Willis Halaholo retires at 36 after injury-ravaged dual international career

Willis Halaholo has announced his retirement from rugby at the age of 36, ending a career that took the Auckland-born centre from New Zealand club rugby to international appearances for both Wales and Tonga.

Halaholo made the announcement on social media on Monday, sharing a video in which he pointed to a succession of serious injuries as the decisive factor. “The mind is still keen to carry on, but I think the body has had enough. I’ve had quite a few major injuries,” he said.

The centre joined Cardiff from the Hurricanes in 2016 and qualified to represent Wales in 2019. After being named in a Wales squad that year, an ACL injury delayed his international debut until 2021. A hamstring injury in 2022 and a subsequent ruptured Achilles curtailed his nine-cap Wales career before he could fully establish himself at that level.

Despite those setbacks, Halaholo returned to play for Cardiff when an exit had initially seemed likely, before securing a move back to New Zealand in 2024 with Bay of Plenty. He went on to earn three caps for Tonga in 2025, rounding out a dual international career that spanned two hemispheres.

With his playing days now behind him, Halaholo is turning his attention to coaching — a transition already underway. “I’m taking on coaching,” he said. “This year, I had a taste of coaching at Premier level. I was fortunate enough to do a couple of certificates during Covid. The amount of knowledge that I’ve gained, not only in New Zealand but on the other side of the world — I had played club rugby for six years before I got a Super Rugby crack.”

Halaholo’s career arc, from Hurricanes prospect to Welsh international to Tongan representative, reflects both the opportunities and the physical toll that modern professional rugby can bring.