| Full name | Fetu'u Moana Vainikolo | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | January 30, 1985 | ||
| Place of birth | Tofoa, Tonga | ||
| Height | 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in) | ||
| Weight | 95 kg (14 st 13 lb) | ||
| Rugby union career | |||
| Playing career | |||
| Position | Wing | ||
| Provincial/State sides | |||
| Years | Club / team | Caps | (points) |
| 2007-2008 2009-2010 2011- |
Northland Otago Connacht |
22 15 |
(50) (5) |
| Super Rugby | |||
| Years | Club / team | Caps | (points) |
| 2008-2010 | Highlanders | 37 | (65) |
| National team(s) | |||
| Years | Club / team | Caps | (points) |
| 2011- | Tonga | 4 | (10) |
Fetu'u Moana Vainikolo (born January 30, 1985 in Tofoa, Tonga) is a Tongan rugby union player. Noted for his explosive ball-carrying ability, he represented the Highlanders in the Super 14 competition between 2008 and 2010. For season 2011-12 Vainikolo has moved to Galway, Ireland where he is playing RaboDirectPro12 and Heineken Cup side Connacht Rugby.
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Born in Tonga, Vainikolo's family moved to New Zealand in 1997 when he was 12. He moved through rugby age group levels in Auckland before moving to the Wellsford club in Northland in 2007.
He made an explosive debut in the 2007 Air New Zealand Cup, scoring 5 tries in just 10 matches to earn himself a Super Rugby contract. He repeated the feat with another 5 tries in 2008.
Vainikolo transferred to Otago to join many of his Highlanders teammates for the 2009 Air New Zealand Cup. 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. While the team endured a difficult campaign, Vainikolo stood out as an offensive weapon, finishing 3rd in the entire competition with 6 tries including several of the highlight-reel variety.
In the 2009 Super 14 season, Vainikolo struggled to repeat his first-year success, scoring only 2 tries and coming into increased criticism for his defensive play, splitting starts with the more reliable Kendrick Lynn. In 2010, he started the season sharing playing time with James Paterson, but started the last 7 games of the year and finished with 5 tries to co-lead the club along with Israel Dagg.
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.
On the conclusion of Tonga's participation at the 2011 Rugby World Cup Vainikolo joined Irish province Connacht for the 2011-2012 season.[1][2]
Vainikolo was selected in the Tongan World Cup squad on August 8,[3] and made his test debut on 13 August 2011 against Fiji in a 27-12 loss.[4] His second appearance came one week later with a starting place in Tonga's 32-20 win against Fiji at Churchill Park, Lautoka in which he scored his first try for Tonga.[5]
At Rwc2011 his first World Cup outing was a starting place in Tonga's 25-20 loss to Canada,[6] his second appearance came against Japan in which he scored Tonga's third try in a 31-18 group match. win[7][8]
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