Oregon native Semise Tonga Kofe played in Major League Rugby during the 2024 season. He represented the Utah Warriors for his entire MLR career.

A crossover athlete, Kofe played football as a Defensive Linesman, winning a PIL Championship 2013 when he was named Defensive Player of the Year. That same year he won the Oregon State Wrestling Championship and did so again in 2014. Kofe played with the Oregon U20 Rugby side for 4 years, earning MVP honours. He attended Portland State University and continued to play football.

Kofe began playing with the Utah Selects in the fall of 2023, and was called up to the Warriors MLR squad in February 2024 just ahead of the start of the season. Kofe was listed at 310lbs when he played football and although his weight now isn’t known, he could be one of the heaviest players in Major League Rugby history. He earned 6 MLR appearances for the Warriors from the bench in 2024, and was named the Warriors’ Newcomer of the Year at the team’s end of season awards.

achievements

• 2024 Utah Warriors Newcomer of the Year