[1][2][3][4][5] Born in Tonga, Tokolahi showed promise to become a top rugby player from an early age and was brought to New Zealand on a Sean Fitzpatrick scholarship to attend Sacred Heart College in Auckland.
His ability to play in both the loosehead and tighthead prop positions saw him earn plenty of game time during his first year of provincial rugby and he ended up making 7 appearances, 2 starts and 5 from the bench as his side reached the ITM Cup semi-finals before losing out to Tasman.
Tokokahi was a key squad member, playing in 11 of the Cantabrians 12 games through the year with the majority of these appearances coming from the replacements bench as a result of stiff competition from the province's other front row forwards; Joe Moody, Nepo Laulala, Daniel Lienert-Brown and Alex Hodgman.
Faced with fierce competition in the shape of; Mitchell Graham, Kane Hames, Hiroshi Yamashita and Atu Moli, Tokolahi could only manage 3 starts to complement 8 substitute appearances as the Chiefs got as far as the Super Rugby semi-finals before being knocked out by eventual champions, the Hurricanes.
[1] Searching for a more regular starting role at Super Rugby level, Tokolahi switched franchises ahead of the 2017 Super Rugby season, leaving the Chiefs in favour of the Dunedin-based Highlanders, tournament winners in 2015, who were seeking front-row replacements for the departed Josh Hohneck and the injured Brendon Edmonds.