 By the time of his final cap against Ireland on 11 November 2001, he had represented his country 61 times in a 15-year period.Vaega starred for Samoa in three World Cups, but is most remembered for scoring a critical try in Samoa's historic 16–13 victory over Wales in Cardiff during the 1991 Rugby World Cup.Outside of his duties with the Samoan national team, Vaega enjoyed a long club career in New Zealand, most notably with Southland and the Highlanders in the mid-1990s.