Ikale Tahi coach

He's presided over some humiliating defeats, not least at the hands of the All Blacks, with Covid-19 restrictions forcing him to pick greatly weakened squads to meet the team's fixture commitments.

Then to add to his woes, Kefu and his family were subjected to a violent home invasion at their house in Brisbane, and his wife is still recovering from her injuries.

However, 2022 is set to bring new hope now World Rugby have made it possible at last for players tied to the likes of New Zealand and Australia to switch their allegiance to their countries of heritage.

The 47-year-old, was at home in the early hours of August 16 when three people broke into his family home in Coorparoo, Brisbane. 

Police charged four teenage boys with attempted murder and other offences, alleging they carried out the attack with an axe, a knife and a machete injuring Kefu's wife, son and daughter.

"There was blood everywhere at this stage, it was unbelievable," Kefu told the Please Explain podcast this week. "The police that came in could not believe the crime scene."

The World Cup winning Wallabies great came through a prolonged period of surgery, and the hope is that he, his wife, and two adult children, who all suffered injuries during the attack at their home in Brisbane, will make a full recovery.

But in the mean time the TRU's Chief Executive, Peter Harding, is working on his options for Tonga's forthcoming trip to the northern hemisphere, which is just a couple of months away.

The 47-year-old former back rower — who played 60 Tests for Australia and now coaches Tonga — is in a serious condition after reportedly being stabbed in the stomach during a home invasion in Brisbane overnight.

The news was met with shock, sadness and anger from all over the world as many took to social media to send well-wishes.

Kefu played 60 times for the Wallabies, including winning the World Cup in 1999 and scoring a matchwinning and Bledisloe Cup-winning try in 2001.

This has been confirmed to Kaniva News by Tonga Rugby Union interim chairman, Fe’ao Vunipola.

Kefu will need to select a new squad from local and international players ahead of his first challenge, the Pacific Cup in Fiji and Samoa in June.

Former ‘Ikale Tahi player Siua Taumalolo was elected as assistant coach.