Ita Vaea

{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2023}}

{{ Infobox rugby biography

| name = Ita Vaea

| image = Ita Vaea, 2013, Loftus.jpg

|caption = Ita Vaea in 2013

| birth_name = Ita Vaea

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1989|02|09|df=y}}

| birth_place = Tonga

| height = {{height|m=1.87}}

| weight = {{convert|119|kg|stlb|abbr=on}}

| nickname =

| occupation =

| school =

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| spouse =

| children =

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| ru_currentposition =

| ru_currentteam =

| ru_position = Number Eight

| ru_amateuryears =

| ru_amateurclubs =

| ru_clubyears = 2014
2015

| ru_proclubs = {{nowrap|NSW Country Eagles
Canberra Vikings}}

| ru_clubcaps = 5
9

| ru_clubpoints = (5)
(30)

| ru_clubupdate = 3 November 2015

| super14years = 2011–16

| super14 = Brumbies

| super14caps = 49

| super14points = (35)

| super14update = 22 June 2016

| ru_provinceyears =

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}}

Ita Vaea (born 9 February 1989) is a former Tongan rugby union player who played for the Brumbies in Super Rugby. His playing position was number eight. He made his Brumbies debut during the 2011 Super Rugby season against the Sharks in Canberra.

Vaea made 26 appearances for the {{Rut|Brumbies}} during the 2011 and 2012 seasons and signed a contract extension in 2012 to keep him in Canberra until 2014,{{cite web | url=http://www.superxv.com/news/super15_rugby_news.asp?id=34983 | title=Brumbies re-sign four of their new stars | publisher=SuperXV | date=2 May 2012 | accessdate=6 January 2014}} but was ruled out of the entire 2013 and 2014 Super Rugby season after a blood clot was discovered on his heart.{{cite web | url=http://www1.skysports.com/rugby-union/news/12321/8503016/ | title=Brumbies back-row Ita Vaea has been ruled out of the Super Rugby season | publisher=Sky Sports | date=15 February 2013 | accessdate=6 January 2014}}{{cite web | url=http://www.canberratimes.com.au/rugby-union/union-news/vaea-puts-heart-clot-behind-him-20130504-2j0em.html | title=Vaea puts heart clot behind him | publisher=Rugby Heaven | work=The Canberra Times | date=5 May 2013 | accessdate=6 January 2014}}{{cite web | url=http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/union-news/ita-vaeas-future-at-act-brumbies-to-be-decided-by-doctors-20131123-2y2ws.html | title=Ita Vaea's future at ACT Brumbies to be decided by doctors | publisher=Rugby Heaven | work=The Sydney Morning Herald | date=24 November 2013 | accessdate=6 January 2014}} He returned to action for the Brumbies during the 2015 Super Rugby season, scoring four tries in seventeen appearances and signed a contract tying him to the Brumbies until 2017.{{cite press release | url=https://www.brumbies.com.au/uncategorised/wallaby-prospects-vaea-arnold-extend-contracts | title=Wallaby prospects Vaea, Arnold extend contracts | publisher=Brumbies | date=1 April 2015 | accessdate=1 April 2015 | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160229215716/https://www.brumbies.com.au/uncategorised/wallaby-prospects-vaea-arnold-extend-contracts | archivedate=29 February 2016}} However, after starting four matches during the 2016 Super Rugby season, Vaea was forced to retire from rugby union following ongoing health issues relating to his heart.{{cite press release | url=https://www.brumbies.com.au/2016/04/ita-vaea-announces-immediate-retirement-rugby | title=Ita Vaea announces immediate retirement from rugby | publisher=Brumbies | date=11 April 2016 | accessdate=11 April 2016 | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160411075838/https://www.brumbies.com.au/2016/04/ita-vaea-announces-immediate-retirement-rugby | archivedate=11 April 2016}}

Vaea attended Nelson College from 2006 to 2007.{{cite news | url=http://www.nelsoncollege.school.nz/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/62468-Nelson-College-Bulletin-Nov-2011-WEB.pdf | title=Good sports | date=November 2011 | work=The Bulletin | accessdate=30 March 2014 | publisher=Nelson College Old Boys' Association | page=14 | archive-date=20 April 2017 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170420051212/http://www.nelsoncollege.school.nz/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/62468-Nelson-College-Bulletin-Nov-2011-WEB.pdf | url-status=dead }}