Izaiha Moore-Aiono

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Izaiha Moore-Aiono
Birth nameIzaiha Moore-Aiono
Date of birth (2000-03-03) 3 March 2000 (age 24)
Place of birth Auckland, New Zealand
Height1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Weight99 kg (15 st 8 lb)
School Wellington College, Berkshire
Rugby union career
Position(s) Flanker, Number 8
Current team Saracens
Amateur team(s)
YearsTeamApps(Points)
– Bracknell RFC – (–)
– Esher RFC – (–)
Senior career
YearsTeamApps(Points)
2020–23 London Irish 9 (0)
2022–23 → Ealing Trailfinders – (–)
2023 Northampton Saints 4 (0)
2023–24 Ampthill 21 (10)
2024– Saracens 2 (10)
Correct as of 10 November 2024
International career
YearsTeamApps(Points)
2018 England U19s 1 (0)
2019 England U20s 1 (5)
2024– Samoa 4 (15)
Correct as of 10 November 2024

Izaiha Moore-Aiono (born 3 March 2000) is a professional rugby union player who plays as a back row forward for Premiership Rugby club Saracens. [1] Born in New Zealand, he represents Samoa at international level after qualifying on ancestry grounds. [2]

Contents

Early life

Moore-Aiono was born in Auckland, New Zealand to Māori and Samoan parents. His mother, Aroha Lam ( née Moore), played rugby at test level for the Black Ferns, earning three caps in 2004. [3] His father, Rudal Aiono, is of a Samoan family originating from Fasito'o Uta in Upolu and Sataua in Savai'i. [4]

When he was six years old, Moore-Aiono moved with his family to Queensland in Australia, where he began playing rugby league in the junior section of NRL side North Queensland Cowboys. [2] At the age of 13, he emigrated to England, settling in Berkshire. While a student at Wellington College, Moore-Aiono switched to rugby union, representing both Bracknell and the Berkshire county team, before he was recruited into the London Irish junior academy in 2015. [5] During his time in the club's senior academy, he spent the 2018–19 season dual-registered the National League 1 side Esher.

Club career

Moore-Aiono made his senior debut for London Irish during the 2019–20 season, coming on as a replacement in a Premiership match against Harlequins in September 2020. [1] His first league start followed in the 2020–21 season, against Sale Sharks in December 2020. [6] Playing as a flanker or number 8, the majority of Moore-Aiono's appearances for London Irish took place in the Premiership Rugby Cup, whilst he also had a spell on loan with the RFU Championship club Ealing Trailfinders. [5]

In June 2023, Moore-Aiono was made redundant and left without a club, after London Irish was suspended from all rugby competitions, upon entering into administration due to financial insolvency. [7] Subsequently, he was signed by Northampton Saints on a short-term contract in August, featuring as a guest player in the 2023–24 Premiership Rugby Cup, and in a friendly fixture against the Barbarians. [8] Once this deal ended, Moore-Aiono transferred to Ampthill in October, for the remainder of the 2023–24 RFU Championship. [9] He featured 18 times for the team across their league and cup campaign, scoring two tries. [1]

The following season, Moore-Aiono joined Saracens on a trial basis, ahead of the start of the 2024–25 Premiership Rugby Cup, and scored two tries in as many appearances to begin his time at the club. [10]

International career

Moore-Aiono was eligible to represent four different nations under World Rugby criteria. He qualified for New Zealand and Samoa via ancestry, and also England and Australia on residency grounds. [2]

At age-grade level, Moore-Aiono represented England, with his first start for the England U19s occurring in a win over Wales in April 2019. [11] This was followed a month later with a try-scoring debut for the England U20s, in a victory against South Africa. [12]

Having opted to represent his ancestral home country of Samoa at test level, Moore-Aiono received his first senior call-up for the 2024 summer internationals. [4] He made his test debut for Samoa on 5 July 2024, starting at openside flanker and scoring a try in the nation's 33–25 triumph over Italy. [13] He earned three further caps during Samoa's bronze medal-winning campaign in the 2024 Pacific Nations Cup, which included a brace of tries against Tonga. [14]

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References

  1. 1 2 3 "Izaiha MOORE-AIONO: profile and stats". All.Rugby. Retrieved 10 November 2024.
  2. 1 2 3 "Youngs Guns: London Irish back row Izaiha Moore-Aiono". The Rugby Paper. 22 May 2019. Retrieved 10 November 2024.
  3. ↑ "Our Black Ferns". Auckland Marist. Retrieved 10 November 2024.
  4. 1 2 "Finding where I belong: Aiono's Manu Samoa journey". Samoa Observer . 26 July 2024. Retrieved 10 November 2024.
  5. 1 2 "Izaiha Moore-Aiono | Players | London Irish". London Irish . Retrieved 10 November 2024.
  6. ↑ "2 Grass Roots Players from Bracknell in starting squad for London Irish Vs Sale Sharks Game!". Bracknell RFC . 4 December 2020. Retrieved 10 November 2024.
  7. ↑ "London Irish file for administration after being suspended from Gallagher Premiership and all leagues by RFU". Sky Sports . 7 June 2023. Retrieved 10 November 2024.
  8. ↑ "Dowson explains Saints squad management as he praises guest players". Northampton Chronicle & Echo . 26 August 2023. Retrieved 10 November 2024.
  9. ↑ "Ampthill reinforcements for Championship Campaign". Ampthill RUFC . 13 October 2023. Retrieved 10 November 2024.
  10. ↑ "MATCH REPORT | Saracens Men 99-27 London Scottish (PRC Rd 2)". Saracens . 9 November 2024. Retrieved 10 November 2024.
  11. ↑ "U19 International: Exciting England beat Wales in Bridgend". Next Gen XV. 8 April 2019. Retrieved 10 November 2024.
  12. ↑ "England U20 seal 35-8 win over Junior Springboks". Talking Rugby Union. 27 April 2019. Retrieved 10 November 2024.
  13. ↑ "Samoa rally for win over Italy in Apia heat". Reuters . 5 July 2024. Retrieved 10 November 2024.
  14. ↑ "Samoans Rally Back To Claim Third Place In Pacific Nations Cup". Sports Illustrated . 22 September 2024. Retrieved 10 November 2024.
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