Semisi Tupou Ta’eiloa was born and raised in Mangere, South Auckland and is of Tongan heritage. He moved to Dunedin and attended Otago Boys High School where he played for the First XV. He was then picked up by the Southland Stags in 2023.

At 21-years-old he has taken Super Rugby Pacific by storm with his ferocious and electrifying style of play.

Coming off a dominant season with Southland in 2024, he received a pre-season training opportunity with Moana Pasifika.

He earned the trust of management with his high work rate and made his debut against the Western Force in Round One. He scored a try off the bench and was the spark plug the team needed, seizing his opportunity.

From then on he made a total of 13 appearances this year, playing 943 minutes which was the most out of the entire Moana Pasifika team. He also added seven tries and 989 ball carries to his name, illustrating his high productivity and tremendous impact.

Tupou Ta’eiloa finished the 2025 season as Super Rugby Pacific’s leader in carries (205), and was named Moana Pasifika Rookie of the Year and Best Defensive Player.

With the world at his feet, Tupou Ta’eiloa’s star is rising and he will continue to be a huge part of the Moana Pasifika movement.

Moana Pasifika debut: 2025 v Western Force