Adam Tangata
Cook Islands international rugby league footballer
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Adam Tangata (born 17 March 1991) is a Cook Islands former rugby league footballer who plays as a prop for SO Avignon in the Super XIII and the Cook Islands at international level.
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| Full name | Adam Tangata | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 17 March 1991 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 16 st 12 lb (107 kg) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Playing information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Prop, Second-row | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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As of 28 December 2025 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
He has previously played for Halifax in three separate spells as well as Wakefield Trinity and the Widnes Vikings. Tangata spent time during his second spell at 'Fax on loan at Wakefield in the Super League.
Background
Tangata was born in Raratonga, Cook Islands. His surname Tangata translates to mean people from Polynesian languages.
Career
Tangata played for the Mount Pritchard Mounties in the NSW Cup and he also played for the Canberra Raiders Under 20s side in 2011.
Tangata signed for English semi-professional club Halifax for the 2015 season, on a two-year contract.[3]
Tangata is known for his aggressive tackling and hit-ups, and became a fans' favourite at Halifax. In his time at Halifax, he had his own chant – "ooh aah Tangata", repurposed from Oops Up Side Your Head by The Gap Band.
Halifax
On 13 April 2021, it was reported that he had re-signed for Halifax in the RFL Championship on a deal that would keep him at the club until 2022.[4] On 25 August, Tangata signed a contract extension with Halifax keeping him at the club until the end of 2024.[5]
He called time on his Halifax Panthers career at the end of the 2025 season[6]
Avignon
Tangata signed for Sporting Olympique Avignon of the Super XIII, the top tier of French Rugby League on the 18th November 2025.
International career
He represented his nation in the 2013 Rugby League World Cup.
Adam was named in the Cook Islands squad for the 2017 Rugby League World Cup qualifying match against Tonga.[7]
