Willie Los’e: Popular rugby commentator passes away in Cape Town ahead of Rugby World Cup Sevens

Dylan Coetzee
Cape Town Stadium from above before the Rugby World Cup sevens in 2022.

F0G3TB Cape Town Stadium on the waterfront in Sea Point, built for the 2010 FIFA World Cup and home to Ajax Cape Town F.C.

Former Tongan international and Sky Sport commentator Willie Los’e has passed away in Cape Town, it’s been confirmed.

Los’e was in South Africa to cover the Sevens Rugby World Cup that takes place in the Mother City this weekend.

The former second-row’s family confirmed his sudden death with a statement and are awaiting further details to repatriate Los’e back to New Zealand.

Tragic loss

“The Los’e whānau would like to thank Karl Te Nana, Bailey Mackey and World Rugby boss Steve Jamieson for contacting us directly from South Africa this morning relating to the sudden passing of our brother Willie,” it read.

“We ask that as a whānau, we be given time to process and work through our devastating loss and the logistics of repatriation of our brother, father, uncle, son home. We are awaiting details from Cape Town.

“Thanks to Steve Jamieson who has spoken to the New Zealand High Commission, who will be heading to Cape Town tomorrow to help with the repatriation of Willie’s body to bring him home to Aotearoa.

“We as a whānau are thankful to all Willie’s friends from around the world who have sent to Willie’s friends from around the world who have sent their condolences and support.

“Ngā mihi nui ki a koutou.”

Former All Black and North Harbour teammate Frank Bunce paid tribute to his friend, hailing Los’e for his pure character.

“We played a lot of rugby together, dating back to the late 80s, both in club rugby around Auckland then for Auckland and North Harbour,” Bunce said.

“That’s a long time ago, but he’s one of the guys I’ve kept in touch with regularly. There’s a group of us who catch up regularly, and he’s been the real driver behind that. He would get everyone together to have lunch or go to different events.

“That’s the standout thing about him. He cared for people, for his friends and he made sure we all kept in touch.”

Old memories

Bunce shared an anecdote about Los’e after matches, revealing how his former teammate would get “stick” in the changing room for always taking extra care of himself.

“We used to give him stick when he turned up from Auckland to North Harbour like a number of us had around that time,” he added.

“He used to take all the products out in the changing room after a game – he would have a bathrobe, and all the after-shave, toiletries and colognes out on the seat or whatever bench was there.

“You open yourself up to a bit of stick doing that in a rugby changing room, but he took it well and laughed about it. He played up to it a bit.”

“I thought he was in a good space. Out of everybody, he was one of the guys who had looked after himself, which makes it all the more sad.”

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