Brian_Alainu'uese
Brian Alainu'uese
Rugby player
Brian Alainu'uese (born 19 March 1994) is a professional rugby union player who plays as a lock for Top 14 club Toulon. Born in New Zealand, he represents Samoa at international level after qualifying on ancestry grounds.[1]
Alainu'uese representing Toulon during the EPCR Challenge Cup | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | (1994-03-19) 19 March 1994 (age 30) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Place of birth | Invercargill, New Zealand | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 2.02 m (6 ft 8 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 135 kg (298 lb; 21 st 4 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| School | Wesley College | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Alainu'uese has been drafted to Glasgow Hawks in the Scottish Premiership for the 2017-18 season.[2]
Alainu'uese first appeared for Waikato against Horowhenua-Kapiti in July 2013 after which he went on to make 6 appearances in that year's ITM Cup. Injury ruled him out of the following 2 seasons, however in 2016, injury-free he returned to the Waikato senior squad.[1][3]
Alainu'uese was a member of the Chiefs Under-18 programme and later moved into the franchise's development squad for the 2014 and 2015 seasons. He got his big chance during the 2015 Super Rugby season when he was called up as a short-term injury replacement by the Chiefs and went on to make 2 appearances.[3][4]
On 24 October 2016 it was announced that he had signed for professional provincial team Glasgow Warriors in a deal to the end of the season.[5] He made his competitive debut for Glasgow on 28 October 2016 against Benetton Treviso at Scotstoun Stadium. Langilangi Haupeakui also made his Warriors debut in the same match - Alain'uese replaced Tim Swinson on 51 minutes; and Haupeakui replaced Simone Favaro on 55 minutes. This gives Alainueuse a Glasgow Warrior No. 272 and Haupeakui a Glasgow Warrior No. 273.[6]
On 23 October 2018 Alainu'uese joined Toulon after being released from his Glasgow Warriors contract by mutual consent [7]
Alainu'uese was considered too young to be selected for the 2013 IRB Junior World Championship by New Zealand and instead was called up by Samoa for whom he made 5 appearances and scored 1 try. The move does not prevent him from appearing for the All Blacks senior team in the future.[3][8]
He was named in Samoa's squad for their Northern Hemisphere tour in 2022.[9] He received 2 senior caps in that tour.[10]
Club summary
- As of 14 August 2016[3]
- "Brian Alainu'uese Waikato Player Profile". Mooloo Rugby. Archived from the original on 15 August 2016. Retrieved 22 August 2016.
- "Brian Alainu'uese itsrugby Player Statistics". itsrugby. Retrieved 22 August 2016.
- "Chiefs team announced to play Bulls in Rotorua". Chiefs Rugby. Retrieved 22 August 2016.
- "Glasgow allow Alainu'uese to join Toulon". BBC Sport.
- "Big teenager thriving in locking role". Waikato Times. 14 August 2013. Retrieved 22 August 2016.
- "Manu Samoa on Twitter". 5 October 2022. Retrieved 12 August 2023.
- Brian Alainu'uese at ESPNscrum
- Brian Alainu'uese at ItsRugby.co.uk
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