Who is Team Australia's Eloni Vunakece on Physical: Asia? Age, job, and more explored

Physical: Asia is the Netflix spin-off of the South Korean format Physical: 100, pitting teams from eight countries in a high-stakes competition of strength, endurance and strategy.

Eloni Vunakece is a 38-year-old Fijian-Australian former rugby league professional who brings an elite athletic background to Physical: Asia as part of Team Australia.

His career spanning Fiji’s national team, the Sydney Roosters, TV competition, and modelling positions him as a formidable and experienced competitor.

Physical: Asia: Eloni Vunakece’s background, age and early life

In Physical: Asia, UFC middleweight champion Robert ‘The Reaper’ Whittaker leads Team Australia, which includes rugby player Eloni Vunakece.

Vunakece joins other elite athletes from MMA, parkour, CrossFit and strongman backgrounds.

Eloni Vunakece was born on May 27, 1987 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, and is listed as 38 years old in 2025.

He is of Fijian and Australian heritage — his father, Meli, is from Tavua, Fiji, and his mother, Julie Young, is from St Arnaud, Victoria. 

He played junior rugby league for the Holy Cross Rhinos and Leichhardt Wanderers before ascending to professional ranks.

Beyond the arena of Physical: Asia, Vunakece maintains an active social-media presence.

On Instagram, he posts under the handle @elonivunakece and boasts over 67 K followers as of late 2025.

His feed features a mix of athletic training, modelling shots, family moments (he notes “Father of 4” in his bio), and glimpses into his life post-rugby.

Rugby League career and beyond

Vunakece’s rugby league career includes time at Toulouse Olympique in France (2011–14) and later with the Sydney Roosters in Australia.

He made nine first-grade appearances for the Roosters in 2016.

He also represented Fiji in international rugby league, recording 15 appearances between 2013 and 2017.

His retirement from rugby came in September 2018, citing repeated concussion issues.

After leaving rugby league, Vunakece worked for his local council as a garbage collector, modelled and pursued acting opportunities.

He also publicly pledged to donate his brain to the Australian Sports Brain Bank for concussion research.

Athletic Resurgence — Australian Ninja Warrior & TV Appearances

Vunakece’s post-rugby athletic life included appearances on Australian Ninja Warrior (seasons 3, 4, 5) and on The Celebrity Apprentice Australia.

His participation in these shows put his fitness and athleticism on display for a broader audience, underscoring his readiness for the rigors of Physical: Asia.

In Physical: Asia, Vunakece is part of Team Australia, which includes six athletes competing together to win national pride and a significant prize.

His experience as a prop in rugby league, with its demands for strength, endurance and explosiveness, positions him well in the show’s blend of physical tasks and strategic endurance.

In an age where many competitors are younger, Vunakece’s background provides a unique blend of raw power and adaptability. 

How his journey resonates with Physical: Asia

In Physical: Asia Episode 6, Eloni Vunakece and Robert Whittaker delivered a standout performance for Team Australia in the Totem Pole Challenge, demonstrating exceptional strength and endurance.

Their victory over Team South Korea and Team Philippines earned Australia three crucial points, ensuring the team’s safety from elimination.

His story resonates beyond just competition. Vunakece went from international rugby to modelling and TV, then re-entered competition terrain in new formats.

On Physical: Asia, he represents more than just athleticism — he stands as a seasoned competitor with depth of experience.

His rugby league training emphasized short explosive bursts, tackles and sprints, which translate into the show’s many physical tasks

As fans on forums noted, the stress of repeated concussions and his late-career switch offer a narrative of resilience.

His dynamics with younger, varied athletes on Team Australia may become a focal point of commentary and fan discussion.

Stay tuned for more updates.