Toʻo Vaega

Toʻo Vaega (born 17 August 1965) is a retired professional rugby union footballer, best known for his long career with the Samoan national team.

Toʻo Vaega

Birth name	Toʻo Malo Vaega
Date of birth	(1965-08-17) 17 August 1965
Place of birth	Motoʻotua, Samoa
Height	1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Weight	90 kg (14 st 2 lb; 198 lb)
Notable relative(s)	Cardiff Vaega (son)
Rugby union career
Position(s) Centre Amateur team(s) Years Team Apps (Points) 1988-1990 Suburbs () 1991 Hastings High School Old Boys () 1995-1997 Star Rugby Club () 2000 Waitakere City () Senior career Years Team Apps (Points) 1993-1994 Moataʻa () Provincial / State sides Years Team Apps (Points) 1988-1990 Auckland () 1990-1991 Auckland B () 1991 Hawke's Bay () 1992 Auckland () 1995-1997 Southland () 2000 Bay of Plenty () Super Rugby Years Team Apps (Points) 1996–97 Highlanders 13 (20) 2000 Blues 1 (0) International career Years Team Apps (Points) 1986-2001 Samoa 61 (71)

Vaega was born in Motoʻotua.

Career

Vaega made his debut for Samoa against Wales on 14 June 1986, starting one of the longest international careers in modern rugby union history. By the time of his final cap against Ireland on 11 November 2001, he had represented his country 61 times in a 15-year period.

Vaega starred for Samoa in three World Cups, but is most remembered for scoring a critical try in Samoa's historic 16–13 victory over Wales in Cardiff during the 1991 Rugby World Cup.

Outside of his duties with the Samoan national team, Vaega enjoyed a long club career in New Zealand, most notably with Southland and the Highlanders in the mid-1990s. He was an original Highlander in the first Super 12 campaign in 1996, and set a franchise record with three tries in a match that year against Western Province, a record he shares to this day.

Vaega's son Cardiff Vaega, named for the site of Samoa's victory over Wales in 1991, is currently playing for Counties Manukau in the Mitre 10 Cup competition.

External links

• To’o Vaega at ESPNscrum
• To’o Vaega at ItsRugby.co.uk