| Date of birth | (1992-01-22)22 January 1992 (age 33) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Place of birth | Auckland, New Zealand | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 182 cm (6 ft 0 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 111 kg (245 lb; 17 st 7 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| School | Onehunga High School | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Andrew Makalio (born 22 January 1992) is aNew Zealandrugby union player.[1][2]
Originally fromAuckland, Makalio started playing rugby at the age of 15 while attendingOnehunga High School. He made his way through the Auckland club rugby scene and was named man of the match as his side,Grammar TEC lifted theGallaher Shield in 2015. Unable to crack theAucklandMitre 10 Cup team, he headed south to play forMarlborough based side Harlequins in 2016.
Makalio's move south proved to be a fruitful one as after just one season in Marlborough club rugby, he was chosen to replace the departingQuentin MacDonald in the Tasman Mako squad for the2016 Mitre 10 Cup. He instantly established himself as the first choice in the number 2 jersey, making 11 appearances, 10 of them from the start and scoring 2 tries as the Mako finished as Premiership runners up in 2016.[3] He was part of the Tasman team that won theMitre 10 Cup in2019 for the first time. Makalio was selected in theSouth Island squad for theNorth vs South rugby union match in 2020 but did not play. In Round 9 of the2020 Mitre 10 Cup Makalio played his 50th game for the Mako againstCanterbury. The Mako went on to win their second premiership title in a row. Makalio played only 6 games for Tasman during the2021 Bunnings NPC due to injury as the Mako made the final before losing 23–20 toWaikato.
After just one full season and 11 appearances at provincial level, Makalio was handed aSuper Rugby contract by theCrusaders ahead of the2017 Super Rugby season. The side went on to win the title and then backed it up in2018 and2019 making it 3 in row. The team also won theSuper Rugby Aotearoa competition in 2020. Makalio was ruled out of the2021 Super Rugby season with a neck injury suffered late in the2020 Mitre 10 Cup playing forTasman. TheCrusaders went on to make it number 5 in a row with a 24-13 win against theChiefs in the final. Makalio moved south to theHighlanders for the2022 Super Rugby Pacific season to replaceAsh Dixon.
