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.

Viliami Ofahengaue

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.

Viliami Ofahengaue

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.

Viliami Ofahengaue

Former Wallabies No.8 Wycliff Palu mentioned Ofahengaue as someone he looked up to during his early career.

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.

Ofahengaue is the uncle of current Wests Tigers player Joe Ofahengaue.

Honours

National honours

Order of Queen Sālote Tupou III, Member (31 July 2008).

References

External links

Willie Ofahengaue on Sporting Heroes

- Fox Sports Interview

1968 births

Living people

Australian rugby union coaches

Australian rugby union players

Australia international rugby union players

Tongan emigrants to Australia

Rugby union number eights

Rugby union players from Tongatapu

New South Wales Waratahs players

Members of the Order of Queen Sālote Tupou III

Rugby union players from New South Wales

Sportsmen from New South Wales

Tongan rugby union players

Tongan rugby union coaches

Tonga national rugby union team coaches

Rugby union flankers

Rugby Rovigo Delta players

Kubota Spears Funabashi Tokyo Bay players

Australian expatriate sportspeople in Japan

Australian expatriate sportspeople in Italy

Australian expatriate rugby union players

Tongan expatriate sportspeople in Japan

Tongan expatriate sportspeople in Italy

Tongan expatriate rugby union players

Expatriate rugby union players in Japan

Expatriate rugby union players in Italy

1991 Rugby World Cup players

1995 Rugby World Cup players

Manly RUFC players