Tony Iro

Tony Roy Iro^[5] (born 30 May 1967) is a professional rugby league coach and former player who last coached the Cook Islands national rugby league team. He is a former New Zealand international representative, playing on the wing or in the second row in 25 Tests.^[1][4]

Tony Iro

Personal information
Full name	Tony Roy Iro
Born	(1967-05-30) 30 May 1967 (age 57) Auckland, New Zealand
Height	192 cm (6 ft 4 in)
Weight	98 kg (15 st 6 lb)
Playing information
Position	Second-row, Wing
Club Years Team Pld T G FG P Mt Albert 1987–89 Wigan 50 23 0 0 92 1990–93 Manly Sea Eagles 72 13 0 0 52 1990–91 Leigh 11 4 0 0 16 1994–96 Sydney City 60 11 0 0 44 1997 Hunter Mariners 20 3 0 0 12 1998 Adelaide Rams 20 1 0 0 4 1999 South Sydney 22 1 0 0 4 Total 255 56 0 0 224 Representative Years Team Pld T G FG P Auckland 1988–98 New Zealand 25 4 0 0 16
Coaching information
Club Years Team Gms W D L W% 2012 New Zealand Warriors 2 0 0 2 0 Representative Years Team Gms W D L W% 2017–22 Cook Islands 5 3 0 2 60
Source: [1][2][3][4] As of 14 October 2022

Background

Tony Iro is also the older brother of former professional rugby league international footballer Kevin Iro. He is the uncle of Kayal Iro

Playing career

Iro first played as a professional in England played with the Wigan Warriors from 1987 to 1989. During the 1988–89 season Iro played on the wing in Wigan's 22–17 victory over Salford in the 1988 Lancashire Cup Final at Knowsley Road, St. Helens on Sunday 23 October 1988.^[6]

He made his début for the Kiwis in the 1988 World Cup final against Australia. Playing on the wing, he scored a try on debut, but the Kiwis were defeated 25–12 in front of 47,363 at Auckland's Eden Park.

During the 1988–89 season Iro played on the wing in the 12–6 victory over Widnes Vikings in the 1988–89 John Player Special Trophy Final at Burnden Park, Bolton on Saturday 7 January 1989.^[7]

Iro moved to Australia in 1990 and played for the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles.

In 1990-91 he returned to England for a short stint with Leigh.

He played at the 1995 Rugby League World Cup for the Kiwis, helping them to the semi-finals where they again went down to Australia in extra time.

He signed with new Super League club Hunter Mariners and after a season with his brother Kevin, ventured to play for the Adelaide Rams after moving to the forwards. Iro, who at the time played for the short-lived Adelaide Rams (1997–98), earlier in 1998 became the only Rams player selected for international duty when he played in the ANZAC Test against Australia at the North Harbour Stadium in Auckland. Iro's last international series was against Great Britain in England in late 1998 where he played from the bench in the first two tests of the series, both won by NZ. Following the demise of the Rams, 1999 found Iro at the South Sydney Rabbitohs before his return to England.

Coaching career

In 2005 Iro joined the New Zealand Warriors coaching staff and in 2008 was named in inaugural coach of the Toyota Cup (Under-20s) team.^[8] He was appointed to the New Zealand coaching staff in February 2009.^[9]

For the 2010 season, Iro was promoted to be the Warriors Assistant Coach.^[10] In 2010 Iro was appointed a New Zealand national rugby league team selector for two years.^[11]

Following Brian McClennan's sacking on 21 August 2012, Iro was appointed the caretaker coach of the Warriors for the last two matches of the season.^[12] At the end of 2012 Iro left the club but rejoined for the 2015 season.^[13]

Since 2017, he has been the head coach of the Cook Islands national rugby league team.^[14]

Sporting positions
Preceded by Brian McClennan 2012	Coach (caretaker) New Zealand Warriors 2012	Succeeded by Matthew Elliott 2013-2014

Achievements

• Wigan: Challenge Cup, Lancashire Cup, Regal Trophy, Charity Shield

References

1. "Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org". rugbyleagueproject.org. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
2. Yesterday's Hero Archived 27 August 2012 at the Wayback Machine
3. Rleague Archived 1 February 2013 at archive.today
4. "Coach Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org". rugbyleagueproject.org. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
5. IRO, TONY ROY 1988 - 90, 1995 - 98 - KIWI #606 nzleague.co.nz
6. "1988–1989 Lancashire Cup Final". wigan.rlfans.com. 31 December 2014. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
7. "7th January 1989: Wigan 12 Widnes 6 (John Player Trophy Final)". wigan.rlfans.com. 31 December 2014. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
8. "Tony Iro released by New Zealand Warriors". Stuff. 1 November 2012. Retrieved 8 September 2020.
9. "League: Iro replaces Bennett as Kiwis' assistant coach". New Zealand Herald. 21 February 2009. Retrieved 8 September 2020.
10. Deane, Steve (25 September 2009). "NRL: Bell wins leading role at Warriors". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 23 November 2011.
11. "League: Iro, Nikau named Kiwis selectors". The New Zealand Herald. NZPA. 23 March 2010. Retrieved 23 November 2011.
12. McClennan dismayed at Warriors axing stuff.co.nz, 21 August 2012
13. Iro returning to Vodafone Warriors warriors.co.nz, 20 September 2014
14. Rashneel Kumar (18 February 2020). "Iro for World Cup". Cook Islands News. Archived from the original on 19 February 2020.

External links

• Tony Iro Wigan Career Page on the Wigan RL Fansite.