Viliami Ofahengaue
| Full name | Viliami Ofahengaue | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Date of birth | 3 May 1968 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Kolofoou, Tonga | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 118 kg (18 st 8 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| School | Tupou College Toloa, Seddon High School | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Notable relative(s) | Joe Ofahengaue (nephew) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Viliami Ofahengaue (born 3 May 1968 in Kolofoou, Tonga), widely known as Willie O, is a former rugby union player who earned 41 caps for the Australian Wallabies from 1990 to 1998, and played in the World Cups of 1991 and 1995 as well as the 1993 World Cup Sevens.
Ofahengaue attended Tupou College Toloa in Tonga. He was included in Toloas 1st XV team that was undefeated throughout all the secondary schools in Tonga, it was after his years at Tupou College Toloa where he had the opportunities to travel around Australia and New Zealand through rugby. Ofahengaue moved to stay with relatives in Auckland to complete his education at Seddon High School and he was selected to play for New Zealand Schoolboys in 1988 and participated in a tour to Australia. However, on the return trip, he was refused re-entry to New Zealand with his Tongan passport so he moved to Australia.[1][2]
It was while playing for the Manly Rugby Club that he was selected for the NSW and Australian teams. He scored 11 Test tries for Australia from the back of the scrum before handing over the No.8 jersey to fellow Tongan Toutai Kefu at the end of 1998.
Coaching
After finishing his playing career in Australia, Ofahengaue worked as player/coach in Japan for the next five years, visiting Fiji in 2001 to lend assistance to Tonga's Pacific Rim campaign. He became head coach of the 'Ikale Tahi in January 2004. He has also coached Japanese and Manly club sides.[3]
Former Wallabies No.8 Wycliff Palu mentioned Ofahengaue as someone he looked up to during his early career.[4]
He now resides in the western suburbs of Melbourne in Sunshine, Victoria with his wife and children where he serves as a minister for the Free Wesleyan Church of Tonga.[5]
Ofahengaue is the uncle of former NRL player Joe Ofahengaue.[6][7]
Honours and awards
On 31 July 2008, Ofahengaue was appointed a Member of the Order of Queen Sālote Tupou III.[8]
In 2025, Ofahengaue was inducted into the Pasifika Rugby Hall of Fame.[9]
References
- ^ "From Willie O to Joe O - Ofahengaue name is back in the sporting spotlight". Stuff. 29 May 2019. Retrieved 5 January 2022.
- ^ "Viliami Ofahengaue". Classic Wallabies. Retrieved 5 January 2022.
- ^ Rugby's newest odd couple
- ^ "I want to be next Willie O". foxsports.com.au. Retrieved 5 January 2022.
- ^ "Wallaby great Willie Ofahengaue becomes a church minister". Courier-Mail. 8 July 2010. Retrieved 5 January 2022.
- ^ "Former Wallaby Willie Ofahengaue's nephew Joe a Broncos rising star". Perth Now. 5 October 2014. Retrieved 5 January 2022.
- ^ "Parramatta Eels announce signing of Joe Ofahengaue". parraeels. Retrieved 30 March 2025.
- ^ "Royal orders presented at Palace". Matangi Tonga. 1 August 2008. Archived from the original on 21 January 2021. Retrieved 2 January 2022.
- ^ Tora, Iliesa (28 March 2025). "Seven more rugby legends to be inducted into Pasifika Rugby Hall of Fame in Auckland". RNZ News. Retrieved 11 April 2025.
External links
- Willie Ofahengaue on Sporting Heroes
- [1] - Fox Sports Interview