Tony Iro

{{short description|RL coach & former NZ international rugby league footballer}}

{{Infobox rugby league biography

|name = Tony Iro

|fullname = Tony Roy Iro

|image =

|caption =

|position = {{rlp|SR|WG}}

|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1967|05|30|df=y}}

|birth_place = Auckland, New Zealand

|height = {{convert|192|cm|ftin|abbr=on}}

|weight = {{convert|98|kg|stlb|abbr=on}}

|club1 = Mt Albert

|year1start =

|year1end =

|appearances1 =

|tries1 =

|goals1 =

|fieldgoals1 =

|points1 =

|club2 = Wigan

|year2start = 1987

|year2end = 89

|appearances2 = 50

|tries2 = 23

|goals2 = 0

|fieldgoals2 = 0

|points2 = 92

|club3 = {{nowrap|Manly Sea Eagles}}

|year3start = 1990

|year3end = 93

|appearances3 = 72

|tries3 = 13

|goals3 = 0

|fieldgoals3 = 0

|points3 = 52

| club4 = {{nowrap|Leigh}}

| year4start = 1990

| year4end = 91

| appearances4 = 11

| tries4 = 4

| goals4 = 0

| fieldgoals4 = 0

| points4 = 16

|club5 = Sydney City

|year5start = 1994

|year5end = 96

|appearances5 = 60

|tries5 = 11

|goals5 = 0

|fieldgoals5 = 0

|points5 = 44

|club6 = Hunter Mariners

|year6start = 1997

|year6end =

|appearances6 = 20

|tries6 = 3

|goals6 = 0

|fieldgoals6 = 0

|points6 = 12

|club7 = Adelaide Rams

|year7start = 1998

|year7end =

|appearances7 = 20

|tries7 = 1

|goals7 = 0

|fieldgoals7 = 0

|points7 = 4

|club8 = South Sydney

|year8start = 1999

|year8end =

|appearances8 = 22

|tries8 = 1

|goals8 = 0

|fieldgoals8 = 0

|points8 = 4

|teamA = Auckland

|yearAstart =

|yearAend =

|appearancesA =

|triesA =

|goalsA =

|fieldgoalsA =

|pointsA =

|teamB = New Zealand

|yearBstart = 1988

|yearBend = 98

|appearancesB = 25

|triesB = 4

|goalsB = 0

|fieldgoalsB = 0

|pointsB = 16

|coachteam1 = {{nowrap|New Zealand Warriors}}

|coachyear1start = 2012

|coachyear1end =

|coachgames1 = 2

|coachwins1 = 0

|coachdraws1 = 0

|coachlosses1 = 2

|coachteamA = Cook Islands

|coachyearAstart = 2017

|coachyearAend = 22

|coachgamesA = 5

|coachwinsA = 3

|coachdrawsA = 0

|coachlossesA = 2

|source = {{cite web|url=http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/players/tony-iro/summary.html|title=Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org|publisher=rugbyleagueproject.org|date=31 December 2017|access-date=1 January 2018}}[http://www.yesterdayshero.com.au/PlayerProfile.aspx?fname=PlayerProfile.aspx&QStr=11397 Yesterday's Hero] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120827200040/http://www.yesterdayshero.com.au/PlayerProfile.aspx?fname=PlayerProfile.aspx&QStr=11397 |date=27 August 2012 }}[http://www.rleague.com/db/article.php?id=27614 Rleague] {{Webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20130201113720/http://www.rleague.com/db/article.php?id=27614 |date=1 February 2013 }}{{cite web|url=http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/coaches/tony-iro/summary.html|title=Coach Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org|publisher=rugbyleagueproject.org|date=31 December 2017|access-date=1 January 2018}}

|updated = 14 October 2022

| module = {{infobox person

| embed = yes

| father =

| mother =

| spouse =

| education =

| alma_mater =

| relatives = Kevin Iro (brother)
Kayal Iro (nephew)

}}

Tony Roy Iro[https://web.archive.org/web/20120402171153/http://nzleague.co.nz/kiwis/player_profile.php?letter=I&id=606 IRO, TONY ROY 1988 - 90, 1995 - 98 - KIWI #606] nzleague.co.nz (born 30 May 1967) is a professional rugby league coach and former player who last coached the Cook Islands national rugby league team. He is a former New Zealand international representative, playing on the wing or in the second row in 25 Tests.

Background

Tony Iro is also the older brother of former professional rugby league international footballer Kevin Iro. He is the uncle of Kayal Iro

Playing career

Iro first played as a professional in England played with the Wigan Warriors from 1987 to 1989. During the 1988–89 season Iro played on the wing in Wigan's 22–17 victory over Salford in the 1988 Lancashire Cup Final at Knowsley Road, St. Helens on Sunday 23 October 1988.{{cite web|url=http://wigan.rlfans.com/news.php?readmore=2745|title=1988–1989 Lancashire Cup Final|publisher=wigan.rlfans.com|date=31 December 2014|access-date=1 January 2015}}

He made his début for the Kiwis in the 1988 World Cup final against Australia. Playing on the wing, he scored a try on debut, but the Kiwis were defeated 25–12 in front of 47,363 at Auckland's Eden Park.

During the 1988–89 season Iro played on the wing in the 12–6 victory over Widnes Vikings in the 1988–89 John Player Special Trophy Final at Burnden Park, Bolton on Saturday 7 January 1989.{{cite web|url=http://wigan.rlfans.com/news.php?readmore=2756|title=7th January 1989: Wigan 12 Widnes 6 (John Player Trophy Final)|publisher=wigan.rlfans.com|date=31 December 2014|access-date=1 January 2015}}

Iro moved to Australia in 1990 and played for the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles.

In 1990-91 he returned to England for a short stint with Leigh.

He played at the 1995 Rugby League World Cup for the Kiwis, helping them to the semi-finals where they again went down to Australia in extra time.

He signed with new Super League club Hunter Mariners and after a season with his brother Kevin, ventured to play for the Adelaide Rams after moving to the forwards. Iro, who at the time played for the short-lived Adelaide Rams (1997–98), earlier in 1998 became the only Rams player selected for international duty when he played in the ANZAC Test against Australia at the North Harbour Stadium in Auckland. Iro's last international series was against Great Britain in England in late 1998 where he played from the bench in the first two tests of the series, both won by NZ. Following the demise of the Rams, 1999 found Iro at the South Sydney Rabbitohs before his return to England.

Coaching career

In 2005 Iro joined the New Zealand Warriors coaching staff and in 2008 was named in inaugural coach of the Toyota Cup (Under-20s) team.{{cite web |url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/7887962/Tony-Iro-released-by-New-Zealand-Warriors |title=Tony Iro released by New Zealand Warriors |publisher=Stuff |date=1 November 2012 |access-date=8 September 2020}} He was appointed to the New Zealand coaching staff in February 2009.{{cite web |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=10557958 |title=League: Iro replaces Bennett as Kiwis' assistant coach |publisher=New Zealand Herald |date=21 February 2009 |access-date=8 September 2020}}

For the 2010 season, Iro was promoted to be the Warriors Assistant Coach.{{cite news|url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=10599491&ref=rss|title=NRL: Bell wins leading role at Warriors|author=Deane, Steve|date=25 September 2009|work= The New Zealand Herald|access-date=23 November 2011}} In 2010 Iro was appointed a New Zealand national rugby league team selector for two years.{{cite news|url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=10633786&ref=rss|title=League: Iro, Nikau named Kiwis selectors|date=23 March 2010|agency= NZPA|work= The New Zealand Herald|access-date=23 November 2011}}

Following Brian McClennan's sacking on 21 August 2012, Iro was appointed the caretaker coach of the Warriors for the last two matches of the season.[http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/league/7516208/Brian-McClennan-disappointed-at-Warriors-axing McClennan dismayed at Warriors axing] stuff.co.nz, 21 August 2012 At the end of 2012 Iro left the club but rejoined for the 2015 season.[http://www.warriors.co.nz/news/2014/09/20/iro_returning_to_vodafone_warriors.html Iro returning to Vodafone Warriors] warriors.co.nz, 20 September 2014

Since 2017, he has been the head coach of the Cook Islands national rugby league team.{{cite web |url=http://www.cookislandsnews.com/sport/league/item/75987-iro-for-world-cup |title=Iro for World Cup |publisher=Cook Islands News |author=Rashneel Kumar |date=18 February 2020 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200219130419/http://www.cookislandsnews.com/sport/league/item/75987-iro-for-world-cup |archive-date=19 February 2020}}

{{Succession box

| before = Brian McClennan
2012

| after = Matthew Elliott
2013-2014

| title = Coach
(caretaker)
{{leagueicon|auckland|size=18}}
{{nowrap|New Zealand Warriors}}

| years = 2012

}}