Tongan Bear revels in his extraordinary rags to riches story that has now earned him a Clermont extension
“Tongan Bear” Loni Uhila has revealed the extraordinary commitment he put into making a career as a professional rugby player.
The unlikely cult hero prop of the Hurricanes’ 2016 Super Rugby title victory is these days making inroads on the French scene, recently agreeing a one-year contract extension with Clermont.
However, what is most intriguing about the 29-year-old’s rise to prominence is the hard yards he put in to make it as a rugby player in the first place.
But for a fortunate twist of fate, the journey that has taken him from Tonga to France via title success in Wellington might never have started but for the good word his friend Isileli Vakauta put in for him.
“I grew up in a very poor family, but in a very supportive environment,” he said in Friday’s edition of Midi Olympique, the by-weekly French rugby newspaper.
“My luck is that one of my best friends, Isileli Vakauta, was offered a scholarship to study at Sacred Heart College in Auckland. But at the same time, he had finally decided to go to Japan. So there was still a place in Auckland, and Isileli appointed me to replace him.
“It was very generous of him because he knew other very good players who had been in the under-16 and under 18 Tonga teams, when I had never been selected. Without him, nothing would have happened.”
Good to catch up with my old coach Boydy after a tough game today. This guy and his staff at The Hurricanes believed in me and gave me the opportunity to play professional rugby. I’ll always appreciate what they’ve done for me pic.twitter.com/buVfiaRE9x
— Loni Uhila (@LoniUhila) January 13, 2019
That breakthrough only got him to a certain level, though, and he was on the verge of quitting the sport when his career was fast-tracked out of the blue to fame and fortune through an unexpected call from Chris Boyd’s Hurricanes, a giant step on the road that has since taken him to France.
“I’m very happy to stay in Clermont for another season. You know, until I was almost 26 years old, I had never managed to live rugby. In New Zealand, I played for Waikato in ITM Cup, but I was never called into Super Rugby.
“To earn a living, I worked for seven years as a storekeeper for a New Zealand company, Pro-Life Food. From 8am to 5pm I emptied containers, while I trained between 6am and 7am and from 6pm to 9pm, practically every day.
“My eldest daughter was asking me why she never saw me. It was hard… in 2015, I told my wife Amanda: if at the end of this season of ITM Cup I have no offer of contract, too bad, I stop rugby.
“And I finally received this call from the Hurricanes, who offered me a two-year contract! Better, for my first season in Super Rugby, in 2016, we literally won the title.”
Sad day as I lost my belt to the Fijian Bear ??? pic.twitter.com/MGTjfXO94V
— Loni Uhila (@LoniUhila) January 14, 2019
It was Carl Hoeft, the former All Black prop who coached the Waikato forwartds, who baptised Uhila as the Tongan Bear, a nickname since reinforced as he used it when he twice fought David Letele in charity boxing bouts.
That nickname is still what he is called today in France, but he needed a second opportunity at Clermont following a false start just his second game to demonstrate the robustness that has now led to a contract extension that will keep him at the club until June 2020.
“For my second Top 14 match against Lyon, I took a red card for a dangerous tackle (on Lionel Beauxis). In the same action, I broke my arm at a place where I had already been operated in New Zealand. At the beginning, it was not so good.”
Comments on RugbyPass
It couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
25 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
13 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
25 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
13 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
84 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
1 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
13 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
12 Go to commentsI like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
13 Go to commentsIts a great idea but one that I dont think will have a lot of traction. It will depend on the prestige that they each hold but if you can do that it would be great. When Japan beat the Boks (my team) I was absolutely devestated but I wont deny the great game they played that day. We were outclassed and it was one of the best games of rugby I have seen. Using an idea like this you might just give the the underdog teams more of an opportunity to beat the big teams and I can absolutely see it being a brilliant display of rugby. They beat us because they planned for that game. It was a great moment for Japan. This way we can remove the 4 year wait and give teams something to aim for outside of World Cup years.
13 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
13 Go to commentsDon’t think that headline is accurate. It’s great to see Aus doing better but I’m not sure they’ve shown much threat to the top of the table. They shouldn’t be inflating wins against the lousy Highlanders and Crusaders either.
3 Go to commentsSuch a shame Roigard and Aumua picked up long term injuries, probably the two form players in the comp. Also, pretty sure Clarke Dermody isn’t their coach. Got it half right though.
3 Go to commentsOh the Aussie media, they never learn. At least Andrew Kellaway is like “Woah, yeah it’s great, but settle down there guys” having endured years of the Aussie media, fans, and often their players getting ahead of themselves only to fall flat on their faces. Have the “We'll win the Bledisloe for sure this year!” headlines started yet? It’s simple to see what’s going on. The Aussie teams are settled, they didn't lose any of their major players overseas. The Crusaders and Chiefs lost key experienced All Blacks, and Razor in the Crusaders case, and clearly neither are anywhere near as strong as last year (The Canes and Blues would probably be 3rd & 4th if they were). The Highlanders are annually average, even more so post-Aaron Smith and a big squad clean out. The two teams at the top? The two nz sides with largely the same settled roster as last year, except Ardie Savea for the Canes. They’ve both got far better coaches now too. If the Aussies are going to win the title, this is the year the kiwi sides will be weakest, so they better take their chance.
3 Go to commentsThe World Cup has to be the gold standard, line in the sand. 113 teams compete for what is the opportunity to make the pool stages, and then the knockout games for the trophy. The concept is sound. This must have been the rationale when the World Cup was created, surely? But I’m all for Looking forward and finding new ways for the SH to dominate the NH into the future. The autumn series needs a change up. Let’s start by having the NH teams come south every odd year for the Autumn/Spring series games?
13 Go to commentsWhat’ll happen when the AI models of the future go back in time and try to destroy the AI models of the past standing in their way of certain victory?
44 Go to commentsThanks, Nick. We (Seanny Maloney, Brett and I) just discussed Charlie as a potential Wallaby No 8, and wondered if he has truly realised how big he is in contact (and whether he can add 5 kg w/o slowing down). Your scouting report confirms our suspicions he has the materiel. No one knows if he has the mentality (as Johann van Graan said this week about CJ, Duane and Alfie B) to carry 10-15 times a game.
58 Go to commentsHe would be a great player for the Stormers, Dobbo should approach the guy.
3 Go to commentsGood article. A few years back when he was playing for the Cheetahs, he was a quiet standout for exactly the seasons stated here. I occasionally get to see his games in the UK, and he has become a more complete player and in many ways like an Irish player. His work ethic is so suitable to the Leinster game. I wonder if Rassie would have him listed somewhere.
3 Go to comments