Sione Vailanu
Sione Vailanu (born 27 January 1995) is a Tongan No.8 rugby union player who plays for English Premiership side Wasps. He previously played for Saracens after being a sevens player in Japan.
| Birth name | Sione Langi Vailanu | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Date of birth | 27 January 1995 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Tonga | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 119 kg (262 lb; 18 st 10 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| University | Asahi University | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Sione's early career consisted of 4 years of playing rugby sevens in Japan with the Asahi University.[1] While he was playing in Japan he was scouted by Afa Hanipale who recommended him to invitational team Samurai RFC.[2] Sione was invited to play for Samurai RFC at the Hong Kong 10s tournament in 2017
It was at the Hong Kong 10s, playing for Samurai RFC,[3] that he impressed the then Saracens Academy Director Donald Barrell. Barrell was with Samurai RFC as their forwards coach and following a successful tournament approached Sione with a view to moving to Saracens.
It was his performance here that led to joining the Tongan national team "Ikale Tahi" for two games, against Japan and Romania, with a defeat and victory respectively.[4] Along with several other members of the Tongan team, he chose to depart from national duty early in order to ease the mid-season joining in England.[5]
Sione joined Saracens at the beginning of January 2018 to act both as injury and international call-up cover, with an initial contract to the end of the 2018/19 season.[6] Several injuries, including to his hand, would limit him to four games across all Saracens' competitions in the remainder of the 2017/18 season.[7]
In February 2019, Sione announced his signing by Wasps, in order to receive more game time and to partially fill the position vacated by Nathan Hughes who departed at the conclusion of the 2018/19 season.[8]
References
- "Sione Vailanu: Saracens sign Tonga forward on 18-month deal". BBC. 4 January 2018. Retrieved 1 September 2018.
- "Samurai Rugby". mysite. Retrieved 2018-10-23.
- "2017 | GFI HKFC 10s". www.hongkongtens.com. Retrieved 2018-10-23.
- Ned Keating (4 January 2018). "Rugby Union: Saracens director of rugby Mark McCall adds Sione Vailanu to squad". Ham & High. Retrieved 1 September 2018.
- "Sport: 'Ikale Tahi players allowed to skip northern tour". Radio New Zealand. 18 October 2017. Retrieved 1 September 2018.
- Sam Tremlett (23 August 2018). "Watch: Have Saracens Found The Next Billy Vunipola". Rugby World. Retrieved 1 September 2018.
- "Match Preview". Bedford Rugby. 25 August 2018. Retrieved 1 September 2018.
- "Sione Vailanu: Wasps sign Saracens and Tonga number eight". 20 February 2019. Retrieved 30 August 2019.