Tony Iro
Encyclopedia
Tony Roy Iro is the Assistant Coach of the New Zealand Warriors
, selector and Assistant Coach of the New Zealand national rugby league team
and a former rugby league
player. He is the brother of former professional rugby league international footballer Kevin Iro
.
at Easts
in the mid-1990s. Iro, who had played with Wigan
in 1987-89, signed with new Super League
club Hunter Mariners
and after a season with his brother Kevin, ventured to play for the Adelaide Rams
after moving to the forwards. Following the demise of the Rams, 1999 found Iro at Souths
before his return to England
.
international and played at the 1995 Rugby League World Cup
. The veteran of 25 Tests, his last international series was against Great Britain
and France
in 1998.
coaching staff and in 2008 was named in inaugural coach of the Toyota Cup side.
He was appointed to the New Zealand coaching staff in February 2009.
For the 2010 season Iro was promoted to be the Warriors Assistant Coach. In 2010 Iro was appointed a New Zealand Kiwis selector for two years.
New Zealand Warriors
The New Zealand Warriors are a professional rugby league football club based in Auckland, New Zealand. They compete in the National Rugby League premiership and are the League's only team from outside Australia...
, selector and Assistant Coach of the New Zealand national rugby league team
New Zealand national rugby league team
The New Zealand national rugby league team has represented New Zealand in rugby league football since intercontinental competition began for the sport in 1907. Administered by the New Zealand Rugby League, they are commonly known as the Kiwis, after the native bird of that name...
and a former rugby league
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
player. He is the brother of former professional rugby league international footballer Kevin Iro
Kevin Iro
Kevin Leslie Iro is a former professional rugby league international footballer who has representated both New Zealand and the Cook Islands. In his domestic career, his achievements include playing in the Challenge Cup final for Leeds, Wigan and St. Helens.Iro is the younger brother of New Zealand...
.
Playing career
Iro a powerful winger with the strength of a forward, played his best football under Phil GouldPhil Gould
Phil Gould is an Australian rugby league broadcaster, journalist, administrator and former player and coach. Since the 1990s he has had a prominent role in Channel 9's coverage of rugby league, as a commentator on their match-day coverage, and appears on The Sunday Footy Show and The Sunday Roast...
at Easts
Sydney Roosters
The Sydney Roosters are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney. The club competes in the National Rugby League and is one of the oldest and most successful clubs in Australian rugby league history, having won twelve New South Wales Rugby League...
in the mid-1990s. Iro, who had played with Wigan
Wigan Warriors
Wigan Warriors is an English rugby league club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester. The club's first team squad competes in the engage Super League and the team are the current Challenge Cup holders as of the 27th August 2011....
in 1987-89, signed with new Super League
Super League (Australia)
Super League was an Australian rugby league football administrative body that conducted professional competition in Australasia for one season in 1997. Along with Super League of Europe, it was created by News Corporation during the Super League war which arose following an unsuccessful attempt to...
club Hunter Mariners
Hunter Mariners
The Hunter Mariners were an Australian rugby league club based in the Hunter Valley region's largest city, Newcastle. Hunter was formed in mid 1995 and was later disbanded at the end of 1997. The club was formed because of the Super League war, which was the rivalry between the traditional...
and after a season with his brother Kevin, ventured to play for the Adelaide Rams
Adelaide Rams
The Adelaide Rams were an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Adelaide, South Australia. The team was formed in 1995 for the planned rebel Super League competition, which eventually ran parallel to the rival Australian Rugby League competition in 1997...
after moving to the forwards. Following the demise of the Rams, 1999 found Iro at Souths
South Sydney Rabbitohs
The South Sydney Rabbitohs are an Australian professional rugby league football team based in Redfern, a suburb of South-central Sydney, New South Wales. They participate in the National Rugby League premiership and are one of nine existing teams from the state capital...
before his return to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
Running Down The Clock
Whilst playing for The Adelaide Rams in the Round 13 game against the St George Dragons, Iro received the ball ten metres out from the Dragons line with ten seconds remaining. In what is considered the only instance of this event occurring, Iro proceeded to run forward at the defensive line, then slowly began to run backwards and continued to run backwards to his own 40 metre line were he would be tackled and the game would end with a 22 to 20 victory for the Rams. This is considered one of the greatest moments in the history of rugby league and by far the greatest moment in the short history of the now defunct Adelaide Rams.Representative career
Tony Iro was a New ZealandNew Zealand national rugby league team
The New Zealand national rugby league team has represented New Zealand in rugby league football since intercontinental competition began for the sport in 1907. Administered by the New Zealand Rugby League, they are commonly known as the Kiwis, after the native bird of that name...
international and played at the 1995 Rugby League World Cup
1995 Rugby League World Cup
The 1995 Rugby League World Cup was held during October in the United Kingdom. It was the eleventh staging of the Rugby League World Cup and was marketed as the Halifax Centenary World Cup, reflecting the tournament's sponsorship and the fact that 1995 marked the 100th birthday of the sport...
. The veteran of 25 Tests, his last international series was against Great Britain
Great Britain national rugby league team
The Great Britain national rugby league team represents the United Kingdom in rugby league football. Administered by the Rugby Football League , the team is nicknamed "The Lions" or "Great Britain Lions"....
and France
France national rugby league team
The France national rugby league team represent France in international rugby league tournaments. They are also sometimes referred to as "Les Tricolores" or more commonly "Les Chanticleers"...
in 1998.
Coaching career
In 2005 he joined the New Zealand WarriorsNew Zealand Warriors
The New Zealand Warriors are a professional rugby league football club based in Auckland, New Zealand. They compete in the National Rugby League premiership and are the League's only team from outside Australia...
coaching staff and in 2008 was named in inaugural coach of the Toyota Cup side.
He was appointed to the New Zealand coaching staff in February 2009.
For the 2010 season Iro was promoted to be the Warriors Assistant Coach. In 2010 Iro was appointed a New Zealand Kiwis selector for two years.
Achievements
- Wigan: Challenge CupChallenge CupThe Challenge Cup is a knockout cup competition for rugby league clubs organised by the Rugby Football League. Originally it was contested only by British teams but in recent years has been expanded to allow teams from France and Russia to take part....
, Lancashire CupRugby league county cupsHistorically, British rugby league clubs competed for the Lancashire Cup and the Yorkshire Cup, known collectively as the county cups. The leading rugby clubs in Yorkshire had played in a cup competition for several years prior to the schism of 1895...
, Regal TrophyRegal TrophyThe Regal Trophy was a knock-out competition for British rugby league football clubs between 1971 and 1996.It was initially for professional clubs with the exception of two amateur teams who were finalists of the BARLA National Cup...
, Charity Shield - Coaching: Vodafone Warriors IT and Video analyst 2005
- Allied Work Force development coach 2006
- Vodafone Warriors welfare and development manager 2006-07
- Other: New Zealand selector 2005-07, 2010–12
External links
- Tony Iro Wigan Career Page on the Wigan RL Fansite.
- World Cup 1995 details