A New Zealand international representative forward, he played in the National Rugby League for the Melbourne Storm, winning the 1999 NRL Premiership with them.
[3] In 1999 he was named the Melbourne club's rookie of the year,[4] playing from the interchange bench in the Storm's 1999 NRL Grand Final victory.
Rua was selected for the New Zealand team to compete in the end of season 1999 Rugby League Tri-Nations tournament.
Having won the 1999 Premiership, the Melbourne Storm traveled to England to contest the 2000 World Club Challenge against Super League Champions St Helens R.F.C., with Rua playing at lock forward in the victory.
However he only played one first grade game that season, his first since 2002, in Melbourne's round 13 win over the New Zealand Warriors at Mount Smart Stadium in Auckland.