Kefu finds healing in Tonga's World Cup mission after home invasion

MELBOURNE : Rugby delivered Toutai Kefu pride, glory and pain during the Wallabies' golden years. Now it provides healing for the World Cup winner as he recovers from the trauma of a violent home invasion.

One of the finest number eights to wear Australia's gold jersey, Kefu says he has moved on from the attack last August, when teenage boys wielding knives broke into his family home in Brisbane.

Yet it continues to cast a shadow over his family, who suffered serious injuries in the burglary-gone-wrong.

Kefu, his wife and two of his children sustained deep cuts and stab wounds during the attack which left the floor of their house soaked in blood and resulted in attempted murder charges for the intruders.

"My wife – I don’t think she’ll get full use of her arm and her hand so she’s still very much doing intensive therapy four to five times a week," Kefu told Reuters in an interview.

"The progress has actually slowed down in the last couple of months and it’s still quite painful in the joints but she’s a trooper. She’s tough."

The Kefus' ordeal shocked the nation but their bravery and compassion in the aftermath inspired it.

Kefu fronted the media the day he returned home from hospital and praised his son for potentially saving his life by grappling with one of the assailants.

He has said he feels sorry for the attackers, suspecting disadvantage led to the break-in.

The family suffered nightmares and were jumpy for months but stayed in the house as a means of processing the ordeal.

"My wife has had her moments, especially early on in the piece, as we all did," said Kefu.

"But we’ve really moved on and improved over the last couple of months."

Getting back to his job as Tonga coach has helped Kefu, who missed the tour of Europe last