Filo Tiatia

Filogia Ian "Filo" Tiatia (born 4 June 1971 in Wellington, New Zealand) is a New Zealand international rugby union footballer, best known as a back-row forward and occasional lock for Welsh region the Ospreys.

Filo Tiatia

Filo Tiatia playing for Ospreys in 2008
Birth name	Filogia Ian Tiatia
Date of birth	(1971-06-04) 4 June 1971 (age 53)
Place of birth	Wellington, New Zealand
Height	192 cm (6 ft 4 in)
Weight	112 kg (17 st 9 lb)
School	Wellington College
University	Massey University UWIC
Rugby union career
Position(s) Number eight, flanker, Lock Amateur team(s) Years Team Apps (Points) Western Suburbs Roosters 100 () Senior career Years Team Apps (Points) 1992–2001 Wellington 80 () 1993–1994 Tarvisium () 2002–2006 Toyota Verblitz () 2006–2011 Ospreys 99 (50) Super Rugby Years Team Apps (Points) 1996–2001 Hurricanes 57 (40) International career Years Team Apps (Points) 2000 New Zealand 2 (10) Coaching career Years Team 2007–2011 Ospreys Assistant 2011–2012 Toyota Verblitz Assistant 2012–2015 Toyota Verblitz 2016 Sunwolves Assistant 2017 Japan Assistant 2018- Sunwolves – Auckland Assistant Correct as of 12 December 2016

Tiatia made his debut for Wellington in 1992, playing through the advent of professionalism and then represented the Hurricanes in the Super 12 between 1996 and 2002.

Tiatia won 2 caps for the New Zealand national side in 2000. His first was as a replacement in a 102–0 win against Tonga where he scored a try. The next was a start at flanker against Italy where he again scored another try. match list

He then moved to Japan to play four seasons for Toyota Verblitz before signing for the Welsh region the Ospreys.

He became a cult figure at the Ospreys impressing fans with his all action style and appetite for work around the field. He played 99 times for the Ospreys scoring 10 tries. He was so popular at the Ospreys fans set up the Filo Tiatia Appreciation Society on Facebook . Tiatia also had a Grogg made of him in 2008 , and fought to keep Swansea Tennis Centre open in 2010 .

Tiatia retired at the age of 38 but stayed at the Ospreys as a coach. He was named head coach for the LV= Cup in 2011

Filo Tiatia left his Ospreys coaching role at the end of the 2011–2012 season to become forwards coach at Japanese side Toyota Verblitz.

After one season as forwards coach for Toyota Verblitz, Tiatia was promoted to head coach for the 2012 -13 season.

Tiatia was also involved with the Japanese national rugby team, under head coach Eddie Jones. He worked as a forwards coach during the 2013 Asian 5 Nations. Tiatia was later also involved with coaching the Japanese national team ahead of their November 2013 Test match against the All Blacks, which New Zealand won 54–6.

In September 2016 he became head coach of Japan's Sunwolves Super Rugby side^[1]

Tiatia's younger brother, Ace, has also played professional rugby at both provincial and Super Rugby levels, as well as making appearances for the Samoa national team.

References

1. "Tiatia named Sunwolves coach". rugby.com.au. Retrieved 2 November 2016.

External links

• Filo Tiatia at the All Blacks (archived)
• Profile at OspreysRugby.com