Kitiona Vai Explained

Kitiona Vai
Birth Date:23 April 2001[1]
Height:1.940NaN0 [2]
Weight:1030NaN0
School:De La Salle College, Auckland
Relatives:Melani Nanai (brother)
Cody Vai (brother)
Ru Sevensnationalyears1:2022–
Ru Sevensnationalteam1:New Zealand

Kitiona Vai (born 23 April 2001) is a New Zealand rugby union player who plays for the New Zealand national sevens team.

Career

He attended De La Salle College, Auckland. He played for Power in the 2020 Ignite Rugby Sevens league.[3] [4] In May 2023, he joined the Southern Headliners in the Premier Rugby Sevens.[5]

International career

He was selected for the New Zealand national sevens team for the first time in 2020.[6] He made his debut during the Singapore Sevens in April 2022.[7] [8]

In April 2024, he was selected for the New Zealand rugby sevens team alongside his brother Cody Vai, they are the sixth pair of brothers to play for New Zealand sevens side.[9]

Personal life

His father Kitiona Nanai Vai was a Western Samoa international who played in their 1991 Rugby Union World Cup team. He is the brother of rugby players Melani Nanai and Cody Vai. His sister Corina Nanai-Vai is also a rugby player and played in the Farah Palmer Cup for the Auckland Storm.[10] [11]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: K. Vai. 27 April 2024. Its Rugby.
  2. Web site: K.Vai. 27 April 2024.
  3. Web site: Six Ignite7 alumni named in national sevens squads. Redbull.com. 27 April 2024. Liam. Ratana. 19 February 2020.
  4. Web site: TEAMS SELECTED FOR 2020 RED BULL IGNITE. Allblacks.com. 27 April 2024. 30 November 2020.
  5. Web site: New Zealand Rugby Stars Sign with Premier Rugby Sevens for 2023 Season. prsevens.com. May 23, 2023. 27 April 2024.
  6. Web site: Six players with links to Fiji in NZ 7s Olympics extended squad. fbcnews. 27 April 2024. Akuila. Cama. February 19, 2020.
  7. Web site: All Blacks Sevens primed for World Series return. 2 April 2022. Sunlive. 27 April 2024.
  8. Web site: Singapore Sevens: New Zealand debutants shine as unbeaten men cruise into quarterfinals. Stuff.co.nz. 27 April 2024. April 9, 2022.
  9. Web site: Brothers to take on SVNS world as New Zealand squads named for Singapore. Rugby Pass. 27 April 2024. 26 April 2024. Finn. Morton.
  10. Web site: K. Vai. 8 April 2024. Allblacks.com.
  11. Web site: Cody Vai's journey to All Blacks Sevens debut at 18 to making the NZ U20 squad. Adam. Julian.