Tonga coach and ex-Wallaby Toutai Kefu fighting for life after stabbing

8:21am, 16 August 2021

Tonga head coach and former Wallabies great Toutai Kefu is reportedly fighting for his life after being stabbed while defending his family during a home invasion.

Kefu and his family were at home when three people broke into his Brisbane home at 3am on Monday.

According to Channel 7, the 47-year-old was reportedly stabbed in the stomach after a brawl erupted and was rushed to Princess Alexandra Hospital in a serious condition with abdominal wounds.

Kefu’s wife, who suffered an arm injury, son, who suffered lacerations to his back and abdominals, and daughter, who suffered a hand injury, were also taken to hospital.

Neighbours were reportedly woken by the incident and rushed to the scene, managing to hold down one of the alleged offenders, who was arrested at the scene.

Channel 7 reports that the other two offenders remain at large.

Kefu is a Wallabies icon, having played 60 tests for Australia between 1997 and 2003.

In 1999, he was part of the Wallabies squad that won that year’s World Cup in Wales, and scored a memorable match-winning try to defeat the All Blacks in the 2001 Bledisloe Cup series.

After hanging up his boots, Kefu moved into coaching, and he currently stands as head coach of Tonga, a position he has held since 2016.

Kefu was most recently involved with ‘Ikale Tahi as recently as last month, as the Tongan national side played the All Blacks, Manu Samoa and the Cook Islands in successive weeks across New Zealand throughout July.

Their matches against Manu Samoa and the Cook Islands acted as World Cup qualification matches, with Tonga qualifying for the Asia-Pacific play-off tie against either South Korea, Hong Kong or Malaysia.

The winner of that fixture will qualify for Pool B alongside South Africa, Ireland, Scotland and Europe 2 at the 2023 World Cup in France.

Bad news - I thought this type of thing does not happen in Australia .

The latest news is that he is fighting for his life. 

Great Talisman, I was a huge fan.

Police have arrested two 15-year-old boys, from Goodna and Springfield Lakes.

Detective Superintendent Tony Fleming said Kefu suffered serious stab wounds to his abdomen.

Three other members of the Kefu family who suffered slash and stab wounds were also in hospital.

Police responded to a burglary about 3.15am at Kefu's home on Buena Vista Avenue. Six members of the Kefu family were at the home.

Superintendent Fleming said it was believed three people unknown to family had broken into the house, the residents woke to noises and one of the family members went to investigate.

That adult was "accosted by at least one of the offenders and threatened to be stabbed if they did not hand over vehicle keys", Superintendent Fleming said.

When three other family members went to help, they were also attacked.

Kefu, 47, was taken to the Princess Alexandra Hospital. His condition was initially critical but later downgraded to serious.

Former Tongan international rugby union player Sateki Tuipulotu wrote on Facebook late on Monday morning that Kefu was out of surgery and in recovery.

Kefu's wife, 46, suffered serious cuts to her arm and other "significant wounds".

A second man, aged 21, believed to be their son, was taken to the same hospital in a stable condition, while an 18-year-old girl, believed to be their daughter, had a hand injury.

One male juvenile, who was armed with a knife, was restrained at the scene by Kefu's neighbours, while the second male was arrested when he turned up injured at the Princess Alexandra Hospital.

Superintendent Fleming said a knife and axe had been recovered, and detectives believed a machete was also used in the attack and that remained missing.

Thanks Denny

Hope he recovers fully and hope crimes are punished properly - but since thery are juveniles  involved the latter is unlikely to happen.