Tonga Lea'aetoa
Encyclopedia
Tonga Lea'aetoa is a New Zealand-Tongan rugby union
player who currently plays for Bayonne
in the French Top 14. Lea'aetoa's position of choice is as a prop.
Lea'aetoa's parents came from Tonga, he spent his childhood in Australia
in Manly
, Sydney
. It was when he returned to New Zealand to attend boarding school at Auckland Grammar School
that rugby union took over his sporting career at the age of 16. He started out as a centre, then played at full back and as a No 8 before ending up as a prop. The unusual shift of position was due to a change in his metabolism that saw him put on 20 kilogrammes between the ages of 17 and 18. The Tongan international was a relative latecomer to rugby union only taking up the sport 14 years ago in New Zealand. During his time in Sydney he spent several years at the Northern Suburbs Rugby Club.
Lea'aetoa arrived in England in July 2006 with a reputation as one of the most talented and versatile prop forwards in Europe. He is one of those rare individuals that can play effectively on either side of the front row.
His skill and versatility have earned him 19 caps for his country to date. He was ever present for the London Irish last season, the only player to play in all 31 games, a feat that saw him receive the club's 'Players' Player of the Season Award'.
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
player who currently plays for Bayonne
Aviron Bayonnais
Aviron Bayonnais is a French rugby union club from Bayonne in Pyrénées-Atlantiques that currently competes in the top level of the French league system, in the Top 14 competition...
in the French Top 14. Lea'aetoa's position of choice is as a prop.
Lea'aetoa's parents came from Tonga, he spent his childhood in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
in Manly
Manly, New South Wales
Manly is a suburb of northern Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Manly is located 17 kilometres north-east of the Sydney central business district and is the administrative centre of the local government area of Manly Council, in the Northern Beaches region.-History:Manly was named...
, Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
. It was when he returned to New Zealand to attend boarding school at Auckland Grammar School
Auckland Grammar School
Auckland Grammar School is a state secondary school for years 9 to 13 boys in Auckland, New Zealand. It had a roll of 2,483 in 2008, including a number of boarders who live in nearby Tibbs' House, making it one of the largest schools in New Zealand...
that rugby union took over his sporting career at the age of 16. He started out as a centre, then played at full back and as a No 8 before ending up as a prop. The unusual shift of position was due to a change in his metabolism that saw him put on 20 kilogrammes between the ages of 17 and 18. The Tongan international was a relative latecomer to rugby union only taking up the sport 14 years ago in New Zealand. During his time in Sydney he spent several years at the Northern Suburbs Rugby Club.
Lea'aetoa arrived in England in July 2006 with a reputation as one of the most talented and versatile prop forwards in Europe. He is one of those rare individuals that can play effectively on either side of the front row.
His skill and versatility have earned him 19 caps for his country to date. He was ever present for the London Irish last season, the only player to play in all 31 games, a feat that saw him receive the club's 'Players' Player of the Season Award'.