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Rugby World Cup

Four ex-All Blacks set to start in Tonga's World Cup opener

By Josh Raisey

14 Sep 2023

Malakai Fekitoa (C) of Tonga talks to teammates during the World Rugby Pacific Nations Cup match between Fiji and Tonga at HFC Stadium in Fiji's capital city Suva on July 2, 2022. (Photo by Leon LORD / AFP) (Photo by LEON LORD/AFP via Getty Images)

Former All Blacks quartet Vaea Fifita, Augustine Pulu, Malakai Fekitoa and Charles Salesi Piutau are all set to start for Tonga on Saturday against Ireland in Nantes.

Fifita is the only former All Black in the pack and will start at No8, while Pulu will wear the No9 jersey, Fekitoa starts at outside centre and Piutau at fullback. Fekitoa will also partner former New Zealand Sevens international Pita Ahki in the midfield.

Former New Zealand under-20 representative Ben Tameifuna will captain the side. The tighthead prop will form a front-row alongside loosehead Siegfried Fisi’ihoi and hooker Paula Ngauamo that has a combined weight of 387kgs.

Tonga’s most capped player ever, Sonatane Takulua, will provide his experience from the bench.

This is Tonga’s first match of the World Cup after having a bye week in round one, and they will face a full strength Ireland team off the back of their biggest ever World Cup win against Romania last week.

Tonga XV
1. Siegfried Fisi’ihoi
2. Paula Ngauamo
3. Ben Tameifuna (c)
4. Sam Lousi
5. Halaleva Fifita
6. Tanginoa Halaifonua
7. Sione Talitui
8. Vaea Fifita
9. Augustine Pulu
10. William Havili
11. Solomone Kata
12. Pita Ahki
13. Malakai Fekitoa
14. Afusipa Taumoepeau
15. Salesi Piutau

Replacements:
16. Sam Moli
17. Tau Koloamatangi
18. Sosefo Apikotoa
19. Semisi Paea
20. Solomone Funaki
21. Sione Vailanu
22. Sonatane Takulua
23. Fine Inisi

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Comments

3 Comments

rod 550 days ago

Watch out Ireland most of these players are kiwis not just the 4 who were ABs ( no wonder Ireland have selected their best team ) could be a boil over 😀

Michael 550 days ago

What's wrong with Coleman? Not picked. Surely you want your strongest side for this match.

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NB 2 minutes ago

Did innovative England emerge strongest from the Six Nations?

Sounds like the movement is still psoitive then. Will try to keep tabs…

49 Go to comments

Ed the Duck 3 minutes ago

Did innovative England emerge strongest from the Six Nations?

Possibly but very much still to meet the acid test.

49 Go to comments

NB 3 minutes ago

Did innovative England emerge strongest from the Six Nations?

Yes I think it is more evolved in SA than it is in France right now, with moire multi-skilled, multi-spot players. France tried Macalou as a left wing in the 2023 RWC but without any great conviction. Let’s see how long they pesist with Jegou at 12!

49 Go to comments

NB 5 minutes ago

Did innovative England emerge strongest from the Six Nations?

Oh.

49 Go to comments

NB 5 minutes ago

Did innovative England emerge strongest from the Six Nations?

League players all look like 7’s or centres in Union now!

49 Go to comments

NB 6 minutes ago

Did innovative England emerge strongest from the Six Nations?

I was suprised when Freeman did not go to 13 after the Lawrence injury v Italy. I think they may keep him there when IFW returns to one wing. Pick between Roebuck and Daly on the other.

Plenty of B/R strength to keep the same principles in selection for Argy, who will prob dilute their own XV anyway.

49 Go to comments

NB 10 minutes ago

Did innovative England emerge strongest from the Six Nations?

The ABs may yet adjust to 6-2 vs. France and SA JD. I think this experiment will have given Razor food for thought!

49 Go to comments

NB 12 minutes ago

Did innovative England emerge strongest from the Six Nations?

I’m not fully convinced this was any sort of deliberate grand plan by SB, other than perhaps a masterful way (as it transpired) of dealing with injuries to a couple of key players in positions that lack high calibre alternatives in SB’s view.

It doesn’t really matter whether it proves SB is a coaching genius or not Ed. The point is that a new path has been found, whether by accident or design… And it probably has legs, both for England and other sides.

The best creative solutions are often found in a crisis, and I for one would be in no hurry to write it off just yet.

49 Go to comments

MT 13 minutes ago

'We've earned the right': Georgia boss wants Six Nations play-off vs Wales

I don't think it’s viable to bring Georgia or Spain or Portugal into the six nations until their club structure is operating at a higher level. They need clubs in URC or ProD2 at least, before they could compete in the Six Nations. If the Welsh clubs joined England's, Anglo-Welsh league would open up a few places in URC. Georgia are doing very well but can't develop without better competition. The six nations is an invited competition, Cockerell mentioned money, better in a few years to expand six nations to 8 nations, then have relegation playoff. But must be good structure in place for any new countries to compete, otherwise quality will drop. World u20 should be sixteen teams, and trophy. Equalling 32 countries which matches new World Cup format. Development club teams in Super rugby Europe club competition. All meaning Pathways for better competition.

1 Go to comments

NB 15 minutes ago

Did innovative England emerge strongest from the Six Nations?

Ah you can’t beat a bit of ‘transcendence’, esp when both parents are Scottish!

49 Go to comments

NB 16 minutes ago

Did innovative England emerge strongest from the Six Nations?

It’s becoming harder to care when you see what’s going on in top admin layer of the game here JD.

49 Go to comments

DG 18 minutes ago

Six Nations report card: Each team graded from A to F

Just one South African.

12 Go to comments

GK 25 minutes ago

Six Nations report card: Each team graded from A to F

Well I guess it was an English panel that graded the teams the usual bias

12 Go to comments

Jacque 29 minutes ago

Ex-Ireland player salutes 'how quickly things changed' for England

What did they turn around?

They’ve lost 5 & won 5 in their last 10 games.

Of those 10 games they played Italy, Wales (17 games without a win) & Japan.

They lost to Nz, Sa, Aus & Ireland. Somehow France managed to allow England to beat them.

Nothing there with England. Plastic Energy.

1 Go to comments

MP 54 minutes ago

Did innovative England emerge strongest from the Six Nations?

‘He of Scotch parentage’. He’s transcended that lowly origin story now.

49 Go to comments

PT 57 minutes ago

Six Nations report card: Each team graded from A to F

Ashes to ashes

Dust to dust

Ireland you're done

Everyone has you sussed

12 Go to comments

Ed the Duck 1 hour ago

Did innovative England emerge strongest from the Six Nations?

I’m not fully convinced this was any sort of deliberate grand plan by SB, other than perhaps a masterful way (as it transpired) of dealing with injuries to a couple of key players in positions that lack high calibre alternatives in SB’s view. Losing Martin and Lawrence was disruptive to the team England ideally wanted and pretty likely both start if they had been able to. Ted Hill clearly isn’t fully trusted, despite being on the bench vs Scotland and Italy, and Slade may have had his day in light of an winger being drafted in to start as Test centre for the first time. Moving Earl to centre is worthwhile, in the right circumstances, as a proving exercise for future reference but it’s not the way to go against any of the top teams.

So they may well have added another page to their emergency playbook but I’m doubtful it was a genuine attempt at cutting edge innovation. More a case of necessity being the mother of invention that happened to suit the opposition on that given day. I guess we’ll know more in the Autumn but it won’t be until next year in Paris that the first real test of that set up would come against a heavy power team, IF it’s still in use ofc…

49 Go to comments

Cathy Anderson 1 hour ago

Crusaders prepare for 'dangerous in all elements' Chiefs game-breaker

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8 Go to comments

Philou 1 hour ago

Did innovative England emerge strongest from the Six Nations?

Just a thought on the 7-1: it obviously works best with multi-skilled forwards on the bench. Kwagga, for example, could slot into various positions in the backs thanks to his sevens background, as SK mentions. And you mention Deon Fourie, but in an ideal world the bench replacement at the WC would have been Malcolm Marx (an even better Swiss Army Knife). Looking at Rassie’s selections last year and for the camps this year, he’s as keen as you are not to end up with a Deon Fourie situation again, hence his investment in multi-dimensional players at hooker such as Jan-Hendrik Wessels (also a prop) and Johan Grobbelaar (vastly improving as a BD threat). And hooker is just one example of that progressive thinking. So, love it or hate it, the 7-1 is also evolving, in SA at least. It will be fascinating to see which evolution trumps which.

49 Go to comments

JPM 2 hours ago

Six Nations report card: Each team graded from A to F

I agree that France have a B and not A. Mainly because of the England game that they lost due to themselves. But they still beat the record of tries and pretending that you have to play 5 perfect games to have a A (reference to the Scotland game) is unrealistic. Some time you need to play not such a fantastic rugby to win the game. Then SA would have a B or C.

England with a A is totally biased as even the English fans recognise it in their comments.

12 Go to comments

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