Johnny Leota

Johnny Leota

Personal information
Full name	Johnny W. Leota
Born	(1984-01-21) 21 January 1984 Palmerston North, New Zealand
Height	1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Weight	103 kg (16 st 3 lb)
Relatives	Liana Leota (wife)
Club information
Playing position	Centre
Current club	Sale Sharks
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Pts)†
2004–2011	Manawatu	63	(15)
2008–2009	Highlanders	24	(10)
2011–	Sale Sharks	101	(100)
Representative team(s)‡
2011–	Samoa	20	(10)
* Senior club appearances and points correct as of 18 February 2016. † Appearances (Points). ‡ Representative team caps and points correct as of 3 October 2015.

Johnny Leota (born 21 January 1984) is a rugby union player who plays for Sale Sharks in the Aviva Premiership. He previously played for Manawatu Turbos in the ITM Cup. In 2011 Leota made his international debut, playing for Samoa.

Club career

Leota debuted for Manawatu in 2004 and developed into a fixture for the province, playing his 50th match in 2009. As part of his move to the Highlanders in 2008, he 'signed' with Otago, but was immediately loaned back to Manawatu.

Leota missed most of the 2010 ITM Cup through injury, making only two appearances for the Turbos. He returned to action with Manawatu for the 2011 season.

Leota was signed by the Highlanders for the 2008 Super 14 season, and established himself as a key member of the squad, starting 12 of the team's 13 games and scoring two tries in the process.

In 2009, Leota again made 12 appearances for the Highlanders, but was reduced to six starts and was used mainly as a substitute through the second half of the season.

Leota was not retained by the Highlanders for the 2010 Super 14 season, and instead found himself in the wider training group of the Hurricanes. However, he did not make an appearance for the squad and was not brought back after missing most of the 2010 provincial season through injury.

On 11 August 2011, Leota moved to England as he signed for Sale Sharks who compete in the Aviva Premiership after the conclusion of the 2011 Rugby World Cup.

International career

Leota was one of 25 players selected in the squad for the Samoan national team's 2011 Pacific Nations Cup campaign, in the leadup to the 2011 Rugby World Cup. He made his international debut for Samoa against Tonga in Lautoka, Fiji. Shortly thereafter he returned to New Zealand and resumed provincial duties for Manawatu.

Personal life

Johnny Leota is married to Liana Leota (née Barrett-Chase), a netball player in the Silver Ferns and the Southern Steel. The couple married in 2010 in Rarotonga, and have one daughter, Brooklyn.

External links

• Manawatu Turbos profile
• Sale Sharks Profile