Jerome Kaino

Jerome Kaino

Full name	Jerome Kaino
Date of birth	(1983-04-06) 6 April 1983
Place of birth	Tutuila, American Samoa
Height	1.96 m (6 ft 5 in)
Weight	109 kg (240 lb)
School	St Kentigern College, Auckland
Rugby union career
Playing career
Position	Flanker, No. 8
New Zealand No.	1050
Amateur clubs
Years	Club / team
	Auckland University
correct as of 1 Sept 2006.
Provincial/State sides
Years	Club / team	Caps	(points)
2004–	Auckland	49	(35) 7t
correct as of 1 Sept 2006.
Super Rugby
Years	Club / team	Caps	(points)
2004–	Blues	45	(20)
correct as of 1 Sept 2006.
National team(s)
Years	Club / team	Caps	(points)
2006–	New Zealand	49	(40)
correct as of 24 November 2011.

Jerome Kaino (born 6 April 1983) is a professional New Zealand Rugby union player. In 2004, he was named IRB International Under-21 player of the year. In 2011, he played in every match of the Rugby World Cup as part of the All Blacks, being part of the first All Blacks team to win the Rugby World Cup since 1987.

Early life

Kaino was born in American Samoa and his family moved to Auckland in 1987. He played junior rugby league before switching to union in secondary school at Papakura High School.

International career

His first All Blacks game was the uncapped appearance against the Barbarians at Twickenham where he was duly named man-of-the-match.^{[citation needed]} He played his first two tests against Ireland in 2006. In the Bledisloe Cup game on July 31, 2010, Kaino played lock for the All Blacks after Tom Donnelly was replaced. Victor Vito was brought on and went to blindeside flanker, with Kaino moving into Donnelly's vacant lock forward position. This is just another example of Kaino's versatility in the forward pack.

He was selected for the All Blacks Rugby World Cup 2011 squad. He was named in the starting XV for every game and ending the tournament having played every minute of every game except for 30 seconds. He scored his first try of the World Cup during New Zealand's emphatic defeat of Tonga. During the final pool stage of the World Cup against Canada, and was named man-of-the-match. His grandmother was known to be from the Island nation of Kiribati (Gilbert Islands)

Career Notes

• Not originally in the Blues 2006 Super 14 squad, he was called back after 2005 All Black Angus Macdonald succumbed to an ACL injury.^{[citation needed]}
• Started the first two matches of the Junior All Blacks tour to Australia in 2005 before returning to play for Auckland against the British & Irish Lions.
• Scored a try in his All Blacks debut against the Barbarians at Twickenham in December 2004.
• Voted IRB International U21 Player of the Year in 2004 and was Player of the Tournament at the 2004 IRB Under 21 World Championship.
• NZRU Age Grade Player of the Year 2004
• Scored his first world cup try at the 2011 Rugby World Cup in the opening match against Tonga. He then went on to score three more tries bringing his tally to four. Currently he has scored the most tries of any forward.
• Nominee for IRB International Player of the Year 2011. Won by Thierry Dusautoir.

External links

• Blues profile
• Statistics itsrugby.co.uk
• Jerome Kaino at AllBlacks.com

Awards
Preceded by Ben Atiga	IRB International U21 Player of the Year 2004	Succeeded by Tatafu Polota-Nau