Taufa Funaki: the halfback who scored five tries in the Blues' 2024 title season

In 2024 the Blues won their first Super Rugby title in 21 years, and their halfback rotation included a 23-year-old from East Auckland who scored five tries in 13 games that season. Taufa Funaki had come a long way in a short time: two years for New Zealand Schools, a World Under 20 Championship in Argentina, and then almost a year out of the game through injury before the Blues gave him his chance in 2022. He has 42 Super Rugby games and seven tries, is re-signed through 2028, and is in the Blues squad for 2027.

Where he comes from

Funaki was born on 29 July 2000, according to the Blues and Wikipedia. The Blues describe him as "a proud East Aucklander". He went to Sacred Heart College in Auckland, the Blues record, and came through the Auckland rugby system. RUGBE could not find a published account of his junior club rugby, and no family members in rugby have been written about publicly.

Sacred Heart and New Zealand Schools

Funaki was first picked for New Zealand Schools in 2017, while still in Year 12. He was a key member of the New Zealand Schools side that beat Australian Schools in their annual match in Sydney, Te Waha Nui, the AUT journalism school's news site, reported in May 2018. That match was played on 7 October 2017, and New Zealand won 34-11. Two months later, at the Condor Sevens in December 2017, he caught the eye with his speed and agility, the same report said.

Sacred Heart had reached the 2017 Auckland 1A final, losing 26-19 to Saint Kentigern College, and Funaki was one of 13 players back from that squad in 2018, his final year at school, Te Waha Nui noted, with Sacred Heart's director of sport singling him out.

He was picked for New Zealand Schools again in 2018. On 27 September 2018 he was named at halfback for the opening match of the tour against Tonga Schools at Sunnybank Rugby Club in Brisbane, under coach Brad Mooar, in a side that included future professionals Tamaiti Williams, Saula Ma'u, Josh Lord, Anton Segner, Rivez Reihana and Zarn Sullivan. His Sacred Heart team-mate Chay Fihaki was on the bench. The Blues later noted that Funaki played two years for New Zealand Schools.

The Under 20s

In 2019 Funaki went to the World Rugby Under 20 Championship in Argentina, where he played four matches for New Zealand, according to Wikipedia. New Zealand beat Georgia 45-13 in Santa Fe on 4 June 2019 and Scotland 52-33 in Rosario on 8 June 2019, lost to South Africa and Wales, and finished seventh after beating Ireland 40-17 in Rosario on 22 June 2019. He was named in the squad again for 2020, the Blues said, but the tournament was cancelled because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Auckland, and a year out

Funaki was named in the Auckland squad for 2020 and was on the bench for the Mitre 10 Cup Premiership final against Tasman at Eden Park on 28 November 2020, replacing Jonathan Ruru in the 78th minute. Tasman won 13-12.

He then missed much of 2021 with an injury, before fighting his way back. The Blues described it as almost a year out of the game, after which they gave him a contract for 2022.

RugbyPass records 34 NPC games for the province from 2022 to 2025, including 11 in 2022, when he kicked a conversion in a 30-27 win over Tasman on 17 September 2022, his only points in provincial rugby. He was named in Auckland's squad for the 2026 Hilux NPC.

The Blues

Funaki's Blues debut came against the Highlanders in Albany on 11 March 2022. He was sent on with a minute of regular time left and, as both sides chased a bonus point, the game ran to the 92nd minute, the Blues noted. The Blues won 32-20.

He started out as cover for Finlay Christie, and by 8 June 2022, when the club extended his contract through 2024, he had played six games, two of them as the starting halfback. "Taufa has real x-factor as a strong-running halfback," Blues coach Leon MacDonald said at the time.

His first Super Rugby try came in the 80th minute of a 45-26 win over the Reds in Brisbane on 19 May 2023.

2024: five tries and a title

The 2024 season was his breakthrough, the Blues say: 13 appearances, an extended run as the starting halfback and five tries. He scored in a 37-29 win over the Highlanders in Melbourne on 1 March 2024, twice in a 50-3 win over the Western Force at Eden Park on 5 April 2024, once in a 46-7 win over the Brumbies at Eden Park on 20 April 2024, and again in a 47-13 win over the Highlanders at Eden Park on 18 May 2024.

The Blues met the Chiefs in the final at Eden Park on 22 June 2024. Funaki came off the bench in the 63rd minute as the Blues won 41-10, their fourth Super Rugby title and their first since 2003.

2025 and 2026

Funaki played seven Super Rugby games in 2025 and scored in a 34-5 win over the Fijian Drua in Suva on 9 May 2025. He played nine games in 2026, when the Blues finished fourth and lost a semi-final on 13 June 2026.

On 24 July 2026 the Blues announced that he had re-signed through to the end of the 2028 season. "I grew up in Auckland dreaming of wearing the Blues jersey," he said. He added that running out at Eden Park in front of the Blues fans was something he never took for granted. The Blues' general manager of rugby, Murray Williams, said Funaki had "developed into a well-respected leader among his peers".

Style and standing

The Blues profile calls him "a quick halfback with an eye for a gap" and a fan favourite, and the club's re-signing announcement highlighted his speed around the breakdown and his instinctive attacking game.

Looking to 2027

Funaki has not played a Test for any country. He is one of three halfbacks in the Blues squad for 2027, named on 28 October 2026, alongside Finlay Christie and Nic Shearer, under head coach Jason Holland, who replaces Vern Cotter, and he is contracted to the club through 2028.

Career at a glance

Blues figures are from the Blues' profile and agree with Wikipedia's list of Blues players (42 games, 7 tries, last game 13 June 2026) and RugbyPass's season-by-season records. Auckland figures are RugbyPass's records from 2022; RUGBE could not confirm his game count for 2020 and 2021. Under 20 games are from Wikipedia.