia in extra-time in the final of the 2006 Tri-Nations competition.
- ALAN WHITICKER

Playing Career Statistics

All statistics shown in this section are based only on data available in the RLP database, and are not necessarily a complete and/or 100% accurate representation of a player's career. This information should be used as a guide only. If you see a question mark (?), it denotes that the figure is not available.

To view a list of corresponding matches, click on the List button.

Competitions

Competition   App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
NRL 240 140 -   - 560 118 116 6 49.17% List
Challenge Cup 3 4 -   - 16 2 1 0 66.67% List
Super League 20 17 -   - 68 7 13 0 35.00% List
Premiership Trophy 1 - -   - - 0 1 0 0.00% List
Anzac Tests 5 - -   - - 1 4 0 20.00% List
Tri-Nations 17 9 -   - 36 7 9 1 41.18% List
Tour Matches New Zealand 6 6 -   - 24 4 1 1 66.67% List
World Cup 7 5 -   - 20 5 2 0 71.43% List
NRL Finals 7 4 -   - 16 1 6 0 14.29% List
Test Series 3 2 -   - 8 1 1 1 33.33% List


International

Test Matches - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
New Zealand 1998-06 38 19 -   - 76 18 18 2 47.37% List
Samoa 2007-08 4 5 -   - 20 3 1 0 75.00% List
Overall1998-2008 42 24 0   0 96 21 19 2 50.00% List

World Cup Matches - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
New Zealand 1998-2000 5 3 -   - 12 4 1 0 80.00% List
Samoa 2007-2008 2 2 -   - 8 1 1 0 50.00% List
Overall2000-2008 7 5 0   0 20 5 2 0 71.43% List


Club Career

NRL/NSWRL - By Year

Team Season App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Auckland ARL 1996 1 - -   - - 0 1 0 0.00% List
Auckland NRL 1998 23 13 -   - 52 8 15 0 34.78% List
Auckland NRL 1999 21 12 -   - 48 10 11 0 47.62% List
Auckland NRL 2000 26 12 -   - 48 8 16 2 30.77% List
Bulldogs NRL 2001 26 16 -   - 64 15 8 3 57.69% List
Bulldogs NRL 2002 24 23 -   - 92 20 3 1 83.33% List
Bulldogs NRL 2003 26 22 -   - 88 16 10 0 61.54% List
Cronulla NRL 2004 18 12 -   - 48 8 10 0 44.44% List
Cronulla NRL 2005 25 12 -   - 48 12 13 0 48.00% List
Cronulla NRL 2006 18 8 -   - 32 8 10 0 44.44% List
Souths NRL 2007 25 7 -   - 28 12 13 0 48.00% List
Souths NRL 2008 7 3 -   - 12 1 6 0 14.29% List

NRL/NSWRL - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Auckland 1996, 1998-00 71 37 -   - 148 26 43 2 36.62% List
Bulldogs 2001-03 76 61 -   - 244 51 21 4 67.11% List
Cronulla 2004-06 61 32 -   - 128 28 33 0 45.90% List
Souths 2007-08 32 10 -   - 40 13 19 0 40.63% List
Overall1996-2008 240 140 0   0 560 118 116 6 49.17% List

English Career - By Year

Team Season App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Warrington 1997 24 21 -   - 84 9 15 0 37.50% List

English Career - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Warrington 1997 24 21 -   - 84 9 15 0 37.50% List

Your Say

  • Lester Taitoko
    23/11/2014

    Staggering statistics Nigel always enjoyed watching you carve up the opposition and your rock solid defence a credit to you and your family all the best bro take care

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Contributions: Rugby League Tables, Andrew Ferguson, Shawn Dollin, Max Turner, Greg Fiveash, Alan Katzmann, AJ Lucantonio, Paul Carter, Cymru RL, Bill Bates

Sources: NRL Rugby League Yearbook 1999, NRL Rugby League Yearbook 2001, NRL Rugby League Yearbook 2002, NRL Rugby League Yearbook 2004, NRL 2004 Official Rugby League Annual, NRL Rugby League Yearbook 2000, NRL Rugby League Yearbook 2003, ARL Rugby League Yearbook 1997, 2006 Official Rugby League Annual, Richard Bailey's Rugby League World, Rothmans Rugby League Yearbook 1998