Junior Sa’u

Tafeaga Junior Sa’u was born on April 18, 1987, in Otahuhu, Auckland, New Zealand, to Samoan parents. He began his rugby league career playing junior football for Logan Brothers in Queensland, Australia, before joining the Canberra Raiders. In 2006, he played for Canberra’s Premier League team, scoring seven tries. Sa’u then signed with the Newcastle Knights in 2008, making his NRL debut in Round 13 of the 2008 NRL season against the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs, where he scored two tries. He continued with the Knights until 2012, re-signing for two additional years in June 2011.

In 2012, Sa’u transitioned to the Melbourne Storm, signing a one-year contract for the 2013 season. Following his time in Australia, he moved to the Super League, joining the Salford Red Devils in June 2013 on a two-year deal. During his debut season with Salford in 2014, he scored 12 tries and was recognized as the ‘Supporter’s Player of the Year’. Sa’u’s career in the UK continued with a loan spell at Wakefield Trinity in 2019, followed by joining the Leigh Centurions, where he played until 2021. He scored two tries for Leigh in a 28-34 loss against Hull Kingston Rovers in round 18 of the 2021 Super League season.

In 2022, Sa’u briefly switched to rugby union, playing for Old Glory DC in Major League Rugby (MLR) in the United States. Later that year, he returned to rugby league in the UK, signing with Keighley Cougars until the end of the 2022 League 1 season, and was named captain for the 2025 season. In October 2025, it was announced that Sa’u would join Rochdale Hornets for the 2026 campaign, where he will also take on a community outreach role to enhance the club’s local presence.