John Afoa

A sound scrummager and surprisingly agile for such a big man, John Afoa was on the fast track to All Black honours from an early age.

At only 18 years of age he made his Auckland debut in 2002, a year later he featured for the Blues in Super Rugby and in 2005 was anchoring the All Black scrum in a Test match against Ireland in Dublin.

Afoa was a constant presence in New Zealand age grade teams from his selection in the New Zealand Under 16 team in 1999 through to games for the New Zealand Under 21 side in 2003 and 2004. In his time with the New Zealand Under 21 side he won two World titles and was named to the tournament team in 2003. Many of his age grade appearances came alongside his former Papakura High School and St Kentigern's College team-mate Jerome Kaino.

Success was coming thick and fast for the young prop forward. In three of his first four seasons for Auckland he was part of NPC winning sides.

With Greg Somerville injured Afoa and Neemia Tialata got the nod for New Zealand's Grand Slam tour of Britain and Ireland in 2005. The two young tyros would often be up against each other for a place in the All Black squad over the following five years.

With the emergence of Owen Franks in 2009 Afoa found his role reduced to that as bench player however, it was a role he carried out with some aplomb. 29 of his 36 Tests appearances for the All Blacks came as a substitute, most famously against Wales at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff in 2010. With five minutes to go Afoa latched onto a Mils Muliaina pass and sprinted 30 metres to score one of the great tries by an All Black prop forward.

As his career progressed Afoa was able to expand his repertoire into also being able to play loosehead prop and at a pinch hooker. Selected for the All Blacks 2011 World Cup squad, Afoa made appearances against Japan in pool play and the quarter-final against Argentina at Eden Park.

Afoa also showed great durability. In 2011 he became the third player in Blues history to register 100 appearances for the franchise.

At the beginning of the 2011 season Afoa announced that he would be joining Irish Club Ulster following the World Cup. Afoa helped his new team reach the final of the Heineken Cup in 2012.

Afoa's brother James has played provincial rugby for Counties-Manukau and North Harbour.

Profile by Nic Rutherford
for the New Zealand Rugby Museum.