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Nasi Manu to captain Tonga in first match back from cancer battle
Nasi Manu will add another chapter to his remarkable recovery from testicular cancer after being named captain of Tonga in his first match back in test rugby against Samoa this weekend.
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The 30-year-old loose forward hasn’t played internationally since being diagnosed with the illness towards the end of last year, with his last appearance for the ‘Ikale Tahi coming against Fiji last June.
He consequently missed Benetton Treviso’s entire Pro14 campaign last season while undergoing chemotherapy treatment, but has since been named in Toutai Kefu’s 31-man Tonga squad for the Pacific Nations Cup, and will skipper the side in this weekend’s opener in Apia.
The opportunity to lead his nation comes as a result of regular captains Siate Piutau and Sonetane Takulua being absent from the team.
Their omissions means Manu will be in charge of an inexperienced lineup, which features three debutants in the starting side, including Scarlets-bound Hurricanes lock Sam Lousi, who has recovered from a pectoral injury which has sidelined him since February.
First-five James Faiva, who plies his trade for SilverStorm El Salvador in the Division de Honor in Spain, and Australian-born Stade Francais midfielder Malietoa Hingano, a squad replacement for Fetuli Paea, will join Lousi in making their first international appearances.
A further two newbies could earn their first caps from the bench, with Bayonne prop Toma Taufa and Auckland midfielder Otumaka Mausia included in the match day squad.
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Those new faces will be accompanied by some familiar names, such as Racing 92 prop Ben Tameifuna, Castres loose forward Maama Vaipulu, and Bath utility back Cooper Vuna.
The Pacific Nations Cup opener at Apia Park marks the first match of 2019 for both Tonga and Samoa in the lead-up to the World Cup in two months’ time.
Following Saturday’s clash, Tonga will go on to face Japan in Osaka and Canada in Lautoka in consecutive weeks, before playing Fiji at Eden Park in Auckland as part of the Pasifika Challenge II on August 31.
A week after that, they take on the All Blacks at Waikato Stadium in Hamilton in their final warm-up match ahead of the World Cup, which kicks off for them against England in Sapporo on September 22.
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Tonga team to face Samoa:
1. Paea Fa’anunu, 2. Elvis Taione, 3. Ben Tameifuna, 4. Leva Fifita, 5. Sam Lousi*, 6. Onehunga Havili, 7. Maama Vaipulu, 8. Nasi Manu (c), 9. Samisoni Fisilau, 10. James Faiva*, 11. Viliame Lolohea, 12. Cooper Vuna, 13. Malietoa Hingano*, 14. David Halaifonua, 15. Nafi Tuitavake.
Reserves:
16. Sefo Sakalia, 17. Toma Taufa*, 18. Ma’afu Fia, 19. Zane Kapeli, 20. Fotu Lokotui, 21. Sione Vailanu, 22. Leon Fukofuka, 23. Otumaka Mausia*.
In other news:
Comments on RugbyPass
It’s not up to Wales to support Georgian Rugby. That’s up to International Rugby and Georgia. I sympathise with Georgia’s decent attempt to create this fixture. But for Wales the proposed match up is just a potential stick to beat them with and a potential big psychological blow that young Welsh team doesn’t need. (I’m Irish BTW.)
2 Go to commentsCale certainly looks great in space, but as you say, he has struggled in contact. At 23 years old, turning 24 this year, he should be close to full physical maturity and yet there exists a considerable gap in the power and physicality required for international rugby. Weight doesn’t automatically equate to power and physicality either. Can he go from a player who’s being physically dominated in Super rugby to physically dominating in international rugby in 1 or 2 years? That’s a big ask but he may end up being a late bloomer.
24 Go to commentsIf rugby wants to remain interesting in the AI era then it will need to work on changing the rules. AI will reduce the tactical advantage of smart game plans, will neutralize primary attacking weapons, and will move rugby from a being a game of inches to a game of millimetres. It will be about sheer athleticism and technique,about avoiding mistakes, and about referees. Many fans will find that boring. The answer is to add creative degrees of freedom to the game. The 50-22 is an example. But we can have fun inventing others, like the right to add more players for X minutes per game, or the equivalent of the 2-point conversion in American football, the ability to call a 12-player scrum, etc. Not saying these are great ideas, but making the point that the more of these alternatives you allow, the less AI will be able to lock down high-probability strategies. This is not because AI does not have the compute power, but because it has more choices and has less data, or less-specific data. That will take time and debate, but big, positive and immediate impact could be in the area of ref/TMO assistance. The technology is easily good enough today to detect forward passes, not-straight lineouts, offside at breakdown/scrum/lineout, obstruction, early/late tackles, and a lot of other things. WR should be ultra aggressive in doing this, as it will really help in an area in which the game is really struggling. In the long run there needs to be substantial creativity applied to the rules. Without that AI (along with all of the pro innovations) will turn rugby into a bash fest.
24 Go to commentsSouth Africa rarely play Ireland and France on these tours. Mostly, England, Scotland and Wales. I wonder why
1 Go to commentsIt was a let’s-see-what-you're-made-of type of a game. The Bulls do look good when the opposition allows them to, but Munster shut them down, and they could not find a way through. Jake should be very worried about their chances in the competition.
2 Go to commentsHats off to Fabian for a very impressive journey to date. Is it as ‘uniquely unlikely’ as Rugby Pass suggests, given Anton Segner’s journey at the Blues?
1 Go to commentsSad that this was not confirmed. When administrators talk about expanding the game they evidently don’t include pathways to the top tier of rugby for teams outside of the old boys club. Rugby deserves better, and certainly Georgia does.
2 Go to commentsLions might take him on if they move on Van Rooyen but I doubt he will want to go back, might consider it a step backwards for himself. Sharks would take him on but if Plumtree goes on to win the challenge cup they will keep him on. Also sharks showing some promising signs recently. Stormers and Bulls are stable and Springboks are already filled up. Quality coach though, interesting to see where he ends up
1 Go to commentsAnd the person responsible for creating a culture of accountability is?
3 Go to commentsMore useless words from Ben Smith -Please get another team to write about. SA really dont need your input, it suck anyway.
264 Go to commentsThis disgraceful episode must result in management and coach team sackings. A new manager with worse results than previous and the coaching staff need to coached. Awful massacre led by donkeys.
1 Go to commentsInteresting article with one glaring mistake. This sentence: “And between the top four nations right now, Ireland, France, South Africa, and New Zealand…” should read: And between the top four nations right now, South Africa, Ireland, New Zealand and France…”. Get it right wistful thinkers, its not that hard.
24 Go to commentsHow did Penny get the gig anyway?
3 Go to commentsNice write up Nick and I would have agreed a week ago. However as you would know Cale & co got absolutely monstered by the Blues back row of Sotutu, Ioane and Papaliti and not all of these 3 are guaranteed a start in the Black jumper. He may need to put some kgs before stepping up, Spring tour? After the week end Joe will be a bit more restless. Will need to pick a mobile tough pack for Wales and hope England does the right thing and bashes the ABs. I like your last paragraph but I would bring Swinton, Hannigan into the 6 role and Bobby V to 8
24 Go to commentsThe Crusaders can still get in to the Play Off’s. The imminent return of outstanding captain Scott Barrett and his All Black team mate Codie Taylor will be a big boost.There are others like Tamaiti Williams too. Two home games coming up. Fellow Crusader fans get there and support these guys. I will be.
2 Go to commentsCant get more Wellington than Proctor.
2 Go to commentsWhy not let the media decide. Like how they choose the head coach. Like most of us we entrust the rugby system to choose. A rugby team includes the coaches. It's collective.
14 Go to commentsHi NIck, I have been very impressed with him and he seems a smart player who can see opportunities which Bobby V _(who must be an international 6_) doesn’t see or have the speed to take advantage of. If he continues to improve and puts on 5kgs then he could be a great 8. He is a bit taller than Keiran Reid at 1.93m and 111 kgs, so his skill set fits his body size and who knows where it will lead. I hope the spate of Achilles tendon issues have been dealt with by the S&C people. It’s been a very long time since Mark Loane and Kefu stood out at 8. The question is will we be able to hold onto him, if he does make it he will be pretty hot property. I disagree with the idea of letting them go to the Northern Hemisphere and then bring them back.
24 Go to commentsBilly Fulton 🤣🤣🤣🤣 garrrmon not even close
14 Go to commentsDoes the AI take into account refs? hahaha Seriously why not have two on field refs to avoid bias?
24 Go to comments