Victor Vito (rugby union)

Victor Vasefanua Junior Vito (born 27 March 1987) is a New Zealand former rugby player and All Black who last played blindside flanker for French team La Rochelle. He was a star of New Zealand Sevens,[2] and captained the 2006 New Zealand Under 19 Rugby team.[3] Also in 2006 Vito was nominated for the IRB Under 19 Player of the Year Award.[4] He is a key member of 2011 and 2015 Rugby World Cup winning teams, becoming one of only 21 players who have won the Rugby World Cup on multiple occasions.

Victor Vito

Birth name	Victor Vasefanua Junior Vito
Date of birth	(1987-03-27) 27 March 1987
Place of birth	Wellington, New Zealand
Height	1.92 m (6 ft 3+1⁄2 in)[1]
Weight	112 kg (17 st 9 lb)[1]
School	Scots College, Wellington
Rugby union career
Position(s) Loose forward Current team La Rochelle Amateur team(s) Years Team Apps (Points) Marist St Pats () Senior career Years Team Apps (Points) 2016–2022 La Rochelle 134 (80) Correct as of 12 August 2022 Provincial / State sides Years Team Apps (Points) 2006–2015 Wellington 62 (50) Correct as of 23 October 2015 Super Rugby Years Team Apps (Points) 2009–2016 Hurricanes 100 (60) Correct as of 6 August 2016 International career Years Team Apps (Points) 2006 2007 2010–2015 New Zealand U19 New Zealand U21 New Zealand 33 (20) Correct as of 31 October 2015

Vito attended the Wellington private school, Scots College, where he played for the 1st XV and was a boarder.[3][5]

While playing rugby in New Zealand, Vito was a member of amateur rugby Marist St Pats in Wellington,[5] and was a prominent player in the 2009 Wellington Lions. In 2010 he started for the Hurricanes Super 14 team and was named in the All Blacks extended squad for the first tests of the year.[3]

During an interview with the ZM FM Morning Crew, Vito described his new position in the All Blacks as "a really really awesome promotion."[6]

Vito was a colour commentator for Sky Network Television at the 2010 Wellington Sevens. During the tournament he revealed he was a fan of NFL side Tampa Bay Buccaneers and regarded Ronde Barber as a personal idol of his.

In 2010, he was bestowed the matai title of Leaupepetele[7] in the village of Fasito'outa. Vito was in the All Blacks camp, preparing for his test debut off the bench against Ireland, when his mother Luma'ava Leaupepe-Timoteo returned to their village in Samoa to accept the passing of the title.[8]

It is one of Samoa's highest honours, and was bestowed by Leaupepe Tele to the eldest sons of his respective children: Vito and three of his cousins.

"My grandfather holds the highest title in Fasito'o Uta and he's getting on now and he needed to pass it on to keep the name in the family," Vito explained.[8][7]

Vito, despite inexperience compared to other players was selected for the 2011 Rugby World Cup over Liam Messam, and was again selected for the 2015 Rugby World Cup where he played as a substitute for the knockout stages, becoming one of only 20 players to have been part of multiple World Cup-winning sides.

His last appearance for the All Blacks was the game against Australia at Twickenham on 31 October 2015, where the All Blacks won the Webb Ellis Cup for the third time and second consecutive time. Vito announced his move to La Rochelle in France after the final, meaning his 2016 Super Rugby campaign would be his last.

In the final of the 2016 Super Rugby final Vito played in his 100th and final game for the Hurricanes.[9] The Hurricanes won the title, beating the Lions from South Africa.

Vito currently plays for Top 14 Rugby Team Stade Rochelais where he won the French Top 14 Player of the Year award in 2017. He was also a nominee for EPCR European Player of The Year in 2018, helping his team to their first Champions cup season and Quarter-Final playoff.[10][11]