Isaac Kailea

Isaac Kailea has had a remarkable rise to professional rugby, considering his move to front-row was only in 2018. The half Tongan, half Chilean, Melbourne-born prop was at that stage a rookie, who first played rugby for Harlequins Junior Rugby Club and was inspired to move from the back row by former Wallabies prop Nic Henderson.

It paid dividends with a breakout 2024 Super Rugby Pacific season for the Melbourne Rebels with 13 matches, followed with a call-up to the Wallabies squad when fellow looseheads Angus Bell and Blake Schoupp were ruled out with injury. He made his Wallabies debut against Wales in Sydney in July that year.

The Waratahs signed Kailea from the Rebels ahead of the 2025 season and he made his debut for the club in Round 3 against the Fijian Drua at Allianz Stadium. He went on to become an integral part of our Super Rugby Aus title win.