 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 23 September 1979 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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]
Japan Rugby League One 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, to drive up the overall standard and popularity of the sport and improve the results of the Japan national rugby union team. 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 Toyota Industries 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.
Benjamin Quentin Marshall is a New Zealand professional rugby league coach and former player who is the head coach of the Wests Tigers in the NRL.
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.
Anthony Minichiello is a former professional rugby league footballer who captained the Sydney Roosters in the National Rugby League, and retired having set records for most games and most tries in the club's history. An Australia and Italy international as well as a New South Wales State of Origin representative wing turned fullback, he played his entire career with the Roosters, with whom he won the 2002 and 2013 NRL Premierships, before retiring at the conclusion of the club's 2014 campaign. Minichiello also won the Golden Boot Award for international player of the year in 2005, and is the brother of fellow Italian international, Mark Minichiello.
Isaia "Ice" Toeava is a professional rugby union player from New Zealand.
Juanne Hugo Smith is a South African former professional rugby union player who represented South Africa in international test rugby, the Cheetahs in the Super Rugby competition, and the Free State Cheetahs in the Currie Cup. He mainly played as a blindside flanker, although he has also played number eight.
Wycliff Palu, known as Cliffy Palu, is an Australian former professional rugby union footballer of Tongan descent. He played for the New South Wales Waratahs in Super Rugby and represented Australia in 58 tests.
Stephen Brett is a New Zealand rugby union former player. He is the head coach for Los Angeles Rugby Team in Major League Rugby (MLR).
François Philippus Lodewyk Steyn is a South African former professional rugby union player. A utility back who represented his country, he was able to play as a centre, fly-half, full-back and wing.
Jerome Kaino is a former New Zealand rugby union player.
Kieran James Read is a New Zealand former rugby union player. He played as a number 8 and is a former captain of the New Zealand national team, the All Blacks.
Takashi Kikutani is a Japanese rugby union player, who plays at number 8 or flanker for Canon Eagles and previously Toyota Verblitz. He also represented Japan at international level, and is the second highest try scorer for a forward of all time.
Beauden John Barrett is a New Zealand professional rugby union player who plays as a Fly half for Japan Rugby League One club Toyota Verblitz and for the New Zealand national team.
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.
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.
Michael Kent Hooper is an Australian professional rugby union player who is the former captain of the Australia national team, the Wallabies. His primary position is openside flanker.
Yoshizumi Takeda is a Japanese rugby union player, currently playing with Top League side Toyota Verblitz. He usually plays as a fullback.
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.
