{{short description|Tonga & US international rugby union player|bot=PearBOT 5}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2018}} {{Infobox rugby biography | name = Vaea Anitoni | image = | birth_name = Vaea Naufahu Anitoni | birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1970|9|20}} | birth_place = Tongatapu, Tonga | height = {{convert|5|ft|8|in|m|abbr=on}} | weight = {{convert|170|lb|kg|abbr=on}} | ru_currentposition = | ru_currentteam = | position = Wing | amatyears1 = | amatteam1 = San Mateo Rugby Club | provinceyears1 = 1990-1991 | province1 = {{okina}}Eua<ref>[https://scontent.fbgy1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.6435-9/69030896_2419984074924439_8835172212374765568_n.jpg?_nc_cat=108&ccb=1-5&_nc_sid=8bfeb9&_nc_ohc=T_NUn9Y2WnUAX-9oIsT&_nc_ht=scontent.fbgy1-1.fna&oh=bae1cbb6e9aaae31e8352e43c71acd01&oe=61AB18CE Photo of the Tonga 1991 squad] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211106224227/https://scontent.fbgy1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.6435-9/69030896_2419984074924439_8835172212374765568_n.jpg?_nc_cat=108&ccb=1-5&_nc_sid=8bfeb9&_nc_ohc=T_NUn9Y2WnUAX-9oIsT&_nc_ht=scontent.fbgy1-1.fna&oh=bae1cbb6e9aaae31e8352e43c71acd01&oe=61AB18CE |date=6 November 2021 }} on The Tonga Chronicle</ref> | apps1 = | points1 = | repyears1 = 1990 | repyears2 = 1992–2000 | repteam1 = Tonga | repteam2 = United States | repcaps1 = 1 | repcaps2 = 46 | reppoints1 = 0 | reppoints2 = 130 | ru_ntupdate = 10 February 2014<ref>{{cite web |title=Vaea Anitoni |url=http://planet-rugby.com/stats/players/player_details.phtml/p_r/ENG?playerCode=UAN2&search_text=&navCode=US&tm1Code=US&setCode=country |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040816025215/http://planet-rugby.com/stats/players/player_details.phtml/p_r/ENG?playerCode=UAN2&search_text=&navCode=US&tm1Code=US&setCode=country |url-status=dead |archive-date=2004-08-16 |website=Planet Rugby |access-date=31 July 2025}}</ref> | repsevensyears1 = | repsevensteam1 = United States | ru_sevensupdate = | repsevenscomp1 = }}
'''Vaea Naufahu Anitoni''' (born 20 September 1970) is an American former rugby union player who played wing. Anitoni is the all-time leading try scorer for the U.S. national team. Anitoni played for the United States national team from 1992 to 2000. During that period, Anitoni played in 46 matches, starting 44, and scored 26 tries, a record which still stands today.<ref name="Try record">{{cite web |title=US Rugby Legend Ponders HOF, Tries Record |url=https://www.florugby.com/articles/6425563-us-rugby-legend-ponders-hof-tries-record |website=Flo rugby |access-date=5 September 2021 |archive-date=2 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210802105034/https://www.florugby.com/articles/6425563-us-rugby-legend-ponders-hof-tries-record |url-status=live }}</ref>
== International career == Anitoni made his debut 13 June 1992 against Canada, and scored his first try in his next match for the US on 21 May 1994 against Canada.<ref name="testmatches">{{Cite web|url=http://www.espnscrum.com/statsguru/rugby/player/11210.html|title=Rugby Union - ESPN Scrum - Statsguru - Player analysis - Vaea Anitoni - Test matches|website=ESPN scrum}}</ref> Anitoni's peak years for the national team were from 1996–1998, when he scored 22 tries in 28 matches.<ref name="testmatches"/> Anitoni twice scored 4 tries in a single match – once against Japan in July 1996 and again against Portugal in April 1998.<ref name="testmatches" /> Anitoni played at the 1999 Rugby World Cup, where he started 3 matches,<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.espnscrum.com/scrum/rugby/player/11210.html|title=Vaea Naufahu Anitoni|website=ESPN scrum}}</ref> and was regarded as a game breaker and a key player for the US national team.<ref>{{cite web |title=Key player: Vaea Anitoni |date=17 September 1999 |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/sport/rugby_world_cup/teams/usa/449740.stm |publisher=BBC News |access-date=25 July 2012 |archive-date=17 September 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180917040811/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/sport/rugby_world_cup/teams/usa/449740.stm |url-status=live }}</ref>
Anitoni also played sevens for the U.S. national sevens team. During the mid to late 1990s Anitoni was regarded as one of the most consistent players for the U.S., due to his ability as a creator with speed.<ref>{{cite web | title=Frederick Rugby Football Club, 1999 News Archives | url=http://www.frederickrugby.org/archives/news_archive_1999.html | access-date=25 July 2012 | archive-date=4 March 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304032407/http://www.frederickrugby.org/archives/news_archive_1999.html | url-status=dead }}</ref> Anitoni was a member of the preliminary squad for the United States during the 2000 Rugby World Cup Sevens.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://web.usarugby.org/cgi-bin/viadesto/press/display.pl?releaseId=28|title=USA Rugby, USA Names Preliminary Squad for RWC7s|access-date=25 July 2012|archive-date=13 July 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100713170824/http://web.usarugby.org/cgi-bin/viadesto/press/display.pl?releaseId=28|url-status=live}}</ref>
==Club rugby== Anitoni played for the Pomona rugby club, San Francisco's Olympic Club, and the San Mateo club which claimed the national sevens championship in 1997.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xdV_JV1fbZMC|title=Encyclopedia of Ethnicity and Sports in the United States|last=Kirsch|first=George B.|last2=Harris|first2=Othello|last3=Nolte|first3=Claire Elaine|date=1 January 2000|publisher=Greenwood Publishing Group|isbn=9780313299117|language=en}}</ref>
==International tries== {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! scope=col| Try ! scope=col| Opposing team ! scope=col| Venue ! scope=col| Competition ! scope=col| Date ! scope=col| Result ! scope=col| Score ! scope=col class=unsortable|{{abbr|Ref.|Reference}} |- ! scope=row| 1 || {{ru|CAN}} || George Allen Field, Long Beach || Test match || {{dts|format=dmy|1994|May|21}} || Lost || 10–15 || <ref>{{Cite web | url = http://en.espn.co.uk/statsguru/rugby/match/22788.html | website = espn.co.uk | publisher = ESPN | access-date = 7 November 2018 | title = Canada Tour - Long Beach, 21 May 1994 | df = mdy-all | archive-date = 2 June 2019 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190602160902/http://en.espn.co.uk/statsguru/rugby/match/22788.html | url-status = live }}</ref> |- ! scope=row| 2 || {{ru|ARG}} || George Allen Field, Long Beach || 1995 Rugby World Cup Qualifier || {{dts|format=dmy|1994|May|28}} || Lost || 22–28 || <ref>{{Cite web | url = http://en.espn.co.uk/statsguru/rugby/match/22791.html | website = espn.co.uk | publisher = ESPN | access-date = 7 November 2018 | title = 1995 Rugby World Cup Qualifier, Americas, Round 2 - Long Beach, 28 May 1994 | df = mdy-all | archive-date = 20 June 2018 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180620024640/http://en.espn.co.uk/statsguru/rugby/match/22791.html | url-status = live }}</ref> |- ! scope=row| 3 || {{ru|Ireland}} || Lansdowne Road, Dublin || Test match || {{dts|format=dmy|1994|November|5}} || Lost || 15–26 || <ref>{{Cite web | url = http://en.espn.co.uk/statsguru/rugby/match/22862.html | website = espn.co.uk | publisher = ESPN | access-date = 7 November 2018 | title = United States of America Tour - Lansdowne Road, 5 November 1994 | df = mdy-all }}</ref> |- ! scope=row| 4 | {{ru|CAN}} || Boxer Stadium, San Francisco || 1996 Pacific Rim Championship || {{dts|format=dmy|1996|May|11}} || Won || 19–12 || <ref>{{Cite web | url = http://en.espn.co.uk/statsguru/rugby/match/23062.html | website = espn.co.uk | publisher = ESPN | access-date = 7 November 2018 | title = Pacific Rim Championship - San Francisco, 11 May 1996 | df = mdy-all }}</ref> |- ! scope=row| 5 | {{ru|CAN}} || Thunderbird Stadium, Vancouver || 1996 Pacific Rim Championship || {{dts|format=dmy|1996|May|18}} || Lost || 20–24 || <ref>{{Cite web | url = http://en.espn.co.uk/statsguru/rugby/match/23069.html | website = espn.co.uk | publisher = ESPN | access-date = 7 November 2018 | title = Pacific Rim Championship - Vancouver, 18 May 1996 | df = mdy-all | archive-date = 8 November 2018 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20181108025636/http://en.espn.co.uk/statsguru/rugby/match/23069.html | url-status = live }}</ref> |- ! scope=row| 6 | rowspan=2| {{ru|JPN}} || rowspan=2| Prince Chichibu Memorial Stadium, Tokyo || rowspan=2| 1996 Pacific Rim Championship || rowspan=2| {{dts|format=dmy|1996|June|16}} || rowspan=2| Lost || rowspan=2| 18–24 || rowspan=2| <ref>{{Cite web | url = http://en.espn.co.uk/statsguru/rugby/match/23080.html | website = espn.co.uk | publisher = ESPN | access-date = 7 November 2018 | title = Pacific Rim Championship - Tokyo, 16 June 1996, 14:00 local, 05:00 GMT | df = mdy-all | archive-date = 12 June 2018 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180612142442/http://en.espn.co.uk/statsguru/rugby/match/23080.html | url-status = live }}</ref> |- ! scope=row| 7 |- ! scope=row| 8 | rowspan=2| {{ru|HKG}} || rowspan=2| Boxer Stadium, San Francisco || rowspan=2| 1996 Pacific Rim Championship || rowspan=2| {{dts|format=dmy|1996|June|29}} || rowspan=2| Won || rowspan=2| 42–23 || rowspan=2| <ref>{{Cite web | url = http://en.espn.co.uk/statsguru/rugby/match/23087.html | website = espn.co.uk | publisher = ESPN | access-date = 7 November 2018 | title = Pacific Rim Championship - San Francisco, 29 June 1996 | df = mdy-all | archive-date = 12 June 2018 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180612142052/http://en.espn.co.uk/statsguru/rugby/match/23087.html | url-status = live }}</ref> |- ! scope=row| 9 |- ! scope=row| 10 | rowspan=4| {{ru|JPN}} || rowspan=4| Boxer Stadium, San Francisco || rowspan=4| 1996 Pacific Rim Championship || rowspan=4| {{dts|format=dmy|1996|July|6}} || rowspan=4| Won || rowspan=4| 74–5 || rowspan=4| <ref>{{Cite web | url = http://en.espn.co.uk/statsguru/rugby/match/23090.html | website = espn.co.uk | publisher = ESPN | access-date = 7 November 2018 | title = Pacific Rim Championship - San Francisco, 6 July 1996, 16:00 local, 23:00 GMT | df = mdy-all }}</ref> |- ! scope=row| 11 |- ! scope=row| 12 |- ! scope=row| 13 |- ! scope=row| 14 | {{ru|URY}} || Fletcher's Fields, Markham || 1996 Pan-American Championship || {{dts|format=dmy|1996|September|21}} || Won || 27–13 || <ref>{{Cite web | url = http://en.espn.co.uk/statsguru/rugby/match/23112.html | website = espn.co.uk | publisher = ESPN | access-date = 7 November 2018 | title = Pan-American Championship - Markham, 21 September 1996 | df = mdy-all }}</ref> |- ! scope=row| 15 | {{ru|JPN}} || Boxer Stadium, San Francisco || 1997 Pacific Rim Championship || {{dts|format=dmy|1997|June|7}} || Won || 51–29 || <ref>{{Cite web | url = http://en.espn.co.uk/statsguru/rugby/match/23241.html | website = espn.co.uk | publisher = ESPN | access-date = 7 November 2018 | title = Pacific Rim Championship - San Francisco, 7 June 1997, 13:00 local, 20:00 GMT | df = mdy-all }}</ref> |- ! scope=row| 16 || {{ru|WAL}} || Wilimington || Test match || {{dts|format=dmy|1997|July|5}} || Lost || 20–30 || <ref>{{Cite web | url = http://en.espn.co.uk/statsguru/rugby/match/23269.html | website = espn.co.uk | publisher = ESPN | access-date = 7 November 2018 | title = Wales Tour - Wilmington, 5 July 1997 | df = mdy-all }}</ref> |- ! scope=row| 17 || {{ru|WAL}} || Boxer Stadium, San Francisco || Test match || {{dts|format=dmy|1997|July|12}} || Lost || 23–28 || <ref>{{Cite web | url = http://en.espn.co.uk/statsguru/rugby/match/23270.html | website = espn.co.uk | publisher = ESPN | access-date = 7 November 2018 | title = Wales Tour - San Francisco, 12 July 1997 | df = mdy-all | archive-date = 8 November 2018 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20181108025707/http://en.espn.co.uk/statsguru/rugby/match/23270.html | url-status = live }}</ref> |- ! scope=row| 18 | rowspan=4| {{ru|PRT}} || rowspan=4| Estádio Universitário de Lisboa, Lisbon || rowspan=4| Test match || rowspan=4| {{dts|format=dmy|1998|April|8}} || rowspan=4| Won || rowspan=4| 61–5 || rowspan=4| <ref>{{Cite web | url = http://en.espn.co.uk/statsguru/rugby/match/23373.html | website = espn.co.uk | publisher = ESPN | access-date = 7 November 2018 | title = United States of America Tour - Lisbon, 8 April 1998 | df = mdy-all | archive-date = 12 June 2018 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180612184803/http://en.espn.co.uk/statsguru/rugby/match/23373.html | url-status = live }}</ref> |- ! scope=row| 19 |- ! scope=row| 20 |- ! scope=row| 21 |- ! scope=row| 22 | rowspan=2| {{ru|ESP}} || rowspan=2| El Puerto de Santa María || rowspan=2| Test match || rowspan=2| {{dts|format=dmy|1998|April|12}} || rowspan=2| Won || rowspan=2| 49–3 || rowspan=2| <ref>{{Cite web | url = http://en.espn.co.uk/statsguru/rugby/match/23375.html | website = espn.co.uk | publisher = ESPN | access-date = 7 November 2018 | title = United States of America Tour - El Puerto de Santa Maria, 12 April 1998 | df = mdy-all | archive-date = 12 June 2018 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180612185039/http://en.espn.co.uk/statsguru/rugby/match/23375.html | url-status = live }}</ref> |- ! scope=row| 23 |- ! scope=row| 24 | {{ru|HKG}} || Aberdeen Stadium, Hong Kong || 1998 Pacific Rim Championship || {{dts|format=dmy|1998|May|16}} || Lost || 25–43 || <ref>{{Cite web | url = http://en.espn.co.uk/statsguru/rugby/match/23399.html | website = espn.co.uk | publisher = ESPN | access-date = 7 November 2018 | title = Pacific Rim Championship - Hong Kong, 16 May 1998 | df = mdy-all | archive-date = 8 November 2018 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20181108025726/http://en.espn.co.uk/statsguru/rugby/match/23399.html | url-status = live }}</ref> |- ! scope=row| 25 | {{ru|ARG}} || Cricket and Rugby Club, Buenos Aires || 1999 Rugby World Cup Qualifier || {{dts|format=dmy|1998|August|15}} || Lost || 24–52 || <ref>{{Cite web | url = http://en.espn.co.uk/statsguru/rugby/match/23438.html | website = espn.co.uk | publisher = ESPN | access-date = 7 November 2018 | title = 1999 Rugby World Cup Qualifier, Americas, Round 4 - Buenos Aires, 15 August 1998 | df = mdy-all | archive-date = 13 June 2018 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180613040702/http://en.espn.co.uk/statsguru/rugby/match/23438.html | url-status = live }}</ref> |- ! scope=row| 26 | {{ru|CAN}} || Stanley Park, Toronto || 1999 Pacific Rim Championship || {{dts|format=dmy|1999|June|19}} || Won || 18–17 || <ref>{{Cite web | url = http://en.espn.co.uk/statsguru/rugby/match/23621.html | website = espn.co.uk | publisher = ESPN | access-date = 7 November 2018 | title = Pacific Rim Championship - Toronto, 19 June 1999 | df = mdy-all | archive-date = 14 June 2018 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180614021234/http://en.espn.co.uk/statsguru/rugby/match/23621.html | url-status = live }}</ref> |}
==Honors== ;Individual *US Rugby Hall of Fame<ref>{{cite web |title=Fairfield man first Polynesian native into US Rugby Hall of Fame |url=https://www.dailyrepublic.com/all-dr-news/sports/fairfield-man-first-polynesian-native-into-us-rugby-hall-of-fame/ |website=Daily Republic |access-date=25 December 2020 |archive-date=27 November 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201127083654/https://www.dailyrepublic.com/all-dr-news/sports/fairfield-man-first-polynesian-native-into-us-rugby-hall-of-fame/ |url-status=live }}</ref> *US all time leading try scorer
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Anitoni, Vaea}} Category:American rugby union players Category:Living people Category:1970 births Category:United States international rugby union players Category:Tonga international rugby union players Category:Rugby union wings Category:1999 Rugby World Cup players Category:American people of Tongan descent