Ofa Tu'ungafasi

Aniseto Ofa He Moori Tuungafasi (born 19 April 1992) is a New Zealand rugby union player who plays as a prop for the All Blacks, the Blues in Super Rugby and in the Bunnings NPC.

Career

Early career Tuungafasi 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 squad for the 2013 Super Rugby season.

Tuungafasi represented New Zealand Under 20 in the 2012 IRB Junior World Championship in South Africa making 5 appearances and scoring 1 try.

On 29 May 2016 he was selected in the All Blacks squad for a three test series against Wales. Tuungafasi made his debut for New Zealand in the third test of the series, which was a 46-6 thrashing of Wales where Tuungafasi replaced Blues teammate Charlie Faumuina off the bench after 53 minutes. Tuungafasi was one of three forwards to debut against Wales that day, doing so alongside Elliot Dixon and Liam Squire. Tuungafasi made four more appearances for the All Blacks off the bench that year.

2017 Tuungafasi started for the Blues in a historic 22–16 win over the touring British & 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 Tuungafasi score his first try for the All Blacks in the record 57–0 win over South Africa in the 2017 Rugby Championship and make 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 lost 23-18 after Tuungafasi conceded a penalty for illegally taking out a Wallaby with three minutes left.

Tuungafasi 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 Tuungafasi 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, Tuungafasi re signed to the New Zealand Rugby Union, with a deal lasting until 2021.

On 28 August, All Blacks Head Coach, Steve Hansen, named Tuungafasi as one of 31 players in New Zealand's squad for the 2019 Rugby World Cup. Tuungafasi 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.

Tuungafasi made five test appearances at the World Cup, including the 7–19 defeat to England during the semifinal.

2020 Tuungafasi had a stellar season with the Blues in Super Rugby Aotearoa, earning him a starting place in all four Bledisloe Cup tests against the Wallabies at the end of the year. However, he was red carded in the fourth game for a high tackle on Wallabies debutant Tom Wright. Tuungafasi's shoulder came into contact with Wright's chin. Tuungafasi was banned for three weeks by SAANZAR, which meant that he could not feature for the rest of the international season. This incident, along with the red card to Wallabies debutant Lachlan Swinton, prompted much public debate over the red card rule and high tackle framework.

Personal life Tuungafasi moved to New Zealand in 2006. He has ten brothers and two younger sisters.

In 2025, he played a minor role in the Apple TV+-produced Hawaiian period drama Chief of War appearing in the first episode as Kahekili's chosen warrior to fight Kaʻiana.

Honours New Zealand Rugby World Cup / Webb Ellis Cup Third place: 2019 Second place: 2023 Blues Super Rugby Champions: 2024