Birth name | Aloisio Ilaisa Ma'asi | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Date of birth | 5 February 1982 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Place of birth | Tofoa, Tonga | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Height | 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Weight | 96 kg (15 st 2 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Aloisio Ilaisa Ma'asi (born 5 February 1982 in Tofoa, Tonga) is a Tongan rugby union player. He plays Hooker for Tonga on international level. Ma'asi also played for Counties Manukau in their ITM Cup campaign from 2007 to 2010. [1]
Ma'asi made his debut for the national side against Fiji in June 2009 crossing the line two Tests later against Japan. He found his way back into the international side for their 2011 Churchill Cup campaign before turning out for the national side in the Pacific Nations Cup. [2] He also was a part of the squad in the 2011 Rugby World Cup making two appearances. [3]
In June 2014 he was named to the Pacific barbarians team to play against Tonga. [4]
The Fiji national rugby union team represents Fiji in men's international rugby union. Fiji competed in the Pacific Tri-Nations and now competes in its successor tournament Pacific Nations Cup. Fiji also regularly plays test matches during the June and November test windows. They have beaten the major rugby playing sides of Wales, Scotland, Australia, France, Italy, Argentina and England. The only major sides Fiji are yet to beat are New Zealand, South Africa and Ireland.
The Tonga national rugby league team represents Tonga in rugby league football. They are currently the fifth ranked team in the world. The team was formed to compete in the 1986 Pacific Cup, and have competed at six Rugby League World Cups, starting in 1995 and continuing consecutively until the most recent tournament. Their best result was at the 2017 Rugby League World Cup, where they were semi-finalists.
Rodger Siaosi Toutai Kefu is a Tongan-Australian professional rugby union coach and former player who has been coaching the Tonga national team since 2016.
Mosese Nasau Rauluni is a retired Fijian rugby union footballer. He usually plays at scrum half, and played for Saracens in the Guinness Premiership in England. He has played for Fiji, including captaining them. He is the younger brother of Jacob Rauluni and first cousin of Waisale Serevi.
Australia A is the second national Rugby union team of Australia, behind the Wallabies. Matches played under the 'Australia A' title are traditionally non-test match fixtures and often offer a stepping-stone to Wallaby national selection. Aspiring Wallaby players were given a chance to impress selectors during these games. In the past, the team would also play touring sides, such as the British & Irish Lions, or play mid-week games when the Wallabies are on tour.
Nili Latu, playing name of Otenili Langilangi is a Tongan rugby union footballer. In 2018, Latu left Newcastle Falcons after helping Falcons achieve 4th in the Aviva Premiership, the highest finish in 20 years. He moved to Japan to continue playing rugby.
Seremaia Baïkeinuku is a retired Fijian rugby union player who played most recently for Leicester Tigers in the Aviva Premiership, and represented Fiji at a National level. He plays at both Fly-half and Inside Centre.
Aleki Lutui in Tofoa, Tonga, is a Tongan rugby union international player. His position is hooker. He is currently playing club rugby for Ampthill in RFU Championship.
The Fiji Warriors, also referred to as Fiji A, is a national representative rugby team of rugby union in Fiji. It is the second-tier side to the Fiji national team. The Warriors team is selected from players in the Fijian domestic competitions and competes in the World Rugby Pacific Challenge against Samoa A and Tonga A. Since 2016, the Fiji Warriors team has played in the Americas Pacific Challenge against national A teams from North and South America.
Akapusi Qera is a Fijian professional rugby union player. A Flanker or No.8. He is married to wife Phillipha Talei and together they have four children. Qera is also from a Christian sporting family; his father was an international cricketer for Fiji and his brother also played international rugby for Fiji. He is also a first cousin of Fiji test international Viliame Veikoso. Qera is a current test international and 15's captain for Fiji Qera has also represented the Barbarians.
Sport in Tonga consists of many games. Rugby union is the national sport, sumo has a following, while football, judo, surfing, volleyball, and cricket have gained popularity in recent years. Rugby league and Australian football are also played.
Lieutenant Leone Nakarawa is a Fijian rugby union footballer and Olympic gold medalist. He plays as a Second-Row forward for Toulon and represents the Fijian national team in international rugby. He previously played for Glasgow Warriors and is Warrior No. 224. He won the Pro12 with the Glasgow Warriors in 2014–15 and re-signed with the club in 2020. Inbetween that period, in 2016 he signed for Racing 92. In 2018 he was awarded the EPCR Player of the Year accolade.
Sona Taumalolo is a former professional rugby union player. He played at prop for Hawke's Bay in New Zealand's domestic Mitre 10 Cup competition; the Chiefs in Super Rugby; several French clubs; and the Tonga national team. He retired at the end of the 2020 Mitre 10 Cup season.
K. Manakaetau F. 'Otai is coach of the Tonga national team. He was educated at St Peter's College, Auckland and played club rugby in Auckland. His playing position was as flanker. Otai represented Tonga, being capped for the first time on 11 February 1995 against Japan at Nagoya. Otai was the Tongan team captain in the 1995 Rugby World Cup competition, in which he scored a try. Otai was an All Black trialist in 1994.
Metuisela Talebula is a Fijian rugby union footballer. He plays fullback, fly-half and wing for Bordeaux Bègles and Fiji.
The 2014 IRB Pacific Nations Cup, was the ninth edition of the IRB Pacific Nations Cup, the annual Tier 2 Rugby union tournament. Unlike previous competitions, the tournament was divided into two conferences of three teams each, with no interconference matches. Samoa emerged as the winner of the Pacific Islands conference title ahead of Fiji and Tonga, while Japan took out the Asia/Pacific conference remaining undefeated ahead of United States and Canada.
Inoke Male, is a Fijian former rugby union footballer and former head coach of the Fijian national side. He played in the position of Number eight, but could also play Flanker during his playing career.
John Gregory McKee is a rugby union coach from New Zealand. He is a former coach of the Fiji national rugby 15s team.
Peni Ravai Kovekalou is a Fijian rugby union player, who currently plays at hooker and prop for the Flying Fijians and the Reds in Super Rugby. He previously played for Southland in the Mitre 10 Cup in New Zealand, Aurillac in the Pro D2, and Bordeaux Bègles and Clermont Auvergne in the Top 14. He has also played at centre and on the wings.
Levani Botia is a Fijian rugby union footballer. Nicknamed "Demolition Man", he plays centre, flanker and wing for La Rochelle and his national team, Fiji.