Jerome Kaino

Jerome Kaino

Full name	Jerome Kaino
Date of birth	(1983-04-06) 6 April 1983
Place of birth	Faga'alu, American Samoa
Height
Weight	113 kg (249 lb)
School	Papakura High School St Kentigern College
Rugby union career
Playing career
Position	Flanker, No. 8
New Zealand No.	1050
Amateur clubs
Years	Club / team
	Auckland University
correct as of 1 September 2006.
Professional / senior clubs
Years	Club / team	Caps	(points)
2012–2014	Toyota Verblitz	18	(10)
correct as of 8 September 2015.
Provincial/State sides
Years	Club / team	Caps	(points)
2004–11, 2014–	Auckland	54	(45)
Super Rugby
Years	Club / team	Caps	(points)
2004–12, 2014–	Blues	104	(40)
correct as of 12 June 2015.
National team(s)
Years	Club / team	Caps	(points)
2004, 2006–	New Zealand	67	(55)
correct as of 31 October 2015.

Jerome Kaino (born 6 April 1983) is an American Samoan-born New Zealand professional rugby union player. He plays for the Blues in Super Rugby and All Blacks internationally. In 2004, he was named IRB International Under-21 player of the year. He is a key member of 2011 and 2015 Rugby World Cup winning teams, becoming one of only twenty dual Rugby World Cup winners.

Kaino is the second U.S. national of Samoan descent to play for the All Blacks. The first was Frank Solomon in 1931.

Early life

Kaino was born on 6 April 1983 at Lyndon B. Johnson Tropical Medical Center in Faga'alu, located in the U.S. territory of American Samoa as the third of six children. In 1987 at the age of 4, he and his family relocated from their home village of Leone, Tutuila, to Papakura, Auckland. After settling in Papakura, he played junior rugby league for the Papakura Sea Eagles before switching to rugby union in secondary school at Papakura High School and Saint Kentigern College where he was offered a rugby scholarship. He attended both schools with former All Black John Afoa.

If Kaino had not come to New Zealand following the lead of his uncle, his relatives assumed that he would have ended up in the United States Army.

Auckland and Blues career

Kaino made his Auckland debut in 2004 and his Blues debut in 2006. In 2012 it was announced that Kaino would be leaving the Blues for Japanese club Toyota Verblitz on a two-year deal.

On 4 October 2013, Kaino announced he had resigned with New Zealand Rugby Union, North Harbour and Auckland Blues on a two-year contract. He was expected to return to New Zealand in February in time for the beginning of the 2014 Super Rugby season.

International career

His first All Blacks game was the uncapped appearance against the Barbarians at Twickenham where he was named man-of-the-match. It was at that point, that he became the second American national to play for a New Zealand national team. The first American national was Frank Solomon in 1931 who was born in the American Samoan capital of Pago Pago. Kaino played his first two tests against Ireland in 2006.

He is known to be a versatile player. In the Bledisloe Cup game on 31 July 2010, Kaino played lock for the All Blacks after Tom Donnelly was replaced. Victor Vito came on at blindside flanker, while Kaino moved into lock.

In 2011 Kaino played an important role in the All Blacks winning the Rugby World Cup. He was named in the starting XV for every game. He played every minute of every game except for the final few seconds in the semi-final against Australia. He scored four tries in the World Cup.

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.
• 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
• Jerome Kaino at AllBlacks.com
• Jerome Kaino Blog
• Samoan Bios: Jerome Kaino

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