Vaea Fifita
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Vaea Tangitau Lapota Fifita (born 17 June 1992) is a Tongan professional
rugby union Rugby union football, commonly known simply as rugby union in English-speaking countries and rugby 15/XV in non-English-speaking world, Anglophone Europe, or often just rugby, is a Contact sport#Terminology, close-contact team sport that orig ...
player who plays as a flanker for
United Rugby Championship The United Rugby Championship (URC) is an annual rugby union competition involving professional teams from Ireland, Italy, Scotland, South Africa, and Wales. For sponsorship reasons the league is known as the Vodacom United Rugby Championship in ...
club
Scarlets The Scarlets () are one of the four professional Welsh rugby union teams and are based in Llanelli, Wales. Their home ground is the Parc y Scarlets stadium. They play in the United Rugby Championship and in European Professional Club Rugby c ...
and the Tonga national team.


Early life

Born and raised on the Tongan island of Vava'u, Fifita attended Tonga College on the larger island of
Tongatapu Tongatapu is the main island of Tonga and the site of its capital, Nukuʻalofa, Nukualofa. It is located in Tonga's southern island group, to which it gives its name, and is the country's most populous island, with 74,611 residents (2016), 70.5% o ...
and while there earned selection for the Tonga Schools side ahead of their tour to New Zealand. Impressive displays against New Zealand and Australia Secondary Schools Teams brought him to the attention of Tamaki College who offered him a rugby scholarship. After graduating high school, Fifita spent time with former
All Black The New Zealand national rugby union team, commonly known as the All Blacks, is the representative men's national team in the sport of rugby union for the nation of New Zealand, which is considered the country's national sport. Famed for th ...
number eight
Murray Mexted Murray Graham Mexted (born 5 September 1953) is a former New Zealand rugby union player who played 34 consecutive tests for the All Blacks from 1979 to 1985. He also played 38 non-test games including 7 as captain. During his time with the All ...
at his international rugby academy in
Palmerston North Palmerston North (; , colloquially known as Palmerston or Palmy) is a city in the North Island of New Zealand and the seat of the Manawatū-Whanganui region. Located in the eastern Manawatū Plains, the city is near the north bank of the Manaw ...
. This opened the way for him to make his way further south to play club rugby for the Wellington Axemen, whom he joined in 2012. He scored an incredible 26 tries in debut season of Wellington club rugby and then in 2013 he helped the sevens side lift the national title for the first time since 2002.


Club career

Fifita first played provincial rugby with during the
2013 ITM Cup The 2013 ITM Cup season was the eighth season of New Zealand's provincial rugby union competition since it turned professional in 2006. The regular season began on 15 August, when Counties Manukau (National Provincial Championship), Counties Man ...
, making a sole appearance in a 35–27 win over . The Lions were in fine form in 2013, finishing top of the log and reaching the Premiership final before going down 29–13 to Canterbury, however
2014 The year 2014 was marked by the surge of the Western African Ebola epidemic, West African Ebola epidemic, which began in 2013, becoming the List of Ebola outbreaks, most widespread outbreak of the Ebola, Ebola virus in human history, resul ...
would be a different story as they finished 7th and last in the Premiership table which saw them relegated down to the Championship for 2015. Fifita saw plenty of game time in a constantly changing Wellington side, scoring 2 tries in 9 games and then going on to score an impressive 6 tries in 10 games as the Lions failed to win promotion back to the Premiership at the first time of asking, finishing 2nd on the log behind before being defeated 26–25 by the same opposition in the playoff final. Although Fifita was not initially named in the squad ahead of the
2015 Super Rugby The 2015 Super Rugby season was the 20th season of Super Rugby and the fifth season featuring an expanded 15-team format. For sponsorship reasons, this competition was known as Asteron Life Super Rugby in Australia, Investec Super Rugby in New ...
season, Fifita was called up to provide injury cover midway through the campaign and debuted in a 29–5 victory over the in Auckland. In total he played twice during 2015 and that in addition to his good form for his provincial side, Wellington, saw him sign a three-year deal with the Hurricanes prior to the 2016 season. Fifita's first full season of Super Rugby would prove to be one to remember as he played a part in all 18 games and forged a strong second-row partnership with
Michael Fatialofa Michael Fatialofa (born 14 September 1992) is a New Zealand rugby union player who currently plays as a lock for Worcester Warriors in the Premiership. Early career Born in Auckland, Fatialofa was educated at Mount Albert Grammar School in h ...
that helped the Hurricanes lift the Super Rugby title after a 20–3 win over South African side, the in the final. Fifita scored 3 tries during the year including one in the 41–0 thrashing of the in the quarter-finals. Despite an outstanding Super Rugby campaign,
2016 2016 was designated as: * International Year of Pulses by the sixty-eighth session of the United Nations General Assembly. * International Year of Global Understanding (IYGU) by the International Council for Science (ICSU), the Internationa ...
also proved to be a year of frustration for the men from New Zealand's capital as they once again finished 2nd in the Championship table, this time behind before suffering a surprise 40–37 defeat at home to in the playoff semi-finals. Playing largely as a loose forward, Fifita featured in 8 of Wellington's 11 matches during the year and contributed 2 tries. Fifita competed at the 2017 Brisbane Global Tens with the Hurricanes but was injured during the competition and missed the first half of the season as a result. On 27 June 2017, Fifita started at blindside flanker for the Hurricanes against the touring
British and Irish Lions The British & Irish Lions is a rugby union team selected from players eligible for the national teams of England national rugby union team, England, Ireland national rugby union team, Ireland, Scotland national rugby union team, Scotland, and ...
side. Despite being behind 7-23 at half time, the Hurricanes managed to make a comeback. Fifita scored a try for the Hurricanes with ten minutes left as part of this comeback, pushing past Lions forwards
George Kruis George Edward John Kruis (born 22 February 1990) is an English former professional rugby union player. He played lock for Saracens and represented England and the British & Irish Lions. He was almost always used as a jumper in the line-out due ...
and
CJ Stander Christiaan Johan Stander (born 5 April 1990) is a South African-born Irish former rugby union player. Stander's career began in his native South Africa, where he played for the Blue Bulls in the Currie Cup between 2010 and 2012 and for the Bul ...
to score. Fifita's try allowed the Hurricanes to draw 31-31 against the Lions. Fifita returned from concussion, after the French test series, but had a string of poor performances that saw him benched for the Super Rugby playoffs, with Tongan-born Sam Lousi and the outgoing
Michael Fatialofa Michael Fatialofa (born 14 September 1992) is a New Zealand rugby union player who currently plays as a lock for Worcester Warriors in the Premiership. Early career Born in Auckland, Fatialofa was educated at Mount Albert Grammar School in h ...
, preferred as the starting locking combination, while Hurricanes Captain and England international,
Brad Shields Bradley David Fenner Shields (born 2 April 1991) is a rugby union player for Wellington in the Bunnings NPC and Hurricanes. He played 8 times for the England national rugby union team in 2018 and 2019. In November 2017 he signed with Wasps befor ...
, was kept in his usual position at flanker. Fifita was yellow-carded for a fight in the last minute of the quarter-final, against the Chiefs, which the Hurricanes narrowly won, 32-31, thanks to a Man-of-the-Match performance by Vice-Captain,
TJ Perenara Thomas Tekanapu Rawakata Perenara (born 23 January 1992), commonly known as TJ Perenara, is a New Zealand rugby union player who plays as a half-back for the Black Rams Tokyo in the Japan Rugby League One. He has previously played for the Hu ...
. The Hurricanes were knocked out of the competition on 28 July 2018, with the Crusaders punishing the Hurricanes, who lost by 12-30. Fifita put in many good performances during the
2019 Super Rugby season The 2019 Super Rugby season was the 24th season of Super Rugby, an annual rugby union competition organised by SANZAAR between teams from Argentina, Australia, Japan, New Zealand and South Africa. The 2019 season was the second season using the ...
, playing his 50th game for the Hurricanes, alongside hooker Ricky Riccitelli, in the seventh round of the season, although it ended in an 8-32 loss to the Crusaders. Fifita's low point of the season was round 16, when he was red-carded for a shoulder charge to the chin of Sharks loose forward, Dan du Preez, although the Hurricanes still won 30-17. In early 2022,
United Rugby Championship The United Rugby Championship (URC) is an annual rugby union competition involving professional teams from Ireland, Italy, Scotland, South Africa, and Wales. For sponsorship reasons the league is known as the Vodacom United Rugby Championship in ...
team
Scarlets The Scarlets () are one of the four professional Welsh rugby union teams and are based in Llanelli, Wales. Their home ground is the Parc y Scarlets stadium. They play in the United Rugby Championship and in European Professional Club Rugby c ...
, announced the services of Fifita for the following season.


International career

After a good season in 2016, Fifita was called up to the All Blacks end-of-year tour in 2016 as a replacement for the injured
Sam Whitelock Samuel Lawrence Whitelock (born 12 October 1988) is a former New Zealand rugby union player. Whitelock has played over 150 tests for New Zealand since his debut in 2010 and is the youngest New Zealander to reach 100 tests. He is the fastest ...
, and Luke Romano, after Romano left the tour due to a bereavement. He was not capped on the tour however, with fellow newcomer, Scott Barrett, preferred over Fifita. Fifita was named in the All Blacks team in 2017 for the British and Irish Lions series and test against Samoa in Auckland, being called up as injury cover for All Black captain
Kieran Read Kieran James Read (born 26 October 1985) 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. Read played for New Zealand from 2008 to 2019. He is one of ...
. Fifita quickly became a regular starter for New Zealand and made six appearances for the All Blacks in 2017. Fifita and his Hurricanes team-mate
Jordie Barrett Jordan Matthew Barrett (born 17 February 1997) is a New Zealand-born rugby union player who currently plays as a centre or fullback for Irish side Leinster in the United Rugby Championship. He represents New Zealand internationally. He previous ...
both earned their first cap for New Zealand in the 78-0 win against Samoa on 16 June 2017, one day prior to Fifita's 25th birthday, where Fifita replaced veteran
Jerome Kaino Jerome Kaino (born 6 April 1983) is a former New Zealand rugby union player. In 2004, he was named IRB International Under-21 player of the year. In 2011, he was named the New Zealand Rugby player of the year, finishing ahead of Richie McCaw ...
off the bench 57 minutes into the test. Fifita performed well and scored a try on debut, following an offload from winger
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 i ...
. Although Fifita did not play in the first two rounds of the competition, Fifita was given his first test start on 9 September 2017, against Argentina at Taranaki in the
2017 Rugby Championship The 2017 Rugby Championship was the sixth edition of the expanded annual southern hemisphere The Rugby Championship, Rugby Championship, featuring Argentina national rugby union team, Argentina, Australia national rugby union team, Australia, Sout ...
. Fifita showcased the best performance of his career, scoring his second test try and getting fans, players, and the media raving about his performance. His try sparked a comeback for the All Blacks and was a 40m solo try where he out-ran winger,
Santiago Cordero Santiago Cordero (born 6 December 1993) is an Argentine rugby union player currently playing for Irish side Connacht in the United Rugby Championship. He plays as wing or fullback. He also represents Argentina national team, Los Pumas. Santiag ...
and fullback Joaquín Tuculet. Fifita was awarded Man of the Match for his 80-minute performance, which heavily contributed to the All Blacks' 39-22 win. With Head Coach
Steve Hansen Sir Stephen William Hansen and High Chief of Vaiala, (born 7 May 1959) is a New Zealand rugby union coach and former player. He is also the father of Black Ferns assistant coach, Whitney Hansen. He was the head coach of the New Zealand na ...
wanting to rest the incoming regular starter at blindside flanker,
Liam Squire Liam Ivan John Squire (born 20 March 1991) is a former New Zealand rugby union player from Tokomaru, New Zealand. He played in the Number 8 and Blindside flanker position for Tasman in the Mitre 10 Cup. Squire joined the NTT DoCoMo Red Hurri ...
, Fifita started again against Argentina in Buenos Aires on 30 September, but failed to make the same impact as the previous match. Fifita started against the Barbarians in a 31-22 win, and with injury to Jerome Kaino and illness to Liam Squire, Fifita made a start against France in the 38-18 win on the end-of-year tour's first test. Fifita started once more on the tour, against Scotland in a 22-17 win. Fifita's efforts on the end of year tour produced a try against the Barbarians, but a mixed performance against Scotland. Finishing the 2017 season as a regular starter for his adopted country, Fifita unfortunately failed to keep consistent form, during the
2018 Super Rugby season The 2018 Super Rugby season was the 23rd season of Super Rugby, an annual rugby union competition organised by SANZAAR between teams from Argentina, Australia, Japan, New Zealand and South Africa. After two seasons in which 18 teams participate ...
, struggling with injuries during the season. Debate on Fifita's true starting position also factored into his drop in form, with then-Hurricanes Head Coach, Chris Boyd, wanting to play Fifita as a lock, while All Blacks Head Coach,
Steve Hansen Sir Stephen William Hansen and High Chief of Vaiala, (born 7 May 1959) is a New Zealand rugby union coach and former player. He is also the father of Black Ferns assistant coach, Whitney Hansen. He was the head coach of the New Zealand na ...
, insisted that Fifita was a specialist flanker. Fifita replaced
Luke Whitelock Luke Charles Whitelock (born 29 January 1991) is a New Zealand rugby union player who currently plays as a loose forward for Section Paloise (Pau) in France's Top 14 rugby competition. Whitelock has Captained Canterbury, the Highlanders and N ...
and the injured
Liam Squire Liam Ivan John Squire (born 20 March 1991) is a former New Zealand rugby union player from Tokomaru, New Zealand. He played in the Number 8 and Blindside flanker position for Tasman in the Mitre 10 Cup. Squire joined the NTT DoCoMo Red Hurri ...
off the bench, respectively, in the first two tests of the 2018 season, which were in the 2018 Steinlager series, against France. Fifita was unfortunately concussed in the second test however, ruling him out of the third test against France. Jackson Hemopo was called in as injury cover for Fifita and Squire, while
Shannon Frizell Shannon Michael Frizell (born 11 February 1994) is a Tongan born New Zealand rugby union player. His position is flanker. Early life Frizell was born and raised in Folaha, Tonga and started his childhood playing football for Folaha Football C ...
also made his international debut, in the absence of Fifita. When the All Blacks squad for the
2018 Rugby Championship The 2018 Rugby Championship was the seventh edition of the expanded annual southern hemisphere The Rugby Championship, Rugby Championship, featuring Argentina national rugby union team, Argentina, Australia national rugby union team, Australia, So ...
was named, Fifita was left out of the squad, having been controversially dropped. Fifita was dropped due to the Hurricanes' persistency with using him as a lock, although Jackson Hemopo, normally a lock for the Highlanders, was re-selected for the All Blacks as a flanker. After a solid campaign in the Mitre 10 Cup, with Wellington, Fifita earned a re-call for New Zealand towards the dying stages of the Rugby Championship. Fifita's form earned him two starts on the end of year tour, one in the 69-31 win over Japan, and the other in the 66-3 win over Italy. Fifita was one of the best-performing forwards on the field against Italy, having upped his workrate since recovery from injury. After the Super Rugby playoffs, Fifita was retained in New Zealand's 39-man squad for the Rugby Championship, at the expense of
Liam Squire Liam Ivan John Squire (born 20 March 1991) is a former New Zealand rugby union player from Tokomaru, New Zealand. He played in the Number 8 and Blindside flanker position for Tasman in the Mitre 10 Cup. Squire joined the NTT DoCoMo Red Hurri ...
. However, Fifita failed to perform to his best during the Championship, with Hurricanes team-mate,
Ardie Savea Ardie Suemalo Savea (born 14 October 1993) is a New Zealand professional rugby union player who plays as a Number 8 or Flanker for Moana Pasifika in Super Rugby and Wellington in the Bunnings NPC. He was named the 2023 World Rugby Player of th ...
, taking Fifita's starting spot. Following the Bledisloe Cup tests against Australia, Fifita was one of many All Blacks released to play for their provinces at the
Mitre 10 Cup The mitre (Commonwealth English) or miter (American English; see spelling differences; both pronounced ; ) is a type of headgear now known as the traditional, ceremonial headdress of bishops and certain abbots in traditional Christianity. Mi ...
. However, Fifita failed to make the field for Wellington, withdrawing from a match with a knee injury. On 28 August 2019, Fifita was omitted by All Blacks Head Coach,
Steve Hansen Sir Stephen William Hansen and High Chief of Vaiala, (born 7 May 1959) is a New Zealand rugby union coach and former player. He is also the father of Black Ferns assistant coach, Whitney Hansen. He was the head coach of the New Zealand na ...
, from New Zealand's 31-man squad to travel to the
2019 Rugby World Cup The 2019 Rugby World Cup () was the ninth edition of the Rugby World Cup, the quadrennial world championship for men's rugby union teams. It was hosted in Japan from 20 September to 2 November in 12 venues all across the country. The opening matc ...
, with
Luke Jacobson Luke Brittain Jacobson (born 20 April 1997) is a New Zealand people, New Zealand rugby union player who plays for the in the Super Rugby competition, and for the All Blacks. He plays in the forward pack. Jacobson made the New Zealand School ...
picked over Fifita, who was not considered for selection due to injury. Fifita was not picked for New Zealand in 2020.


Personal life

Fifita married his long-time partner, Hangale Havea, in 2018. Fifita is father to their two sons, Jason and Paula. His elder brother Leva Fifita is also a professional rugby union player who also plays international rugby for Tonga.


Career statistics


Club summary


Honours

; Hurricanes * 1×
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 has previously included teams from Argentina, Japan, and South Africa. Super Rugby started as the S ...
:
2016 2016 was designated as: * International Year of Pulses by the sixty-eighth session of the United Nations General Assembly. * International Year of Global Understanding (IYGU) by the International Council for Science (ICSU), the Internationa ...


References


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Fifita, Vaea 1992 births Tongan rugby union players Wellington rugby union players Hurricanes (rugby union) players Rugby union locks Rugby union flankers Rugby union number eights Living people Rugby union players from Vavaʻu Tongan emigrants to New Zealand People educated at Tamaki College New Zealand international rugby union players New Zealand rugby union players Wasps RFC players Scarlets players Tonga international rugby union players 2023 Rugby World Cup players Tongan expatriate rugby union players in England New Zealand expatriate rugby union players