Oregon native Semise Tonga Kofe played in Major League Rugby between 2024-2025. 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. On January 2nd, 2025, the Utah Warriors announced the return of Tonga Kofe for his 2nd MLR season in 2025. His return for the Warriors was the first player announcement of 2025. He had a breakout year in his sophomore season, starting 14 of his 16 appearances for the MLR-leading Utah Warriors and scoring 2 tries en-route to the Western Conference Final, where they fell to the Houston SaberCats. Kofe proved a formidable scrummager and recorded over 100 tackles completed, earning 3 MLR Team of the Week Selections. He was also named to the All-MLR Second XV for his performances.

Tonga Kofe was rewarded for his excellent 2025 season with an inclusion in the USA Eagles squad for their July 2025 tests, and he earned his debut as Eagle #587 when he started for the USA in a 36-17 victory over Belgium on July 5th. Kofe was again included in the USA squad for the 2025 Pacific Nations Cup campaign, and on 16th August 2025, the Leicester Tigers of England’s Prem rugby announced the signing of Tonga Kofe for the 2025/26 season.

achievements

• 2025 All-MLR Second XV Selection
• MLR Team of the Week: 2025 – Rd 16
• MLR Team of the Week: 2025 – Rd 13
• MLR Team of the Week: 2025 – Rd 4
• 2024 Utah Warriors Newcomer of the Year