Vaiolini Ekuasi

On the field, Auckland-born Ekuasi cuts an imposing figure, labelled as a “street fighter” by Simon Cron, but he’s a warm, gentle soul and father off the rugby field. The back-rower previously spent two seasons with the Melbourne Rebels, switching to the Force for the 2025 season where he impressed albeit with injuries limiting his impact. Ekuasi, who has Tongan heritage, earned a scholarship at St Peters School Cambridge in his final year of school, where he was a boarder. Ekuasi’s visible neck tattoo is the acronym of South Auckland (SA) where he proudly hails. As a child, he supported the All Blacks and idolized Jerome Kaino. Outside of rugby, he enjoys cooking and is an NFL fan. Deeply religious, the first app he opens each day is the Bible app.