Allan Alaalatoa

A strong scrummaging tight head front row forward, Allan Alaalatoa has followed in the footsteps of his father Vili who represented Manu Samoa at the 1991 Rugby World Cup.

Allan corner-stoned the Newington College 1st XV scrum for two seasons (2010-11), the second as captain, and from there represented his country at both schools and aged levels. Alaalatoa was such a talent that he won selection to three successive IRB Junior World Championships with the Australian U20s.

He signed with the ACT Brumbies in 2014 and made a surprise debut, as a replacement, in the Super Rugby qualifying final against the Chiefs in Canberra. In 2016, Alaalatoa came off the bench to make his Test debut against New Zealand in Sydney and later that same year made his run-on debut, against France at Stade de France. His 2018 started on the wrong foot when he was ruled out of the home series against Ireland however, he returned to be capped in all but one of the year’s final 10 Tests.

Since attending his first Rugby World Cup in 2019 Alaalatoa has firmly entrenched his position in the Wallabies’ match day squad with 27 caps from 34 Tests and those missed were solely due to family matters or concussion. In 2020 Alaalatoa was named captain of the Brumbies from where he led the side to victory in the inaugural Super Rugby Australia competition, their first Super title since 2004.

Two years later Alaalatoa claimed a third Brett Robinson (Brumbies) Players' Player of the Year Award before he was named as the 85th captain of Australia, against Italy in Florence. That day, Allan and his brother Michael became first set of brothers to captain two different countries at Test level. In early 2023 Alaalatoa signed a four-year deal to remain in Australian rugby through to RWC27.

Highlights

2011

Represented Australian Schools against England and New Zealand.

2012

Selected in the Australian U20s squad for the fifth-annual IRB Junior World Championship tournament in South Africa.

2013 Selected in the Australian U20s squad for the sixth-annual IRB Junior World Championship tournament in France.

2014

Selected in the Australian U20s squad for the seventh-annual IRB Junior World Championship tournament in New Zealand.

2016

Alaalatoa enjoyed a robust Super rugby season with the ACT Brumbies, one that saw him duly rewarded with a first Test cap when he replaced Sekope Kepu in the 55th minute of 1st Test against the All Blacks in Sydney. Alaalatoa won a total of nine test caps for the year including a debut in the starting XV when selected at tight head prop against France in Paris.

2017

Alaalatoa started at tight head prop in each of the opening five Tests of the season and went on to win a total of 13 caps for the year.

2018

Allan was a late withdrawal from the match day squad for the opening Test against Ireland after he took a knock on the ankle at Thursday training. Ala'alatoa missed the rest of the Irish series before he returned for The Rugby Championship and the Spring Tour. Alaalatoa earned nine caps from the year’s final 10 Tests.

2019

Another foot-related injury saw Alaalatoa miss the opening two matches of The Rugby Championship. He then started six of the Wallabies’ next eight matches, including four games - against Fiji, Wales, Uruguay and England - at his first Rugby World Cup.

2020

Alaalatoa was capped in all six Tests of the COVID-abbreviated season, three as the starting tighthead and three as a replacement.

2021

Allan won caps in the first seven Tests of the season before he withdrew from the final three Rugby Championship internationals due to the birth of his first child. In the last of those seven, against South Africa on the Gold Coast, Alaalatoa became the 59th Australian to play 50 Tests. Allan returned for the Spring Tour but was forced out of the crucial England match due to concussion protocols.

2022

Alaalatoa earned 11 Test caps from the 14 Wallaby internationals. He missed two matches, against England in Brisbane and France in Paris, due to concussion protocols.