Born in Oakland, California, with roots stretching back to Tonga, Moni Tongauiha has risen through the ranks to represent the USA on the international stage. Off the field, he embodies a calm demeanor, but on the field, he is a fierce competitor and a strategic thinker.
As captain, Moni has led his team through challenging matches and has the privilege of playing alongside his brother. In this candid interview, Moni shares insights into rugby culture, the profound influence of his family, and the highs and lows of his career. Moni’s passion for rugby and his commitment to excellence shines through in every word.
Q: You’re from Oakland — tell me about the rugby culture in California and how it’s helped shape you as a player.
A: I think it’s good. There’s some high-level rugby there. I grew up playing peewee since I was in 4th grade, and I’ve been around it my whole life. My dad’s side of the family played the sport in Tonga. The level out there is pretty strong.
Q: You’ve represented the USA national team, including an appearance in the World Cup. What does that mean to you?
A: It’s a privilege…it’s been a goal of mine to represent the USA and put on that jersey. Every time I do that, I want to be at my best. It’s a different atmosphere and level.
Q: What’s it like to have your brother on the team?
A: It’s great. He could be way better than me eventually…it’s all about learning and developing. I’ve sorta taken him under my wing along with Kane Thompson, so it’s all about growing.
Q: Let’s recap the Miami game. What are your gut reactions?
A: I think we did a good job of playing a full eighty minutes. We kept competing for the whole duration. I think we switched off mentally, which may partially be due to the heat, but we need to stay switched on against any team in this league. We just need to trust in our game plan and execute our roles. We’ve got an eight or nine-game stretch where we can still prove ourselves and make the playoffs.
Q: What were Coach Brown’s words following the game?
A: Exactly what I just said. We’ve got a consensus as a team.
Q: Who do you want to highlight for a good performance?
A: I think Taniela Filimone has been really consistent for us at a high level, along with Luke Campbell. We’re gonna need that against Anthem RC. There are opportunities for a player like Julian Roberts to step up and show what he can do.
Q: We’ve got another young opponent this week in Anthem RC. What’s the attitude going into that game?
A: They’re a team that plays freely, plays pretty open…you can’t overlook an opponent just because they’re young. Our focus is to go in and be physically dominant and execute our roles. If we take care of the simple stuff, we’ll be good.
Q: The Eastern Conference is really tight this year. How important are conference games compared to out-of-conference games?
A: They’re very important. A couple years ago, we came short of the playoffs with a winning record. It’s honestly up to us to keep believing in ourselves because we have a hell of a team. We just need to go out there and execute.
Q: We’re getting to the point of the season where roster depth is really important. What do you think of our depth?
A: I think our depth is great. Like I said, we got Julian Roberts coming in, who’s a sleeper for me…we’ve also got Jack Webster, Nick Feakes, Reece Botha who can slide in at 10 or 15…Dorian at 10. Ross Depperschmidt can slide in at 12 as well. We’ve got Cam Dolan coming back too, which’ll be a huge boost. He’s got so much experience, especially in the lineout. He’s played at a really high level.
Q: If you want GOLD fans to know one thing about you, what would it be?
A: Off the field, I don’t do anything crazy. I like to chill, eat, watch some Netflix…rest and recovery. I like to play video games with my teammates. I just got back into the Walking Dead series so I’m into that right now. Most of the other guys like to go out and golf, but not me. Walking Dead.
