Tonga reappoint Toutai Kefu has head coach

Toutai Kefu will lead Tonga at the 2023 Rugby World Cup after being appointed for a second stint in charge of the Pacific Island nation.

The former Wallabies No.8, born in Tonga, was previously in charge across a three-year span from 2016 to 2019.

Taking Tonga to the World Cup in Japan in 2019, Kefu finished the tournament on a positive note with a 31-19 win over USA after losing all prior Pool C matches against England, Argentina and France.

Yet to have their qualification for the World Cup in France confirmed, Kefu topped the list of 35 applicants who had communicated their interested in the head coach role to the Tonga RU joint management committee.

Chief executive Peter Harding described Kefu’s appointment as a ‘unaminous’ decision.

Kefu will begin work immediately ahead of July’s Rugby World Cup qualifying matches against Samoa to take the Oceania 1 spot in France.

Should they beat Samoa across two legs, Tonga would then be pooled in Pool D with England, Japan, Argentina and Americas 2.