Birth name | Sione Vaio'mounga | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Date of birth | 8 April 1989 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Place of birth | Tefisi, Tonga | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Height | 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Weight | 105 kg (16 st 7 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
School | M.S.C, T.C.T | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Occupation(s) | Junior Coach | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Sione Vaiomounga (born 8 April 1989) is a Tongan rugby union footballer. He currently plays back-row in which position he represented Tonga at the 2011 Rugby World Cup in New Zealand. [1] Sione made his debut for the national side on 28 November 2009, where he opened his scoring count with a try against Portugal. [2] Sione played for Toloa Old Boys, and he was the only player to be picked in Tonga's 30-man squad for the 2011 World Cup who played in Tonga's domestic division. [3]
In 2011, Sione represented Tonga in the Hong Kong Sevens, where he demonstrated great footwork and powerful running, putting him in a great position building up to the 2011 Rugby World Cup, starting against Canada and Japan in the group stages of the competition - despite Tonga's well deserved 19–14 victory against France they were unsuccessful in qualifying for a quarter-final position [4]
In November 2011, after an impressive World Cup campaign, Sione Vaio'mounga joined National Division 3 side Oxford Harlequins, where he was a major force, and arguably saved the Oxford based club from certain relegation, with his bruising running and physical tackling. [5]
The Japan national rugby union team, also known as the Cherry Blossoms, the Brave Blossoms, or simply Sakura, represents Japan in men's international rugby union. Japan is traditionally the strongest rugby union power in Asia and has enjoyed and endured mixed results against non-Asian teams over the years. Rugby union in Japan is administered by the Japan Rugby Football Union (JRFU), which was founded in 1926. They compete annually in the Pacific Nations Cup (PNC) and previously in the Asia Rugby Championship (ARC). They have also participated in every Rugby World Cup (RWC) since the tournament began in 1987, and hosted the event in 2019.
The Pacific Islanders was a combined international rugby union team that played from 2004 to 2008. It represented Fiji, Samoa and Tonga; Niue and the Cook Islands also supplied players to the squad for their tour in 2004. The team did not play at Rugby World Cups, where each of the nations continued to represent themselves.
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.
Villiami Sione "Willie" Tonga, also known by the nickname of ”Willie", is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who last played for the Leigh Centurions in the Super League. An Australia international and Queensland State of Origin representative centre, he previously played for the Parramatta Eels, the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs, with whom he won the 2004 NRL Premiership, and the North Queensland Cowboys. He joined French club the Catalans Dragons in 2015 and signed a contract with the Centurions for 2016.
The World Rugby Pacific Challenge, formerly the IRB Pacific Rugby Cup, is an annual rugby union football tournament held in Oceania since 2006. It is contested by national 'A' teams from the Asia-Pacific region. The tournament is run by World Rugby through Oceania Rugby.
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.
Epalahame "Hame" Lauaki is a Tongan former professional rugby league footballer who last played for the Bradford Bulls in the Championship.
Inoke Afeaki is a Tongan former rugby union footballer, coach and administrator. He has played professionally in New Zealand, Japan, Wales, France and Tonga, and coached in France, New Zealand and Singapore. His usual playing position was at lock.
Soane Tongaʻuiha is a Tongan-born, New Zealand-educated, rugby union player and coach. His longest stint was spent with the Northampton Saints, with whom he formed a formidable reputation and rose to prominence, becoming a fan favourite. He has played internationally for Tonga. His position of choice is loose-head prop, although he sometimes plays at tight-head. He is known for his large size and fierce runs.
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.
James Gordon Pritchard is an Australian-Canadian professional rugby union and rugby league footballer, who currently plays his club rugby union for Ampthill in National League 1 following short spells with Old Albanian and Coventry. Pritchard is best known for his time with Bedford Blues, where he spent 12 seasons across two spells with the club, and he is the club's record points scorer with 2,883 points in all competitions, including 99 tries. He is also the RFU Championship all-time top points scorer with 2,673 points from 251 league and play-off games while playing for Bedford Blues and Plymouth Albion, as a fullback, wing or centre. Pritchard has played internationally for Canada, with whom he appeared in four Rugby World Cups, and is his countries all-time top points scorer with 607 points.
Kieran James Crowley is a New Zealand rugby union coach and former player, who is the former head coach of Italy. He has also coached the New Zealand Under-19s in the 2007 World Championships as well as coaching provincial side Taranaki. He previously served as head coach of Canada. He also spent five seasons coaching Benetton Rugby.
James Whitinui Joseph is a New Zealand-born Japanese former rugby union player and current rugby union coach. A flanker, Joseph represented Otago at a provincial level, and was a member of the New Zealand national side, the All Blacks, from 1992 to 1995, before representing Japan in 1999. Joseph, now head coach of the Japanese national side, has coached since his retirement, coming through the ranks in New Zealand before his first national stint.
Michael Geoffrey Leitch is a professional rugby union player who plays as a number eight for Japan Rugby League One club Toshiba Brave Lupus. Born in New Zealand, he represents Japan at international level after qualifying on residency grounds.
Milton Haig is a New Zealand rugby union coach and former player. He was the head coach of the Georgian national team that annually competes the European Nations Cup.
Sione Tuipulotu is a professional rugby union player who plays as a centre for United Rugby Championship club Glasgow Warriors. Born in Australia, he represents Scotland at international level after qualifying on ancestry grounds.
Sione Fakaʻosilea is a rugby union player from Tonga. He plays in the centre position for professional SuperLiga club Baia Mare.
Samuela H. S. "Semi" Taupeaafe (born in Nuku'alofa, on 29 July 1972)is a Tongan former rugby union player. He played as wing and centre.
Sione Tuipulotu is a Tongan rugby union player, who currently plays as a lock or loose forward for Hawke's Bay in New Zealand's domestic National Provincial Championship competition and Moana Pasifika in Super Rugby.
'Api Kakalaia Solomone Funaki is a Tongan professional rugby union player, who currently plays as a loose forward for Moana Pasifika in Super Rugby. He represents Tonga internationally.