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Michael Alaalatoa

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Michael Alaalatoa
Alaalatoarepresenting NSW Country Eagles during the National Rugby Championship
Full nameMichael Savea Alaalatoa
Date of birth (1991-08-28) 28 August 1991 (age 33)
Place of birthSydney, New South Wales, Australia
Height1.89 m (6 ft 2 in)
Weight132 kg (291 lb; 20 st 11 lb)
SchoolNewington College
Notable relative(s)Vili Alaalatoa (father)
Allan Alaalatoa (brother)
Rugby union career
Position(s) Prop
Current team Leinster
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2013 Southern Districts 15 (0)
2014–2015 West Harbour 38 (15)
2014–2015 Waratahs 1 (0)
2014 NSW Country Eagles 9 (0)
2015–2021 Manawatu 46 (20)
2016–2021 Crusaders 94 (28)
2021– Leinster 55 (25)
Correct as of 27 December 2023
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2011 Samoa U20 4 (0)
2019– Samoa 15 (0)
Correct as of 28 August 2023

Michael Savea Alaalatoa (born 28 August 1991) is a professional rugby union player who plays as a prop for United Rugby Championship club Leinster. Born in Australia, he represents Samoa at international level after qualifying on ancestry grounds.[1][2]

Early life

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Born into a rugby household where father Vili was a member of the Samoa squad for the 1991 Rugby World Cup, Alaalatoa was quickly introduced into the sporting world and played rugby, volleyball and cricket in his childhood.

Club career

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Rugby was where he excelled and he played three years in the Newington College First XV.[3] He made his way through the ranks in the New South Wales Shute Shield, initially with Southern Districts and later West Harbour. Some impressive performances at that level saw him become a regular member of the Waratahs wider training squad in 2014.[1]

An injury to regular front-rower Paddy Ryan saw Alaalatoa called up to the Waratahs first team for the final round of league matches in the 2014 Super Rugby season. He made his debut as a second-half replacement in the Waratahs 34–3 victory over the Reds in Brisbane.[4]

Leading up to the 2015 ITM Cup Alaalatoa moved to New Zealand and signed to play for Manawatu[5] where he had a solid season that earned him a 2016 super rugby contract with the Crusaders[6]

It was announced on 12 April 2021 that Alaalatoa would be moving to Leinster to play Pro 14 and European Cup rugby starting in the 2021/22 season.[7]

International career

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Alaalatoa was a member of the Samoa Under 20 side that competed in the 2011 IRB Junior World Championship.[8]

Alaalatoa was eligible to play international rugby for Samoa, Australia through birth and New Zealand through residency.

On 23 August 2019, he was named in Samoa's 34-man training squad for the 2019 Rugby World Cup,[9] before being named in the final 31 on 31 August.[10]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Michael Alaalatoa Waratahs Player Profile". Waratahs Rugby. Retrieved 14 July 2014.
  2. ^ "Michael Alaalatoa Player Statistics". itsrugby.co.uk. Retrieved 14 July 2014.
  3. ^ Newington College Rugby Association Archived 18 May 2015 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 2 May 2015.
  4. ^ "Reds vs Waratahs 12 July 2014 Match Breakdown". SA Rugby. Retrieved 14 July 2014.
  5. ^ "Prop Alaalatoa gives up Waratahs contract to play for Turbos".
  6. ^ "Crusaders nab giant Manawatu tighthead prop Michael Alaalatoa".
  7. ^ "Leinster sign Crusaders tighthead prop Michael Alaalatoa". Irish Times. Retrieved 12 April 2021.
  8. ^ "Michael Alaalatoa IRB JWC Player Profile". IRB.com. Archived from the original on 15 July 2014. Retrieved 14 July 2014.
  9. ^ Airey, Thomas (23 August 2019). "Alalatoa headlines Manu Samoa pre-World Cup squad". Samoa Observer. Retrieved 27 August 2019.
  10. ^ "Two uncapped players in Samoa squad for Japan". rugbyworldcup.com. Rugby World Cup. 31 August 2019. Retrieved 1 September 2019.
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