{{Short description|NZ rugby union player}} {{Use dmy dates|date=March 2015}} {{Use New Zealand English|date=March 2015}} {{Infobox rugby biography | name = Alex Ainley | image = | fullname = Alexander Nigel Ainley | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1981|7|16|df=y}} | birth_place = Auckland, New Zealand | height = {{convert|1.97|m|ftin|abbr=on}} | weight = {{convert|108.5|kg|stlb lb|0|abbr=on}} | nickname = | occupation = | school = Rangitoto College | university = | relatives = | position = Lock | currentclub = | youthyears1 = | youthclubs1 = | years1 = 2006–2009, 2013–2018, 2020 | clubs1 = {{rut|Tasman}} | apps1 = 100 | points1 = 45 | years2 = 2007–2009 | clubs2 = Crociati | apps2 = 35 | points2 = 0 | years3 = 2010–2012 | clubs3 = Mitsubishi DynaBoars | apps3 = | points3 = | years4 = 2015−2018 | clubs4 = {{Rut|Highlanders}} | apps4 = 40 | points4 = 0 | years5 = 2019 | clubs5 = {{rut|Bay of Plenty}} | apps5 = 8 | points5 = 5 | amatyears1 = | amatteam1 = | amatcaps1 = | amatpoints1 = | repyears1 = | repteam1 = | repcaps1 = 2 | reppoints1 = 0 | clubupdate = 8 November 2020 | repupdate = }}

'''Alexander Nigel Ainley''' (born 16 July 1981) is a former New Zealand rugby union player who played as a lock for {{rut|Tasman}} in the Bunnings NPC and the {{rut|Highlanders}} in Super Rugby.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.mako.nz/tasman-makos/alex-ainley |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210303075433/http://www.mako.nz/tasman-makos/alex-ainley |archive-date=3 March 2021 |title=Alex Ainley |website=mako.co.nz |access-date=6 October 2020 |url-status=live }}</ref> He now works as a builder in the city of Nelson, New Zealand. As of 2026, he has appeared in a Scott Brown Carpentry video. <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4PjwWIZQAo |title=Scott Brown Carpentry |website=youtube.com|access-date=19 July 2024}}</ref>

==Senior career==

Ainley started out his rugby career in 2006 playing for the newly formed {{rut|Tasman}} Mako in the ITM Cup and played all 10 of their games during their debut season, featuring exclusively as a flanker. He went on to captain the Mako in 2007 before handing it over to Andrew Goodman the following season.<ref name="Yen for home can't be ignored">{{cite web | url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/nelson-mail/sport/8494706/Yen-for-home-can-t-be-ignored | title=Yen for home can't be ignored | work=Nelson Mail | date = 1 April 2013 | accessdate=23 October 2014}}</ref>

From 2007 to 2009, Ainley spent his off seasons playing in Europe for Crociati in Parma. 2009 was to be his final campaign in his first spell with Tasman as he headed overseas to take up a contract with Japanese side, the Mitsubishi Dynaboars. He spent 3 seasons playing in the Japanese second division before heading home to New Zealand again in 2013. He was immediately named in the Mako squad for the 2013 ITM Cup and featured in 10 matches as they won promotion to the Premiership. Another impressive season followed in 2014 as the men from Nelson went all the way to the Premiership final before losing 36-32 to {{rut|Taranaki}}.

Tasman continued their good form through 2015 and 2016, finishing as losing semi- finalists and runner up respectively. Ainley played 19 times across the 2 seasons and contributed 4 tries including one in the 44-24 defeat to {{rut|Auckland}} in the 2015 semi final.<ref name="Alex Ainley itsrugby.co.uk Player Statistics">{{cite web | url=http://www.itsrugby.co.uk/player_5847.html | title=Alex Ainley itsrugby.co.uk Player Statistics | work=itsrugby.co.uk | accessdate=11 January 2017}}</ref>

Ainley captained Tasman in 2017 where the Mako went all the way to the final before losing to {{rut|Canterbury}}.

Ainley moved to {{rut|Bay of Plenty}} for the 2019 Mitre 10 Cup where the Steamers won the Championship with Ainley bringing up his 100th Mitre 10 Cup game in the final against {{rut|Hawke's Bay}}.

Ainley returned to the Tasman Mako for the 2020 Mitre 10 Cup and in Round 9 against {{rut|Canterbury}} Ainley played his 100th game for the Mako at Lansdowne Park in Blenheim, becoming only the second centurion in the short history of the union. The Mako went on to win their second premiership title in a row.

==Super Rugby== Ainley was rewarded for years of hard work and toil when at the age of 33 he was handed his first Super Rugby contract by the Dunedin based {{rut|Highlanders}} ahead of the 2015 Super Rugby season. He endured a tough start to his spell with the Highlanders, finding himself as the fourth choice lock for the franchise behind the more established Joe Wheeler, Mark Reddish and Tom Franklin and also broke his jaw playing club rugby early into the season. However, the second half of his first year in Dunedin was far brighter as injuries to the sides senior locks saw Ainley, who himself had just returned to fitness, named in their touring party for the trip to South Africa where he made his Super Rugby debut in a 45-24 victory over the {{rut|Cheetahs}} in Bloemfontein. He went on to start 8 games during a historic year which finished with the Highlanders lifting the Super Rugby trophy for the first time in their history, defeating the {{rut|Hurricanes}} 21-14 in the final.

Ainley featured 11 times in 2016, however the Highlanders were unable to hold on to their Super Rugby crown, going down 42-30 to the {{rut|Lions}} in Johannesburg. Tony Brown replaced the Japan bound Jamie Joseph ahead of the 2017 season and he retained the 35 year old Ainley in the squad for his first campaign in charge.<ref name="Alex Ainley itsrugby.co.uk Player Statistics"/><ref name="Highlanders 2017 Squad Guide">{{cite web | url=http://files.allblacks.com/comms/2016-ISR/2017_ISR_Squad_Naming_Highlanders-PUBLISHED-01.pdf | title=Highlanders 2017 Squad Guide | publisher=All Blacks.com | accessdate=11 January 2017 | archive-date=7 March 2018 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180307124831/http://files.allblacks.com/comms/2016-ISR/2017_ISR_Squad_Naming_Highlanders-PUBLISHED-01.pdf | url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="Highlanders lock Alex Ainley 'bloody loving' first season of Super Rugby">{{cite web | url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/super-rugby/69264852/highlanders-lock-alex-ainley-bloody-loving-first-season-of-super-rugby | title=Highlanders lock Alex Ainley 'bloody loving' first season of Super Rugby | publisher=Rugby Heaven | date = 11 June 2015 | accessdate=22 January 2017}}</ref><ref name="Rugby: Ainley takes his chance">{{cite web | url=https://www.odt.co.nz/sport/rugby/rugby-ainley-takes-his-chance | title=Rugby: Ainley takes his chance | publisher=Otago Daily Times | date = 29 May 2015 | accessdate=22 January 2017}}</ref><ref name="Rugby: Highlanders add trio">{{cite web | url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=11346601 | title=Rugby: Highlanders add trio | publisher=New Zealand Herald | date = 22 October 2014 | accessdate=22 January 2017}}</ref>

==Career Honours==

'''Tasman'''

*ITM Cup Championship – 2013 *Mitre 10 Cup – 2020

'''Highlanders'''

*Super Rugby – 2015

'''Bay of Plenty''' *Mitre 10 Cup Championship – 2019

==References== {{reflist}}

== External links == * {{Sport links}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ainley, Alex}} Category:1981 births Category:Living people Category:New Zealand rugby union players Category:Rugby union locks Category:Tasman rugby union players Category:21st-century New Zealand sportsmen Category:Mitsubishi Sagamihara DynaBoars players Category:Highlanders (rugby union) players Category:Bay of Plenty rugby union players Category:Rugby union players from Auckland Category:Crociati Parma Rugby FC players Category:New Zealand expatriate rugby union players in Italy Category:New Zealand expatriate rugby union players in Japan