Joe Mbu

Joe Mbu
Personal information
Full name	Joseph Mbu
Born	11 November 1983 (age 41); Zaire
Height	5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Weight	15 st 0 lb (95 kg)
Playing information
Position	Second-row
Club
Coaching information
Club
Representative
	Source: As of 7 November 2021

Joe Mbu (born 11 November 1983), also known by the nickname of "Big Joe", is a Congolese former professional rugby league footballer and coach. Mbu played for the London Broncos/Harlequins RL in the Super League.^[1] He is the current head coach of the London Skolars.^[2]

Playing career

Joe Mbu's usual position was second-row. He also operated on the loose forward, and prop positions.

He was a product of the London Broncos academy setup, having played his early rugby league at the London Skolars. As a teenager Mbu also played rugby union as well, playing for an extremely successful Finchley RFC youth team in North London.

In 2002, Joe was loaned out by the London Broncos to the Huddersfield Giants to gain experience in their Senior Academy side. He started the 2003 season with a similar loan-out at Leeds Rhinos before being recalled to the London Broncos to make his Super League début.

Mbu played in the Super League for the London Broncos/Harlequins RL from 2003 to 2006. He became a crowd favourite amongst the London Broncos fans for his solid and dependable performances for the club.^{[citation needed]}

Mbu joined the National League One team Doncaster for the 2007 season and was appointed captain.

He rejoined the renamed Harlequins RL midway through the 2007 season due to Doncaster's financial difficulties.^[3] He remained at the Harlequins RL before retiring at the end of the 2009 season.

Coaching career

After retirement, Mbu coached London Skolars Under 16s in 2010. The team finished bottom of the table after winning only two games.^{[citation needed]}

In October 2010 London Skolars appointed Joe Mbu as their head coach.^[4] now coaches Staines RFC June 2014

On 5 Nov 2021 Joe was re-appointed as head-coach of London Skolars, following the departure of Jermaine Coleman^[5]

He has coached Nigeria.^[6]

References

^ ^a ^b "Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org". rugbyleagueproject.org. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
^ ^a ^b "Coach Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org". rugbyleagueproject.org. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
^ Forward Mbu returns to Harlequins BBC Sport, 22 May 2007
^ Joe Mbu Takes The Reins At Skolars London Skolars, 5 October 2010
^ "Former London Broncos star Joe Mbu takes head coaching role in League 1". Love Rugby League. 5 November 2021. Retrieved 7 November 2021.
^ "Meet Elliot Wallis - The explosive Hull KR winger called up by new Nigerian national team". Daily Mirror. 4 September 2019. Retrieved 1 November 2019.

Sporting positions
Preceded by Jermaine Coleman 2015-2021	Coach London Skolars 2021-present	Succeeded by Incumbent
Preceded by Founded	Coach Nigeria 2019-present	Succeeded by Incumbent
Preceded by James Massara 2010	Coach London Skolars 2010-2015	Succeeded by Jermaine Coleman 2015-2021

External links

Super League Stats (archived 29 September 2007)

This United Kingdom rugby league football biography is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

[Statistics_at_rugbyleagueproject.org-1] "Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org". rugbyleagueproject.org. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.

[Coach_Statistics_at_rugbyleagueproject.org-2] "Coach Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org". rugbyleagueproject.org. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.

[3] Forward Mbu returns to Harlequins BBC Sport, 22 May 2007

[4] Joe Mbu Takes The Reins At Skolars London Skolars, 5 October 2010

[5] "Former London Broncos star Joe Mbu takes head coaching role in League 1". Love Rugby League. 5 November 2021. Retrieved 7 November 2021.

[6] "Meet Elliot Wallis - The explosive Hull KR winger called up by new Nigerian national team". Daily Mirror. 4 September 2019. Retrieved 1 November 2019.

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