Fetu'u Moana Vainikolo (born 30 January 1985) is a Tongan
rugby union
Rugby union, commonly known simply as rugby, is a close-contact team sport that originated at Rugby School in the first half of the 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand. In its m ...
player who currently plays for the
Utah Warriors
The Utah Warriors are a professional rugby union team that competes in Major League Rugby, the top-level rugby union competition in the United States and Canada that played its first season in 2018. The team is based in Salt Lake City, Utah, and ...
in
Major League Rugby
Major League Rugby (MLR or USMLR) is a professional rugby union competition and the top-level championship for clubs in North America. In the 2022 season it was contested by thirteen teams: twelve from the United States and one from Canada. Off ...
(MLR). His regular playing position is Wing.
Early life
Born in
Tonga
Tonga (, ; ), officially the Kingdom of Tonga ( to, Puleʻanga Fakatuʻi ʻo Tonga), is a Polynesian country and archipelago. The country has 171 islands – of which 45 are inhabited. Its total surface area is about , scattered over in ...
, Vainikolo's family moved to
New Zealand
New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...
in 1997 when he was 12. He moved through rugby age group levels in
Auckland
Auckland (pronounced ) ( mi, Tāmaki Makaurau) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. The List of New Zealand urban areas by population, most populous urban area in the country and the List of cities in Oceania by po ...
before moving to the Wellsford club in
Northland in 2007.
Club career
New Zealand
Vainikolo made his debut in the
2007 Air New Zealand Cup
The 2007 Air New Zealand Cup was a provincial rugby union competition involving 14 teams from New Zealand. Matches started on Thursday 26 July 2007, and the Final, in which Auckland defeated Wellington, was held on Saturday 20 October.
This s ...
, scoring five tries in just 10 matches to earn himself a
Super Rugby
Super Rugby is a men's professional rugby union club competition involving teams from Australia, Fiji, New Zealand, and the Pacific Islands. It previously included teams from Argentina, Japan, and South Africa. Building on various Southern Hem ...
contract. He repeated the feat with another five tries in
2008
File:2008 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Lehman Brothers went bankrupt following the Subprime mortgage crisis; Cyclone Nargis killed more than 138,000 in Myanmar; A scene from the opening ceremony of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing; ...
. Vainikolo transferred to
Otago
Otago (, ; mi, Ōtākou ) is a region of New Zealand located in the southern half of the South Island administered by the Otago Regional Council. It has an area of approximately , making it the country's second largest local government reg ...
to join many of his Highlanders teammates for the
2009 Air New Zealand Cup
The 2009 Air New Zealand Cup was the 33rd provincial rugby union competition, the fourth since the competition reconstruction in 2006, involving the top 14 provincial unions in New Zealand. It ran for 15 weeks from 30 July to 7 November. It was ...
. However, he was unable to duplicate his success for Northland, missing much of 2009 through injury and then struggling with poor form throughout the
2010 ITM Cup.
On the heels of his success with Northland, Vainikolo was drafted into the
Highlanders squad for the
2008 Super 14 season
The 2008 Super 14 season started in February 2008 with pre-season matches held from mid-January. It finished on 31 May, when the Crusaders won their seventh Super Rugby title with a 20–12 victory over the Waratahs in front of the Crusaders' ...
. While the team endured a difficult campaign, Vainikolo stood out as an offensive weapon, finishing third in the entire competition with six tries, including several of the highlight-reel variety. In the
2009 Super 14 season
The 2009 Super 14 season kicked off in February 2009 with pre-season matches held from mid-January. It finished on 30 May, when the Bulls won their second Super Rugby title with a decisive 61–17 victory over the Chiefs at Loftus Versfeld sta ...
, Vainikolo struggled to repeat his first-year success, scoring only two tries and coming into increased criticism for his defensive play, splitting starts with the more reliable
Kendrick Lynn
Kendrick Graeme Lynn (born 30 November 1982) is a former New Zealand rugby union player. A versatile utility back, he last played for Lyon in the French Top 14 competition.
Playing career
Provincial Rugby
Lynn was educated at St Peters School ...
. In
2010
File:2010 Events Collage New.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2010 Chile earthquake was one of the strongest recorded in history; The Eruption of Eyjafjallajökull in Iceland disrupts air travel in Europe; A scene from the opening ceremony of ...
, he started the season sharing playing time with
James Paterson, but started the last seven games of the year and finished with five tries to co-lead the club along with
Israel Dagg
Israel Jamahl Akuhata Dagg (born 6 June 1988) is a former New Zealand rugby union player who played for the Crusaders in Super Rugby. He has also played for the New Zealand Sevens team, and represents Hawkes Bay in the ITM Cup.
Dagg played in ...
. Concerns about his all-around game and poor form during the
2010 ITM Cup saw Vainikolo left off the Highlanders main squad for the
2011 Super 15 season, although he was included in the team's wider training group.
Europe
On the conclusion of Tonga's participation at the
2011 Rugby World Cup
The 2011 Rugby World Cup was the seventh Rugby World Cup, a quadrennial international rugby union competition inaugurated in 1987. The International Rugby Board (IRB) selected New Zealand as the host country in preference to Japan and South Af ...
, Vainikolo joined the Irish province
Connacht
Connacht ( ; ga, Connachta or ), is one of the provinces of Ireland, in the west of Ireland. Until the ninth century it consisted of several independent major Gaelic kingdoms (Uí Fiachrach, Uí Briúin, Uí Maine, Conmhaícne, and Delbhn ...
for the 2011–2012 season. Having missed the pre-season and the first two months of the
RaboDirectPro12 season, Vainikolo struggled to establish himself in the starting XV. Gradually, as he has settled and his performances improved as his confidence grew, he established himself as a key component in the Connacht attack. He is most notable for his eagerness to get involved, frequently coming infield to make a key tackle or to help clear out a ruck.
After 14
Connacht
Connacht ( ; ga, Connachta or ), is one of the provinces of Ireland, in the west of Ireland. Until the ninth century it consisted of several independent major Gaelic kingdoms (Uí Fiachrach, Uí Briúin, Uí Maine, Conmhaícne, and Delbhn ...
appearances in 2011–12 between
Pro12
The United Rugby Championship (URC) is an annual rugby union competition involving professional teams from Ireland, Italy, Scotland, South Africa, and Wales. The current name was adopted in 2021 when the league expanded to include four South Afr ...
&
Heineken Cup
The European Rugby Champions Cup (known as the Heineken Champions Cup for sponsorship reasons) is an annual rugby union tournament organised by European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR). It is the top-tier competition for clubs who compete in a pre ...
and 3 league tries, season 2012–13 held much promise for the fan favorite Tongan. He scored a vital try against Irish Rivals
Leinster Rugby
Leinster Rugby ( ga, Rugbaí Laighean) is one of the four professional provincial rugby union teams from the island of Ireland and the most successful Irish team domestically. They compete in the United Rugby Championship and the European Rugby ...
, in a
Pro12
The United Rugby Championship (URC) is an annual rugby union competition involving professional teams from Ireland, Italy, Scotland, South Africa, and Wales. The current name was adopted in 2021 when the league expanded to include four South Afr ...
derby to help Connacht gain a 34–6 win over the European champions. Vainikolo ran 50 metres to score a crucial try as
Connacht
Connacht ( ; ga, Connachta or ), is one of the provinces of Ireland, in the west of Ireland. Until the ninth century it consisted of several independent major Gaelic kingdoms (Uí Fiachrach, Uí Briúin, Uí Maine, Conmhaícne, and Delbhn ...
beat French giants
Biarritz
Biarritz ( , , , ; Basque also ; oc, Biàrritz ) is a city on the Bay of Biscay, on the Atlantic coast in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in the French Basque Country in southwestern France. It is located from the border with Spain. ...
in the
Heineken Cup
The European Rugby Champions Cup (known as the Heineken Champions Cup for sponsorship reasons) is an annual rugby union tournament organised by European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR). It is the top-tier competition for clubs who compete in a pre ...
. He started in all six of Connacht's
Heineken Cup
The European Rugby Champions Cup (known as the Heineken Champions Cup for sponsorship reasons) is an annual rugby union tournament organised by European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR). It is the top-tier competition for clubs who compete in a pre ...
games, and featured in seventeen of Connacht's twenty two
Pro12
The United Rugby Championship (URC) is an annual rugby union competition involving professional teams from Ireland, Italy, Scotland, South Africa, and Wales. The current name was adopted in 2021 when the league expanded to include four South Afr ...
games.
Exeter Chiefs announced on their official website on 9 May 2013 that Vainikolo would be joining the Chiefs on a two-year deal. Vainikolo scored a try on his competitive debut for the Chiefs during a 44-29 victory over
Cardiff Blues
Cardiff Rugby ( cy, Rygbi Caerdydd) are one of the four professional Welsh rugby union teams. They compete in the United Rugby Championship and in European Professional Club Rugby competitions.
Based in Cardiff, the team play at Cardiff Arms ...
in the
Heineken Cup
The European Rugby Champions Cup (known as the Heineken Champions Cup for sponsorship reasons) is an annual rugby union tournament organised by European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR). It is the top-tier competition for clubs who compete in a pre ...
.
After his stint with the Chiefs, Vanikolo signed with Top 14 side
Oyonnax
Oyonnax () is the second most populated commune in the Ain department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region in eastern France.
Oyonnax lies in a valley of the Jura Mountains in the far north of Ain. It is near the Parc naturel régional du Haut- ...
.
International career
Vainikolo was selected in the
Tonga
Tonga (, ; ), officially the Kingdom of Tonga ( to, Puleʻanga Fakatuʻi ʻo Tonga), is a Polynesian country and archipelago. The country has 171 islands – of which 45 are inhabited. Its total surface area is about , scattered over in ...
2011 World Cup squad on 8 August, and made his test debut on 13 August 2011 against
Fiji
Fiji ( , ,; fj, Viti, ; Fiji Hindi: फ़िजी, ''Fijī''), officially the Republic of Fiji, is an island country in Melanesia, part of Oceania in the South Pacific Ocean. It lies about north-northeast of New Zealand. Fiji consists ...
in a 27–12 loss. His second appearance came one week later with a starting place in Tonga's 32–20 win against Fiji at
Churchill Park,
Lautoka
Lautoka () is the second largest Local government in Fiji, city in Fiji. It is on the west coast of the island of Viti Levu, in the Ba Province of the Western Division, Fiji, Western Division. Lying in the heart of Fiji's sugar cane-growing r ...
in which he scored his first try for Tonga.
At
RWC 2011, his first World Cup outing was a starting place in Tonga's 25–20 loss to
Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...
, his second appearance came against
Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
in which he scored Tonga's third try in a 31–18 group match. win.
Fetu'u was called into the Tongan
2012 IRB Pacific Nations Cup
The 2012 Pacific Nations Cup rugby union tournament was held between the four national sides on the Pacific Rim: Fiji, Japan, Samoa and Tonga.
Japan were the reigning champion after they defeated Fiji in the 2011 competition at Churchill P ...
squad, which was being hosted by Japan and Fiji in June 2012. He scored two tries in the first match of the
2013 IRB Pacific Nations Cup
The 2013 Pacific Nations Cup rugby union tournament was held between five national sides in the Pacific Region: Canada national rugby union team, Canada, Fiji national rugby union team, Fiji, Japan national rugby union team, Japan, Tonga national r ...
, in which Tonga beat Japan 27–17 on 25 May 2013.
Vainikolo is currently the top try scorer for the Tongan national team.
References
External links
Profile at scrum.com
{{DEFAULTSORT:Vainikolo, Fetuu
1985 births
Living people
Connacht Rugby players
Exeter Chiefs players
Expatriate rugby union players in England
Expatriate rugby union players in Ireland
Expatriate rugby union players in the United States
Highlanders (rugby union) players
New Zealand expatriate rugby union players
New Zealand expatriate sportspeople in England
New Zealand expatriate sportspeople in Ireland
New Zealand expatriate sportspeople in the United States
Northland rugby union players
Otago rugby union players
People educated at Marcellin College, Auckland
People from Tongatapu
Rugby union wings
Tonga international rugby union players
Tongan emigrants to New Zealand
Tongan expatriate rugby union players
Tongan expatriate sportspeople in Ireland
Tongan expatriate sportspeople in England
Tongan expatriate sportspeople in the United States
Utah Warriors players
Valence Romans Drôme Rugby players
New Zealand expatriate sportspeople in France
Tongan expatriate sportspeople in France
Expatriate rugby union players in France