Israel Leota

Physical and hard-working beyond his years, Israel Leota is a blindside flanker who brings defensive grit and breakdown tenacity to the Moana Pasifika pack. Born on 2 January 2005, the young back-rower has worked to establish himself in the side's forward effort, contributing to the team's collective work in Super Rugby Pacific. Leota plays the blindside role with a focus on the unglamorous essentials: heavy tackling, competing for turnover possession and providing a physical edge in the tight exchanges. He functions as a defensive pillar for Moana Pasifika, setting the tone with his contact work and offering a reliable source of breakdown pressure. His youth makes his involvement all the more notable, with the size, energy and appetite for the contest that suggest a bright future in the professional game. Around the field he carries willingly, clears rucks and supports the wider defensive structure, doing the kind of work that holds a forward pack together. As Moana Pasifika continue to build their identity in Super Rugby Pacific, Leota represents an exciting young talent — a flanker whose grit, physicality and work rate already mark him out as a promising contributor to the team's forward platform.