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Moana Pasifika rookie targets Tonga selection alongside former test stars
He may be in contention with the likes of Israel Folau and Charles Piutau for Tonga selection, but that hasn’t dismayed William Havili from dreaming big in the test arena.
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For the first time since World Rugby’s new eligibility rules, ‘Ikale Tahi head coach Toutai Kefu will name his squad for their upcoming Pacific Nations Cup and World Cup qualification campaigns on Friday.
Under World Rugby’s amended laws, an array of former tests stars who have been absent from the international game for at least three years have, or will soon, become eligible for nations that they qualify to play for via birthright.
As such, Kefu’s squad is set to be headlined by Folau, Piutau and former All Blacks midfielder Malakai Fekitoa, while others such as Vaea Fifita, Sekope Kepu, Adam Coleman and Atu Moli will become eligible later this year.
The inclusion of any, or all, of those players in the Tongan set-up has been a significant point of discussion in the lead-up to next year’s World Cup in France, where the ‘Ikale Tahi may have the talent to challenge quarter-final berth.
Flying under the radar, though, is Havili, the Super Rugby Pacific rookie who has flourished as a key member of the Moana Pasifika squad in their maiden season in the competition.
Recruited by head coach Aaron Mauger on the back of only a handful of NPC appearances for Tasman, Havili has become a regular for Moana Pasifika, starting in nine of their 13 matches and making one further outing off the bench.
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Havili’s performances in those matches has piqued Kefu’s interest, to the point where the Tonga boss has been in contact with the 23-year-old about a potential test debut in the foreseeable future.
That would be quite the rise for Havili, the younger brother of All Blacks and Crusaders midfielder David, who didn’t anticipate much game time in his debut season as a full-time professional rugby player for Moana Pasifika.
“I didn’t expect to be getting starts week-in, week-out,” Havili said after Moana Pasifika’s 48-28 loss to the Western Force at Mt Smart Stadium in Auckland on Tuesday.
“I was just eager to learn because I hadn’t played much [NPC] and I was just really looking to put my best foot forward in pre-season.”
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He has done exactly that, firstly resulting in a strong impression on Mauger which has now extended to Kefu, who linked up with the Moana Pasifika squad ahead of their match against the Reds in Brisbane last week.
While surveying the Tongan contingent in Mauger’s squad, Kefu spoke to Havili about his prospects of selection for the ‘Ikale Tahi.
Pleased with his development in Super Rugby Pacific, Havili revealed that Kefu may look to use him as a first-five for Tonga.
Although he has played primarily at fullback for Moana Pasifika, first-five is Havili’s favoured position, which bodes well for ‘Ikale Tahi selection, especially with either Folau or Piutau expected to dominate Tonga’s No 15 jersey.
“It wasn’t too long, he was just happy with my progress at Super level because he hadn’t seen a bit of me,” Havili said of the discussions he had with Kefu in Brisbane.
“I was talking to him at the start of the year, and he just wanted to see my game evolve. He’s really happy with the improvements I’ve had.
“We’ve been talking about a bit more of a 10 role if I do get selected, so I’ll also be happy if I do get selected for that.
“I’d be extremely proud. Looking forward, if I get selected for 10, that’s probably where my main position lies later on in my future. I’m really eager to get to run a team and having it under me.”
Given Tonga will be better-stocked at fullback compared to first-five, Kefu’s eagerness to play Havili at No 10 should bolster his selection chances in the face of competition from experienced playmakers James Faiva and Kurt Morath.
Should he be named in Kefu’s squad on Friday, Havili would be one step closer to realising his dream of representing his Tongan heritage, which would come against either Fiji, Samoa or Australia A in the Pacific Nations Cup in July.
That would be followed by a World Cup play-off against either Hong Kong, South Korea or Malaysia in Australia as Tonga look to cement their place alongside South Africa, Ireland, Scotland and Romania in Pool B next year.
Playing at the World Cup, as well as returning to Moana Pasifika for their sophomore year in Super Rugby Pacific, are two further goals Havili is aiming to tick off as he ventures past the infancy of his professional rugby career.
“I’ve got one more year,” Havili said of his current contract status with Moana Pasifika.
“I’d like to stick around in New Zealand for a bit longer as well, so if the opportunity does come after next year, there is something there with Moana again, I’d be really keen to stay around, but also just looking to build.
“Hopefully Tongan selection, World Cup, stuff like that is a big dream of mine.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Thanks for the write up. Great to see the Rebs winning, I am a little interested in how they will go against the remaining kiwi teams, I think they’ve only played Hurricanes and Highlanders but how great to see these players performing!! I also see Parling has a job beyond June 30! A good move by RA? Also how do you fix the Rebels previously scratchy defence?
81 Go to commentsbe smart - go black
13 Go to commentsNext week the Crusaders hopefully have Scott Barrett back. Will be great to have the captain back. Hopefully he will be the All Black captain as well.
12 Go to commentsExciting place to be for the young fella. I expected he was French Polynesian when I saw him included in the France 6N squad (after seeing him in NZs), and therefor be strong grounds we might loose him to rugby down here. Good, in that he is good enough to warrant such a profile, and from a journalism’s fan interaction aspect, to finally get a back ground story on the fella. Hope he has settled into NZ OK and that at least one rugby country will fit with him to help his development, which, if so, he should surely continue for a few years, and then that he can experience France to it’s fullest with a bit more maturity and less reliance on family than you would have at his current age. A good 3 or 4 years before he would be ready for International duty if he wanted to wait. Of course he already sounds good enough to accept a call up, and to cap himself, in the more immediate future (he’d have to be very very good in the case of the ABs), and he’ll get a great taste of that being with the Canes who have a bunch who are just a few years further into their career and looking likely Internationals themselves.
13 Go to commentsI remember towards the end of the original broadcasting deal for Super rugby with Newscorp that there was talk about the competition expanding to improve negotiations for more money - more content, more cash. Professional rugby was still in its infancy then and I held an opposing view that if Super rugby was a truly valuable competition then it should attract more broadcasters to bid for the rights, thereby increasing the value without needing to add more teams and games. Unfortunately since the game turned professional, the tension between club, talent and country has only grown further. I would argue we’re already at a point in time where the present is the future. The only international competitions that matter are 6N, RC and RWC. The inter-hemisphere tours are only developmental for those competitions. The games that increasingly matter more to fans, sponsors and broadcasters are between the clubs. Particularly for European fans, there are multiple competitions to follow your teams fortunes every week. SA is not Europe but competes in a single continental competition, so the travel component will always be an impediment. It was worse in the bloated days of Super rugby when teams traversed between four continents - Africa, America, Asia and Australia. The percentage of players who represent their country is less than 5% of the professional player base, so the sense of sacrifice isn’t as strong a motivation for the rest who are more focused on playing professional rugby and earning as much from their body as they can. Rugby like cricket created the conundrum it’s constantly fighting a losing battle with.
3 Go to commentsOh wow… “But as La Rochelle proved in winning in Cape Town this season, a cross-continental away assignment need not spell the end of days.” La Rochelle actually proved quite the opposite. After traveling to Cape town and back they (back-to-back and current champs) got mercilessly thumped the next week. If travel is not the reason, why else would a full-strength powerhouse like La Rochelle get dumped on their @r$e$ one week later?
26 Go to commentsYou know he can land a winning conversion after the full time siren is up. (Even if it takes two attempts.)
5 Go to commentsA very insightful article from Jake. I would love to know how South African’s feel about their move to Europe. Do you prefer playing in Europe or want to go back to Super Rugby?
3 Go to commentspure fire
1 Go to commentsA very well thought out summary of all the relevant complications…agree with your ”refer the Cricket Test versus 20/20 comparison”. More also definitely doesn't necessarily mean better!
3 Go to commentsMust be something when you are only 19 y.o and both NZ and France want you. Btw he wasn’t the only new caledonian in french U20 as Robin Couly also lived in Noumea until 17. Hope he’s successful wherever he chooses to play.
13 Go to comments“Several key players in the Stade Rochelais squad are in their thirties” South Africans are going to hate the implications of that comment!
5 Go to commentsI know Leinster did a job on La Roche but shortly after HT Leinster were 30-13 ahead of them and at a similar time Toulouse were trailing Exeter. At 60 mins Leinster were 27 ahead but after 67 mins Toulouse were only 19 ahead before Exeter collapsed. That’s heavier scoring by Leinster against the Champions. I think people are looking at Toulouses total a little too much. I also think Northhampton are in with a real chance, albeit I’d put Leinster as favourites. If Leinster make the final I expect them to win by more than ten and with control.
5 Go to commentsHey Nick, your match analysis is decent but the top and tail not so much, a bit more random. For a start there’s a seismic difference in regenerating any club side over a test team. EJ pretty much had to urinate with the appendage he’d been given at test level whereas club success is impacted hugely by the budget. Look no further than Boudjellal’s Toulon project for a perfect example. The set ups at La Rochelle and Leinster are like chalk and cheese and you are correct that Leinster are ahead. Leinster are not just slightly ahead though, they are light years ahead on their plans, with the next gen champions cup team already blooded, seasoned and developing at speed from their time manning the fort in the URC while the cream play CC and tests. They have engineered a strong talent conveyor belt into their system, supported by private money funnelled into a couple of Leinster private schools. The really smart move from Leinster and the IRFU however is maximising the Irish Revenue tax breaks (tax relief on the best 10 years earnings refunded at retirement) to help keep all of their stars in Ireland and happy, while simultaneously funding marquee players consistently. And of course Barrett is the latest example. But in no way is he a “replacement for Henshaw”, he’s only there for one season!!! As for Rob Baxter, the best advice you can give him is to start lobbying Parliament and HMRC for a similar state subsidy, but don’t hold your breath… One thing Cullen has been very smart with is his coaching team. Very quickly he realised his need to supplement his skills, there was talk of him exiting after his first couple of years but he was extremely shrewd bringing in Lancaster and now Nienaber. That has worked superbly and added a layer that really has made a tangible difference. Apart from that you were bang on the money… 😉😂
5 Go to commentsNot sure exactly what went wrong for him at Glasgow but it’s pretty clear he ain’t Franco’s cup of tea. Suspect he would have been better served heading out of Scotland around the same time as Finn, Hoggy and Jonny!
1 Go to commentsBulls disrespected the Northampton supporters and the competition. Decide quickly, fully in or out.
26 Go to commentsI wonder if Parling was ever on England’s radar as a coach? Obviously Borthwick is a great lineout coach, but I do worry he might be taking on too much as both head coach and forwards coach.
1 Go to commentsJason Jenkins has one cap. When Etzebeth was his age he had over 80 caps. Experience matters. He will never amount to what Etzebeth has because he hasn’t been developed as an international player.
2 Go to commentsSays much about the player picking this gig over the easier and bigger rewards offered to him in Japan. Also says a lot about the state sanctioned tax benefits the Irish Revenue offers pro rugby players, with their ten highest earning years subject to an additional 40% tax relief and paid as a lump sum, in cash, at retirement. Certainly helps Leinster line up the financial ducks in a row to fund marquee signings like this!!! No other union anywhere in world rugby benefits from this kind of lucrative financial sponsorship from their government…
5 Go to commentsTrue Jordie could earn a lot more in Japan. But by choosing Leinster he’ll be playing with 1 of the best clubs in the world and can win a champions cup and URC…..
6 Go to comments