Born: August 14, 1986 – Tonga
Test record: 9 Tests (2013-16) – 2 tries (8 points)
Tours: 2013 World Cup, 2015 tour of England

Powerhouse front-rower Sam Moa played nine Tests for the Kiwis after making a career-defining return from Super League to play for Sydney Roosters in 2013.

Born in Tonga, Moa grew up in Auckland and was a Mangere East junior, winning Junior Kiwis selection in 2004. He represented his birth country for the first time as a 20-year-old in 2006, aiding Tonga’s World Cup qualification campaign.

Moa moved from Wests Tigers to Cronulla, where he made his NRL debut with a solitary appearance in 2008. He came off the bench in all three of Tonga’s 2008 World Cup matches.

Signed by Hull FC, Moa played 78 matches for the English club from 2009-12 before becoming part of the Roosters’ aggressive recruitment drive for 2013, which included the likes of Sonny Bill Williams, Michael Jennings and James Maloney.

Moa proved integral to the Roosters’ drive to the minor premiership and was a grand final hero with a crucial hand in a long-range try as they came storming back in the second half to defeat Manly 26-18.

After having played for Tonga against Samoa mid-season, the 27-year-old debuted for New Zealand at the 2013 World Cup in England, featuring in the pool wins over Samoa and Papua New Guinea, and the quarter-final victory over Scotland.

He was a tryscorer in an under-strength Kiwis’ 30-18 loss to the Kangaroos in the 2014 Anzac Test but missed their triumphant Four Nations campaign at the end of the year. Nevertheless, he returned for the drought-breaking 26-12 Anzac Test victory in 2015.

Moa played all three Tests of the away series against England at the end of 2015 and made his last appearance for the Kiwis in the 2016 Anzac Test loss. He farewelled the Roosters after 96 appearances in four just four seasons.

Again gracing the Super League, he represented burgeoning Tonga at the 2017 World Cup in pool wins over Scotland and Samoa.

Moa’s four-season stay with Catalans peaked with a Challenge Cup final triumph in 2018.