Jerome Kaino was born in Tutuila, American Samoa, on 6 April 1983 before moving to New Zealand where he was educated at Papakura High School and St Kentigern's College in Auckland. He played for New Zealand Secondary Schools and then Auckland by which time he had moved from full-back to the back row of the pack. He became a specialist No 6 flanker for Auckland Blues and in 2004 made his All Blacks' debut against the Barbarians at Twickenham, celebrating the occasion with a spectacular try. He won full test honours two years later and was a member of the Rugby World Cup winning team in 2011. At that point he had scored eight tries in 48 internationals for New Zealand.