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| Date of birth | 23 September 1979 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Place of birth | Apia, Upolu, Samoa | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.7 m (5 ft 7 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 81 kg (179 lb; 12.8 st) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Orene Ai'i (born 23 September 1979) is a Samoan-born, New Zealand rugby union player who played as a first five-eighth and fullback for the Blues in Super Rugby and Northland in the ITM Cup. He is currently a player and assistant backs coach for the LA Giltinis in Major League Rugby (MLR).
Ai'i made his professional rugby debut in 2000 against the ACT Brumbies.
He previously played for Toyota Verblitz in Japan and Toulon in France.
Starting in August 2016, he played fly-half/fullback for the San Francisco Rush in PRO Rugby, America's first professional rugby league.
Ai'i re-joined the Blues as an injury cover after his contract with Toyota Verblitz was completed. [1] [2]
Ai'i was drafted in Season 4 of Match Fit: Union vs. League in 2024 as a cover for Piri Weepu in the beach rugby game in Piha Beach. He scored a hat-trick and helped Union to win over League. [3]
Carlos James Spencer is a former New Zealand rugby union player and previously the head coach of the Eastern Province Kings and the Munakata Sanix Blues. He is currently an assistant coach for the New Orleans Gold of Major League Rugby (MLR).
Japan Rugby League One, formerly known as the Top League, is a rugby union competition in Japan. It is the highest level of professional rugby competition in the country. The Japan Rugby Football Union created the competition in 2003, by absorbing the Japan Company Rugby Football Championship. The chief architect of the league was Hiroaki Shukuzawa who strongly felt the urgency of improving Japanese domestic company rugby to a professional level which would allow Japan to compete more convincingly at Rugby World Cups.
Toyota Verblitz is a Japanese rugby union team in the Japan Rugby League One. Verblitz is a portmanteau of verde and blitz. The team is owned by Toyota Motor Corporation and is not to be confused with the Aichi Shuttles rugby team, owned by Toyota Industries. It shares Toyota Stadium in the city of Toyota, Aichi with the football club Nagoya Grampus which also used to be owned by Toyota Motors.
Piri Awahou Tihou Weepu is a retired New Zealand rugby union player. Weepu played most recently for Wairarapa Bush in the Heartland Championship. Generally Weepu played as a half-back but also played at first five-eighth on occasion. He has represented the New Zealand national side, the All Blacks, between 2004 and 2013. He first won national honours against Wales in 2004. In 2005 was called back into the All Blacks squad for the first Tri Nations test against South Africa, having missed selection for the 2005 British & Irish Lions tour. He represented the Hurricanes and Blues in Super Rugby, and Wellington and Auckland in the Mitre 10 Cup. He also had brief spells with several clubs in Europe. In October 2017, Weepu announced his retirement as a rugby player.
Troy Vandem Flavell is a former New Zealand rugby union player. Flavell won 22 caps for New Zealand, and mainly played lock. He is known for his power in the scrum. He attended Massey High School alongside Ron Cribb and both played for Massey Rugby Club.
Isaia "Ice" Toeava is a former professional rugby union player from New Zealand. He was a part of the 2007 Rugby World Cup and World Cup winning 2011 Rugby World Cup squads for New Zealand.
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Roger Tuivasa-Sheck is a New Zealand dual-code rugby international footballer who currently plays as a centre for the New Zealand Warriors in the National Rugby League, and as a Fullback for Samoa.
David Raikuna, is a professional rugby union player. He currently plays for Stade Rochelais in the Top 14. He has also played for the New Zealand sevens team. Raikuna plays predominantly as a winger, although has the ability to cover centre and fullback.
Willem Jacobus le Roux is a South African professional rugby union player. He is a versatile back-line player who generally plays as a fullback or wing, though earlier in his career he played mostly as a fly-half. He plays for the South Africa national team and for the Blue Bulls in the United Rugby Championship. He was born in Stellenbosch. He is known for his vision, try assisting and ability under the high ball. He is widely regarded as one of the best fullbacks of his generation.
Michael Kent Hooper is an Australian former professional rugby union player who is the former captain of the Australia national team, the Wallabies. His primary position is openside flanker.
Waisake Ratunideuba Naholo is a New Zealand rugby union player. He previously played for the All Blacks Sevens and on the wing position for London Irish. In May 2022 he signed with Rugby New York, who play in the Major League Rugby competition.
Yoshizumi Takeda is a Japanese rugby union player, currently playing with Top League side Toyota Verblitz. He usually plays as a fullback.
Taiyo Ando is a Japanese international rugby union player who plays in the loose forward position. He currently plays for Toyota Verblitz in Japan's domestic Top League.
Kazuki Himeno is a Japanese professional rugby union player who plays as a number eight for Japan Rugby League One club Toyota Verblitz and captains the Japan national team.
Tiaan Falcon is a New Zealand rugby union player, who currently plays as a fly-half or fullback for Toyota Verblitz in the Japan Rugby League One competition. He formerly played for the Chiefs in Super Rugby and for Hawke's Bay in New Zealand's domestic National Provincial Championship competition.
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