Afoa was a student at Auckland's Papakura High School, then St. Kentigern College, where he played first XV rugby alongside fellow All Blacks Joe Rokocoko and Jerome Kaino.
ɐfˈoʊə wʌzɐ stˈuːdənt æɾ ˈɔːkləndz pˌæpɐkjˈʊɹɹə hˈaɪ skˈuːl, ðˈɛn sənt. kˈɛntaɪɡɚn kˈɑːlɪdʒ, wˌɛɹ hiː plˈeɪd fˈɜːst ɹˌoʊmən fˈɪftiːn ɹˈʌɡbi ɐlˈɔŋsaɪd fˈɛloʊ ˈɔːl blˈæks dʒˈoʊ ɹˌɑːkəkˈoʊkoʊ ænd dʒˈɛɹoʊm kˈaɪnoʊ.