Vaea Anitoni

Vaea Naufahu Anitoni (born 20 September 1970) is an American former rugby union player who played wing. Anitoni is the all-time leading try scorer for the U.S. national team. Anitoni played for the United States national team from 1992 to 2000. During that period, Anitoni played in 46 matches, starting 44, and scored 26 tries, a record which still stands today.[2]

Vaea Anitoni
Birth nameVaea Naufahu Anitoni
Date of birth (1970-09-20) 20 September 1970
Place of birthTongatapu, Tonga
Height5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)
Weight170 lb (77 kg)
Rugby union career
Position(s) Wing
Amateur team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
San Mateo Rugby Club ()
Provincial / State sides
Years Team Apps (Points)
1990-1991 ʻEua[1] ()
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
1990
1992–2000		 Tonga
United States		 1
46		 (0)
(130)
Correct as of 10 February 2014
National sevens team(s)
Years Team Comps
United States

International career

Anitoni made his debut 13 June 1992 against Canada, and scored his first try in his next match for the US on 21 May 1994 against Canada.[3] Anitoni's peak years for the national team were from 1996–1998, when he scored 22 tries in 28 matches.[3] Anitoni twice scored 4 tries in a single match – once against Japan in July 1996 and again against Portugal in April 1998.[3] Anitoni played at the 1999 Rugby World Cup, where he started 3 matches,[4] and was regarded as a game breaker and a key player for the US national team.[5]

Anitoni also played sevens for the U.S. national sevens team. During the mid to late 1990s Anitoni was regarded as one of the most consistent players for the U.S., due to his ability as a creator with speed.[6] Anitoni was a member of the preliminary squad for the United States during the 2000 Rugby World Cup Sevens.[7]

Club rugby

Anitoni played for the Pomona rugby club, San Francisco's Olympic Club, and the San Mateo club which claimed the national sevens championship in 1997.[8]

International tries
Try Opposing team Venue Competition Date Result Score Ref.
1  CanadaGeorge Allen Field, Long BeachTest match21 May 1994Lost10–15[9]
2  ArgentinaGeorge Allen Field, Long Beach1995 Rugby World Cup Qualifier28 May 1994Lost22–28[10]
3  IrelandLansdowne Road, DublinTest match5 November 1994Lost15–26[11]
4  CanadaBoxer Stadium, San Francisco1996 Pacific Rim Championship11 May 1996Won19–12[12]
5  CanadaThunderbird Stadium, Vancouver1996 Pacific Rim Championship18 May 1996Lost20–24[13]
6  JapanPrince Chichibu Memorial Stadium, Tokyo1996 Pacific Rim Championship16 June 1996Lost18–24[14]
7
8  Hong KongBoxer Stadium, San Francisco1996 Pacific Rim Championship29 June 1996Won42–23[15]
9
10  JapanBoxer Stadium, San Francisco1996 Pacific Rim Championship6 July 1996Won74–5[16]
11
12
13
14  UruguayFletcher's Fields, Markham1996 Pan-American Championship21 September 1996Won27–13[17]
15  JapanBoxer Stadium, San Francisco1997 Pacific Rim Championship7 June 1997Won51–29[18]
16  WalesWilimingtonTest match5 July 1997Lost20–30[19]
17  WalesBoxer Stadium, San FranciscoTest match12 July 1997Lost23–28[20]
18  PortugalEstádio Universitário de Lisboa, LisbonTest match8 April 1998Won61–5[21]
19
20
21
22  SpainEl Puerto de Santa MaríaTest match12 April 1998Won49–3[22]
23
24  Hong KongAberdeen Stadium, Hong Kong1998 Pacific Rim Championship16 May 1998Lost25–43[23]
25  ArgentinaCricket and Rugby Club, Buenos Aires1999 Rugby World Cup Qualifier15 August 1998Lost24–52[24]
26  CanadaStanley Park, Toronto1999 Pacific Rim Championship19 June 1999Won18–17[25]

Honors
Individual
  • US Rugby Hall of Fame[26]
  • US all time leading try scorer

References
  1. Photo of the Tonga 1991 squad on The Tonga Chronicle
  2. "US Rugby Legend Ponders HOF, Tries Record". Flo rugby. Retrieved 5 September 2021.
  3. "Rugby Union - ESPN Scrum - Statsguru - Player analysis - Vaea Anitoni - Test matches". ESPN scrum.
  4. "Vaea Naufahu Anitoni". ESPN scrum.
  5. "Key player: Vaea Anitoni". BBC News. 17 September 1999.
  6. "Frederick Rugby Football Club, 1999 News Archives".
  7. "USA Rugby, USA Names Preliminary Squad for RWC7s".
  8. Kirsch, George B.; Harris, Othello; Nolte, Claire Elaine (1 January 2000). Encyclopedia of Ethnicity and Sports in the United States. Greenwood Publishing Group. ISBN 9780313299117.
  9. "Canada Tour - Long Beach, 21 May 1994". espn.co.uk. ESPN. Retrieved November 7, 2018.
  10. "1995 Rugby World Cup Qualifier, Americas, Round 2 - Long Beach, 28 May 1994". espn.co.uk. ESPN. Retrieved November 7, 2018.
  11. "United States of America Tour - Lansdowne Road, 5 November 1994". espn.co.uk. ESPN. Retrieved November 7, 2018.
  12. "Pacific Rim Championship - San Francisco, 11 May 1996". espn.co.uk. ESPN. Retrieved November 7, 2018.
  13. "Pacific Rim Championship - Vancouver, 18 May 1996". espn.co.uk. ESPN. Retrieved November 7, 2018.
  14. "Pacific Rim Championship - Tokyo, 16 June 1996, 14:00 local, 05:00 GMT". espn.co.uk. ESPN. Retrieved November 7, 2018.
  15. "Pacific Rim Championship - San Francisco, 29 June 1996". espn.co.uk. ESPN. Retrieved November 7, 2018.
  16. "Pacific Rim Championship - San Francisco, 6 July 1996, 16:00 local, 23:00 GMT". espn.co.uk. ESPN. Retrieved November 7, 2018.
  17. "Pan-American Championship - Markham, 21 September 1996". espn.co.uk. ESPN. Retrieved November 7, 2018.
  18. "Pacific Rim Championship - San Francisco, 7 June 1997, 13:00 local, 20:00 GMT". espn.co.uk. ESPN. Retrieved November 7, 2018.
  19. "Wales Tour - Wilmington, 5 July 1997". espn.co.uk. ESPN. Retrieved November 7, 2018.
  20. "Wales Tour - San Francisco, 12 July 1997". espn.co.uk. ESPN. Retrieved November 7, 2018.
  21. "United States of America Tour - Lisbon, 8 April 1998". espn.co.uk. ESPN. Retrieved November 7, 2018.
  22. "United States of America Tour - El Puerto de Santa Maria, 12 April 1998". espn.co.uk. ESPN. Retrieved November 7, 2018.
  23. "Pacific Rim Championship - Hong Kong, 16 May 1998". espn.co.uk. ESPN. Retrieved November 7, 2018.
  24. "1999 Rugby World Cup Qualifier, Americas, Round 4 - Buenos Aires, 15 August 1998". espn.co.uk. ESPN. Retrieved November 7, 2018.
  25. "Pacific Rim Championship - Toronto, 19 June 1999". espn.co.uk. ESPN. Retrieved November 7, 2018.
  26. "Fairfield man first Polynesian native into US Rugby Hall of Fame". Daily Republic. Retrieved 25 December 2020.
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