Profile: Soane Tonga’uiha
Soane Tonga'uiha
Soane Tonga’uiha
DOB: 21st Jan 1982
Position: Prop
Height: 1.91 m (6’ 3”)
Weight: 126 kg (19 st 11 lb)
Club: Northampton Saints
Honours: 2011 Aviva Premiership winner
Debut: v Australia, Adelaide, 2004
Profile:
Weighing 126 kg, Tongan-born but New Zealand-educated Soane Tonga’uiha is a huge man. But despite his bulk, the Northampton prop has an incredible turn of pace.
After growing up in Auckland, he made his Test debut for the Pacific Islanders in 2004 before moving to England where he had an impression with Bedford Blues in 2005-06.
In 2009/10 Tonga’uiha became one the Premiership’s hottest properties with a string of powerful displays in the tight and especially in the loose, earning nominations in the shortlists for the Premiership Player of the Season and RPA Players’ Player of the Season.
2010/11 started at a similar pace as he hunted down club and league scoring records for a prop. The big Tongan was included in the shortlist for ERC European Player of the Season and still in his twenties, there may be more to come as he approaches his prime in propping terms.