Toutai Kefu

Toutai Kefu (born April 8, 1974 in Tonga) is a rugby player who won 60 caps playing at number eight for the Australian rugby union side (the Wallabies). He currently (2007-8) is playing for Kubota Spears in the Top League in Japan.

Career

Big, quick and powerfully built, he was a stand out school boy performer before making his international test debut at the age of 23 on 23 August, 1997 as a replacement during the 1997 Tri Nations Series match against South Africa. He took over the position of number 8 from fellow Tongan Willie Ofahengaue in 1998 when he gained his first starting appearance with Australia in their record 76-0 win over England. This score remains the biggest losing margin that England has suffered.

He played a vital role in the Australian side that lifted the 1999 Rugby World Cup, scoring against Romania in the opening game. His father was once the Heavy weight boxing champion of Tonga and must have passed some tips to him as he gave Irish hardman Trevor Brennan a good fight, cutting the Irish back-rower's face with some hard punching in the pool game but earning himself a one match ban in process which saw him miss the quarter final against Wales.

One of his finest moments came in John Eales' final game for the Wallabies when he scored the try which beat the All Blacks, gave the retiring Skipper a winning record against the New Zealanders and the perfect send off.

During the 2003 Tri Nations Series game against New Zealand, he cracked a shoulder blade, and later in the 2003 world cup had was injured against Argentina in the opening game.

External links

* [http://www.sporting-heroes.net/rugby-heroes/printableversion.asp?HeroID=2242 Toutai Kefu on Sporting Heroes]