Toutai Kefu
Full name | Rodger Siaosi Toutai Kefu | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Date of birth | 8 April 1974 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Place of birth | Tonga | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Height | 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Notable relative(s) | Mafileo Kefu (brother) Steve Kefu (brother) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Rodger Siaosi Toutai Kefu (born 8 April 1974) is a Tongan-Australian professional rugby union coach and former player who has been coaching the Tonga national team since 2016.[1]
Kefu acquired 60
Playing career
Big, quick and powerfully built, he was a stand out school boy performer representing at the underage level from Coorparoo State High School.
Kefu helped Australia to their first ever Tri-nations title in
After failing to make the
In 2006, Kefu represented the Barbarians, playing against England at Twickenham Stadium, with England winning 46–19.
Honours
- Rugby World Cup / Webb Ellis Cup
- Winner: 1999
- Tri Nations Series
- Bledisloe Cup
- Winner: 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002
- Mandela Challenge Plate
- Winner: 2000
- Tom Richards Cup
- Winner: 2001
- Puma Trophy
- Winner: 2002
- Trophée des Bicentenaires
- Winner: 1998, 2000, 2002
- Cook Cup
- Winner: June 1998, Nov 1998, 1999
- Hopetoun Cup
- Winner: 1998, 2000
- Lansdowne Cup
- Winner: 1999
Coaching career
In 2010 Kefu became head coach of the Sunshine Coast Stingrays, a team in the Queensland Premier League. In his first season in charge, he led the Stingrays to the Senior Championship title, defeating Gold Coast 37–12 in the final. Kefu continued on to coach the Stingrays, but temporarily left the side in 2011 to take up the role of assistant coach for the Tongan national team in preparation for the 2011 Rugby World Cup.[5][6] He helped Tonga to second in the 2011 IRB Pacific Nations Cup, their best positioning since the tournament was formed in 2006. It saw Tonga earn their first victory over Fiji since 2008, winning 45–21, their largest winning margin over the Flying Fijians. In addition to this, they beat Samoa 29–19, which was their first victory over Manu Samoa since 2007. Their only loss came to Japan going down narrowly 28–27. During the World Cup, Tonga earned two victories, beating Japan 31–18 and beating France 19–14 for the first time since 1999. However, the two wins were not enough to progress Tonga further in the tournament.
In 2012, following Isitolo Maka resignation as Tongan head coach, Kefu acted as interim head coach for the 2012 IRB Pacific Nations Cup.[7] He guided Tonga to a sole victory, beating Japan in Tokyo 24–20. In September 2012, Mana Otai was named the full coach.[8]
Following his leave from the Tongan national team, Kefu became the head coach of his former club
In August 2016, just three months after being appointed head coach of Tonga, Kefu was named the head coach of Queensland Country for the 2016 National Rugby Championship in Australia.[13] Kefu was only able to lead his side to a single victory during their campaign, coming against finalist and table leaders New South Wales Country Eagles 40–38. This meant Queensland Country finished bottom of the table on 7 points.
Head coach of Tonga
On 6 May 2016, Kefu was announced as the Tongan national team's head coach, replacing Mana Otai after Tonga failed to automatically qualify for the
In June 2017, Kefu named a squad that included 15 uncapped players in an attempt to increase depth in the national team of players playing in elite rugby in various countries. On 16 June, 7 players earned their debut in Tonga's 24–6 loss to Wales at Eden Park. Two weeks late, Kefu led Tonga into their first home game since 2009 - against Samoa in the first round of the 2017 World Rugby Pacific Nations Cup. Despite a late come back from Samoa, Tonga earned their first victory over Samoa (30–26) since 2011, in a game that included 2 further debutantes. The following week saw Fiji down Tonga for the sixth consecutive time, losing 14–10. Tonga had a promising starts to the End-of-year tour, narrowly losing to invitational side Barbarians, 27–24, in the first ever match between the two sides. Unfortunately, they were unable to continue their form from that match in to their second match on tour, losing to Japan 39–6, a record defeat for the Tongan's against Japan. Tonga's third match on tour ended in a victory, defeating Romania 25–20.
The 2018 World Rugby Pacific Nations Cup saw Tonga maintain their position as the second ranked Pacific Nation behind Fiji. In the opening round of the PNC, Tonga lost to newly invited Georgia 16–15, but went onto to defeat Samoa 28–18 in round 2. Despite there only being two rounds of the PNC, Tonga later went onto to beat Fiji in Lautoka 27–19, in a one-off test match - it was the first time since 2011 that Tonga had defeated Fiji in Fiji. The start of the World Cup year saw Tonga finish in fifth place during the 2019 World Rugby Pacific Nations Cup, winning just once, beating Canada 33–23.
Honours
- World Rugby Pacific Nations Cup
- Runners-up: 2017, 2018
Personal life
Kefu is married to his wife Rachel and they have an adult son and daughter and live in Coorparoo, a suburb of Brisbane.
On 16 August 2021 Kefu and his family were allegedly the victims of a violent home invasion in which all four family members were seriously injured and required surgery.[18] Reportedly the Kefus were at home when three people broke in and a brawl erupted during which Kefu was stabbed in the liver and abdomen.[19] Kefu told reporters that his son showed no fear as he helped him to fight off two of the alleged attackers. “He absolutely went into beast mode,” Kefu said.[20] A 15-year-old male was charged with four counts of attempted murder, three counts of assault causing grievous bodily harm and one count each of unlawful use of a motor vehicle, breaking and entering, burglary and deprivation of liberty.[21] This prompted statements of support from the rugby community both in Australia and overseas.[22][23]
References
- Australian Rugby Union. Archived from the originalon 22 September 2013. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
- ^ RA & the private schoolboy image ABC News 14 June 2023
- ^ Tongan Kefu fills huge hole for Wallabies
- ^ JRFU’S new ruling puts players’ lives at risk
- ^ Kefu Switches Focus to Tonga Toutai Changes Focus to Tonga
- ^ Ikale Tahi squad for the Pacific Nations Cup 2011
- ^ Sport: Tonga rugby names new-look squad for PNC
- ^ Mana 'Otai, 'Ikale Tahi's new Head Coach
- ^ resentation of the regional league clubs A season 2012/2013
- ^ 2013–14 Top League season table
- ^ Kubota Spears Top League Profile 2013-14
- ^ 2014–15 Top League season table
- ^ NRC: Queensland Country unveil Kefu as head coach
- ^ Kefu to coach Tonga rugby team
- ^ 'Ikale Tahi players in "terrible shape" during Pacific Nations Cup
- ^ "Tonga score big upset a week after Italy down South Africa". Stuff. 27 November 2016. Retrieved 16 December 2021.
- ^ "Rugby-Tonga bring Italy down to earth with 19-17 win". Yahoo Sports. 27 November 2016. Retrieved 21 February 2023.
- ^ "Toutai Kefu and son 'recovering well' after surgery following home invasion". abc.net.au. 17 August 2021. Retrieved 17 August 2021.
- ^ "'Brutal and violent': Wallabies great out of surgery as 15-year-old charged with attempted murder". Fox Sports. 16 August 2021. Retrieved 17 August 2021.
- ^ Cartwright, Darren (20 August 2021). "Kefu says son's 'beast mode' saved his life". news.com.au. Retrieved 27 August 2021.
- ^ Ben Morse. "Former Rugby World Cup star Toutai Kefu and family attacked in Brisbane home". CNN. Retrieved 17 August 2021.
- ^ "Toutai Kefu: Rugby star and family attacked in their Brisbane home". BBC News. 16 August 2021. Retrieved 17 August 2021.
- ^ "Toutai Kefu: Australian World Cup winner and Tonga coach stabbed, family injured in home invasion". Sky Sports. Retrieved 17 August 2021.