Rodney Iona

Rodney Esekia Iona (born 17 August 1991) is a Samoan rugby union footballer who currently plays as a fly half and Centre for the Brumbies in the Super Rugby Pacific 2022.[1] He also plays for the New Orleans Gold in Major League Rugby (MLR) in the U.S.

Rodney Iona
Full nameRodney Esekia Iona
Date of birth (1991-08-17) 17 August 1991
Place of birthMelbourne, Australia
Height1.77 m (5 ft 10 in)
Weight89 kg (14 st 0 lb; 196 lb)
Notable relative(s)Pete Samu & Jerry Collins
Rugby union career
Position(s) Fly-Half / Centre
Current team Brumbies
New Orleans Gold
Amateur team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
2011−2016 Tuggeranong Vikings ()
2017−2019 UE Santboiana ()
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2014−2016 Brumbies 3 (0)
2014–2016 Canberra Vikings 15 (44)
2016–2017 Béziers 22 (0)
2019–2020 Jersey Reds ()
2021– Brumbies ()
2023– New Orleans Gold ()
Correct as of 6 March 2023
National team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
2018– Samoa 3 (0)
Correct as of 25 October 2018

He previously represented the Canberra Vikings in the inaugural National Rugby Championship.[2][3]

Career

Originally from Melbourne, Iona made his way north to Australia's capital Canberra in an attempt to forge out a rugby career for himself. In 2011 he linked up with the Tuggeranong Vikings who play in the ACTRU Premier Division while attending the Brumbies academy. He represented the Brumbies at sevens and won the World Club Sevens Championship in 2013 and also played in the World Club 10s tournament in Singapore.[4]

A spate of injuries for the Brumbies in the middle of the 2014 Super Rugby season saw Iona earn his first cap in a derby match against the Waratahs in Sydney. His debut didn't go quite as well as he'd have liked with his first pass being intercepted which resulted in a Waratahs try.[4] Despite this Iona was offered a full-time one-year contract with the Brumbies ahead of the 2015 Super Rugby season.[5]

Iona also played for the Canberra Vikings in the first ever National Rugby Championship in 2014 making 6 appearances.[3]

Iona joined French Rugby Pro D2 side AS Béziers Hérault in July 2016.[6] He made 18 appearances in his first season, but suffered a serious neck injury after just four matches in 2017 that threatened his career. He was released by Béziers and joined Spanish División de Honor de Rugby side UE Santboiana.[7]

Super Rugby statistics
As of 28 June 2015
SeasonTeamGamesStartsSubMinsTriesConsPensDropsPointsYelRed
2014Brumbies101620000000
2015Brumbies202510000000
Total3031130000000

References
  1. "Rodney Iona: Jersey Reds sign versatile Samoa international". BBC Sport. 27 November 2019. Retrieved 12 December 2019.
  2. "Rondey Iona Canberra Vikings Player Profile". Brumbies Rugby. Archived from the original on 3 April 2015. Retrieved 10 December 2014.
  3. "Rodney Iona itsrugby Player Statistics". itsrugby. Retrieved 10 December 2014.
  4. "ACT Brumbies sign Canberra Vikings centre Rodney Iona". Sydney Morning Herald. 17 September 2014. Retrieved 10 December 2014.
  5. "Iona upgrades to UC Brumbies in 2015". Brumbies Rugby. 17 September 2014. Archived from the original on 17 September 2014. Retrieved 10 December 2014.
  6. "Recrutement de Rodney Iona" (Press release) (in French). ASBH. 6 July 2016. Retrieved 6 December 2017.
  7. "La Santboiana fitxa el tres quarts australià Rodney Iona" (Press release) (in Catalan). RugbyCat. 4 December 2017. Retrieved 6 December 2017.
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