34 - 21

WXV 3 and the most unusual change of rugby position?

184 days ago

NAPIER, NEW ZEALAND - AUGUST 23: Tori Iosefo of Hawkes Bay in action during the round three Farah Palmer Cup match between Hawke's Bay Tui and Northland Women at McLean Park, on August 23, 2024, in Napier, New Zealand. (Photo by Kerry Marshall/Getty Images)

Everyone laughed when England winger Jonny May once filled in at flanker but imagine the sniggering had he tried his luck at tight-head prop, the anchor of the scrum.

The hardest positional switch in rugby imaginable will be attempted, however, this Saturday when Manusina take to the field for their WXV 3 clash against Fijiana at The Sevens Stadium in Dubai, which can be watched live and exclusive on RugbyPass TV (kick-off 18:00 BST).

After drawing their first game against tournament newcomers the Netherlands 8-8, Manusina have reacted by making a number of changes to their starting XV, including shifting their inside-centre, France Bloomfield, to scrum-half.

‘This Energy Never Stops’ – One year to go until the Women’s Rugby World Cup

With exactly one year to go until Women’s Rugby World Cup England 2025 kicks off
in Sunderland, excitement is sweeping across the host nation in anticipation of what
will be the biggest and most accessible celebration of women’s rugby ever.

However, the headline-grabbing selection comes in the front row, where Tori Iosefa has been selected to play tight-head.

Whilst built for the rigours of front row play, unlike the aforementioned willowy May, Iosefa had only experienced playing on the wing until converting to tight-head this year.

Indeed, her only previous Manusina cap came in the number 11 jersey in a Women’s Rugby World Cup 2021 qualifier against Tonga.

Manusina won the match in Auckland 40-0 and the 125 kilo Iosefo barrelled her way over the line for two tries.

Fixture

WXV 3

Fiji Women

17 - 45

Full-time

Samoa Women

All Stats and Data

Fast-forward four years and now she gets her chance to show that she has successfully turned her back on the show pony ways of the wing and turned into a proper workhorse up front.

Iosefo started the unlikeliest of conversions – one that surely must be unprecedented in Test rugby, especially between caps one and two – in Super Rugby Aupiki, with Hurricanes Poua.

The 29-year-old, who stands 1.76m tall, made five appearances in the pro competition before lighting up the Farah Palmer Cup with her performances for her provincial team, Hawke’s Bay Tui.

Iosefo is actually Hawke’s Bay’s Tui’s all-time leading try-scorer with 14 tries from 29 appearances.

When push comes to shove, she is worth her weight in gold, as Fiji are about to find out.

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