Toutai Kefu wipes away tears as he speaks about an alleged home invasion his family endured on Monday morning. Photo / News Corp Australia
Toutai Kefu wipes away tears as he speaks about an alleged home invasion his family endured on Monday morning. Photo / News Corp Australia
Rugby legend Toutai Kefu has wiped away tears, calling a neighbour a hero, praising his son for going into "beast mode" and refusing to hate those alleged to have attacked his family in a home invasion.
Four teenagers have been charged with attempted murder following the alleged early morning invasionof Kefu's Brisbane home on Monday.
Tonga's coach Toutai Kefu watches his players warm-up ahead of the Rugby World Cup Pool C game at Hanazono Rugby Stadium in Osaka. Photo / AP
The former Wallabies star and three members of his family were admitted to hospital after the incident, with his wife, who doctors say could have lost her arm had things gone slightly differently, still yet to be discharged.
A resilient Kefu told reporters outside the family home on Friday that his son showed no fear as he came to the Wallabies legend's aid to fight off two of the alleged attackers just after 3am.
"He absolutely went into beast mode," Kefu said as he praised his son's bravery.
"I had the two intruders on me and he just jumped in with no fear and he copped a couple of hacks to his back, but it certainly could have been a different outcome if he didn't turn up."
"He had no thought for his own safety, but we knew that if we just applied pressure [on his wounds] that the emergency services weren't too far away."
Toutai Kefu outside his home with family. His wife remains in hospital after surgery to save her arm. Photo / News Corp Australia
He said the alleged invaders left and then returned to the family home, where his neighbour was able to restrain one of the alleged offenders in the front yard.
"He's an absolute hero," Kefu said of his neighbour.
"Unbelievable. He turned up at the right time on that Monday morning and apprehended one of the intruders.
"If he didn't turn up, it could have been a different story."
He said his wife raised the alarm after going to investigate noises, believing a possum may be in the house.
When she let out a "scream", he jumped up and went to her aid, only to be confronted by the alleged intruders.
"She heard a bit of a rustle downstairs, and she got up, had a look outside. She noticed the car across the road, but she thought it may be an Uber driver dropping someone off," he said.
"Then she went to back to bed, and then she heard another [rustle], it was quite noisy, and thought maybe a possum had got in the house, so she went downstairs and that's when she was confronted by the two intruders and let laid out this shrieky kind of scream and I jumped out of bed."
Kefu said he was shocked to find out how young the alleged attackers were and said he actually feels sorry for them.
"To find out that they were 15 and a 13-year-old allegedly involved, I was really shocked. I don't hate him.
Cleaners attend Toutai Kefu's house in Brisbane following the alleged home invasion. Photo / News Corp Australia
"I've got a 13 and 15-year-old. I feel sorry for them.
"I'm just grateful that we all got out, we're alive. Might be a little bit of damage moving forward but we're still breathing."
Kefu thanked his family, friends, the rugby community and even strangers for the "outpouring of love" shown towards his family.
He said if not for the timely arrival of police and paramedics the outcome may have been a lot more tragic.
"I'd just like to thank everyone for keeping us in their thoughts during that time as a family, very, very grateful and thankful to have that kind of support," he said.
"I'd also like to thank the police, the emergency services on that night.
"There's a lot of what-ifs. The police at one stage turned up at a really, really, really important time and a lot of things could have gone different without their help and support.
Toutai Kefu speaks to media outside his home. Photo / News Corp Australia
"Doctors and nurses, over the last couple of days they've been fantastic. They've really cared for my family and [we] really appreciate it."
He said he lost a lot of blood after his liver was "nicked" and claimed his wife may have lost her arm had the sharp instrument which struck her been sharper.
The four teens accused of the alleged invasion have been charged with 11 offences each and have been refused bail.
"She [his wife] just had surgery yesterday and the specialist said give it two weeks, and fingers crossed, within those two weeks it has mended really well.
"I don't think she will get 100 per cent use of her arm … at one stage I think the doctor said to her if the blade was sharper it could have cut her whole arm off.
