Ofa Tu'ungafasi
Aniseto Ofa He Moori Tu'ungafasi (born 19 April 1992) is New Zealand rugby union player who plays for the All Blacks as a Prop. Domestically, he represents Auckland in the Mitre 10 Cup and the Blues in Super Rugby.[1]
.jpg) Tu'ungafasi in 2017 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Full name | Aniseto Ofa He Moori Tu'ungafasi | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Date of birth | 19 April 1992 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Nukuʻalofa, Tonga | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 193 cm (6 ft 4 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 129 kg (284 lb; 20 st 4 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| School | Mangere College | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Notable relative(s) | Isileli Tu'ungafasi (brother) Mofuike Tuʻungafasi (father) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Tu'ungafasi is well known for his ability to cover either side of the scrum and has started as both loosehead and tighthead prop, for New Zealand, during his international career. He has played 35 tests since his international debut in 2016 and was a member of New Zealand's squad for the 2019 Rugby World Cup.
Career
Early Career
He made his provincial debut in 2012 in a match against Hawke's Bay and his strong performances during the season saw him named in the Blues squad for the 2013 Super Rugby season.[2][3]
Tu'ungafasi represented New Zealand Under 20 in the 2012 IRB Junior World Championship in South Africa making 5 appearances and scoring 1 try.[4]
On 29 May 2016 he was selected in the All Blacks squad for a three-test series against Wales.[5] Tu'ungafasi made his debut for New Zealand in the third test of the series, which was a 46-6 thrashing of Wales where Tu'ungafasi replaced Blues teammate Charlie Faumuina off the bench after 53 minutes. Tu'ungafasi was one of three forwards to debut against Wales that day, doing so alongside Elliot Dixon and Liam Squire. Tu'ungafasi made four more appearances for the All Blacks off the bench that year.
Tu'ungafasi has not missed selection for an All Black squad, or played for Auckland, since his international debut.
2017
Tu'ungafasi started for the Blues in a historic 22-16 win over the touring British and Irish Lions in 2017, becoming a regular player for the All Blacks off the bench after Faumuina's departure at the end of the Lions series. This saw Tu'ungafasi score his first try for the All Blacks in the record 57-0 win over South Africa in the 2017 Rugby Championship and make worldwide headlines for bone-crushing tackles on Wallabies first-five Bernard Foley and replacement lock Lukhan Tui in the third Bledisloe Cup test of 2017, but it was unfortunately lost 23-18 after Tu'ungafasi conceded a 3-point penalty to winger Reece Hodge for illegally taking out a Wallaby with three minutes left.
Tu'ungafasi made his first start for the All Blacks in the 31-22 win against the Barbarians on the 2017 end-of-year tour and was one of only two players to make an appearance for the All Blacks on every match of the end-of-year tour, alongside Lima Sopoaga.
2018
Tu'ungafasi became a regular starter for the Blues in the 2018 Super Rugby season, replacing the departed Charlie Faumuina as the first-choice tighthead prop. During Super Rugby, Tu'ungafasi re-signed to the New Zealand Rugby Union, with a deal lasting until 2021.[5]
After the Blues had a disappointing Super Rugby season, Tu'ungafasi was retained by the All Blacks for the three-test series against France in 2018. Tu'ungafasi was one of only three Blues players selected, alongside backs Rieko Ioane and Sonny Bill Williams. Tu'ungafasi replaced Owen Franks off the bench in all three tests against France, with his most notable involvement in the series being the second test, a 26-13 win over France on 16 June 2018. Tu'ungafasi replaced Franks in only the 34th minute, with Franks failing to scrummage to the referee's standards. Tu'ungafasi's shifts off the bench provided support to let the All Blacks win the series 3-0. He did also, however, cause controversy in the media for a head-high tackle in the first test, with media deeming Tu'ungafasi and Sam Cane's combined tackle on French winger, Rémy Grosso, worthy of a red card, following a fracture to Grosso's face.[5]
Tu'ungafasi earned a start at tighthead prop against Argentina, at Buenos Aires, during the 2018 Rugby Championship. The test, which took place on 29 September, was the first test start of Tu'ungafasi's international career. Tu'ungafasi was replaced by debutant, Angus Ta'avao, in the 51st minute, with the test ending in a 35-17 win, as well as New Zealand's third consecutive win of the competition.
On the 2018 end-of-season tour, Tu'ungafasi earned a start against Japan, being preferred over Tim Perry as the starting loosehead prop for the test. Tu'ungafasi was replaced by Perry after 54 minutes during the 69-31 victory and the following week, replaced Karl Tu'inukuafe, in New Zealand's narrow 16-15 win over England at Twickenham Stadium.
Having absolutely proved his ability to cover both loosehead and tighthead Prop, Tu'ungafasi was once again named by Steve Hansen, as the All Blacks' reserve loosehead Prop for their upcoming 17 November test, against World Rugby's number 2-ranked side, Ireland. Nepo Laulala was chosen as the reserve tighthead prop over Tu'ungafasi. The All Blacks went on to lose the test to Ireland, 9-16, replacing the whole front-row in the 48th minute. After an average performance against Ireland, Tu'ungafasi finished the year off with a start against Italy, during a 66-3 win.[5]
2019
Well-established in the Blues, as well as the All Blacks setups, Tu'ungafasi played in four of New Zealand's five warm-up tests prior to the World Cup, missing a record 26-47 defeat to Australia during the 2019 Rugby Championship, with rookie, Atu Moli, having earned a re-call. Tu'ungafasi went on to replace Joe Moody off the bench in both the Bledisloe Cup-winning 36-0 victory over Australia, as well as a 92-7 win over his native Tonga.[6]
On 28 August, All Blacks Head Coach, Steve Hansen, named Tu'ungafasi as one of 31 players in New Zealand's squad for the 2019 Rugby World Cup. [7] Tu'ungafasi and his father, Mofuike, joined the group of fathers and sons to play at a Rugby World Cup, including the likes of Wales' Ross Moriarty and France's Romain Ntamack, whose fathers had also previously appeared at World Cups.
Tu'ungafasi made five test appearances at the World Cup, including the 7-19 defeat to England during the semi-final.
Personal life
Tu'ungafasi moved to New Zealand in 2006. He has ten brothers and two younger sisters.[5] His father Mofuike, played as a lock and represented Tonga at the 1987 Rugby World Cup.[5] One of his brothers, Isileli is also a professional rugby player and is Ofa's teammate at the Auckland provincial. Tu'ungafasi is married and is a father of three daughters. Tu'ungafasi converted to Islam in March 2019.[8][9]
Notes
- "Ofa Tu'uungafasi Auckland Player Profile". Retrieved 1 November 2012.
- "Ofa Tu'ungafasi Blues Player Profile". Retrieved 1 November 2012.
- "Blues squad announced for 2013". 31 October 2012. Archived from the original on 26 January 2013. Retrieved 1 November 2012.
- "Ofa Tu'ungafasi IRB JWC Player Profile". Retrieved 1 November 2012.
- patrick.mckendry@nzherald.co.nz @patmck6, Patrick McKendry Sports writer (29 May 2016). "New All Black Ofa Tu'ungafasi: My mum was teary". ISSN 1170-0777. Retrieved 9 March 2019.
- "Rugby World Cup: All Blacks run riot against Tonga in Hamilton". stuff.co.nz. 7 September 2019. Retrieved 2 November 2019.
- "All Blacks squad named for Rugby World Cup 2019". allblacks.com. Retrieved 29 September 2019.
- "Sonny Bill Williams' mother and All Black teammate Ofa Tu'ungafasi have converted to Islam". Now to Love. 28 March 2019. Retrieved 14 August 2019.
- Johnson, Stephen (27 March 2019). "Devout Muslim rugby star Sonny Bill Williams' mother and best friend both convert to Islam just days after the Christchurch massacre". MSN News. Retrieved 14 August 2019.