Brian Alainu’uese

Seven seasons and four contract extensions at Toulon, a Challenge Cup, and a World Cup with Samoa at twenty-nine.

Brian Alainu’uese arrived at Toulon in 2018 on a one-year deal with an option. He was still there seven years and four extensions later, having won a European trophy and played at a World Cup.

Note on his current club: Alainu’uese is still listed in Toulon‘s squad data. He joined Bayonne in 2026.

Lock, 2.02m and 136kg, and 32 years old. There are few heavier forwards in the league.

Born in Invercargill and schooled at Wesley College in Auckland, he played club rugby for the University of Waikato before the province took him into its squad for the 2013 provincial season, in which he played eight matches. The Chiefs called him up from their development side in 2015 after a run of injuries and he made two Super Rugby appearances.

Injury then cost him two entire provincial seasons. Glasgow gave him a one-year contract in October 2016 to cover their own injured locks, extended it twice, and released him in October 2018 when he asked to go for want of rugby.

What followed was the making of him. He became a fixture in the Toulon second row on power and appetite for the fight, was beaten in the European second-tier final in both 2020 and 2022, and won the competition in 2023.

Samoa capped him at 28, against Italy in Padua in November 2022, and took him to the 2023 World Cup, where he played three times and started twice.

A heavy, combative second row of the sort the Top 14 is built around, moving up the coast at 32 rather than winding down.