Rugby World Cup

Siua Maile, Sitiveni Mafi, Tanginoa Halaifonua and Samiuela Louisi do do not step back from the challenge in tight plays and will be key for the side in set pieces.

Crusaders' Sione Havili, Moana Pasifika captain Solomone Funaki, Vaea Fifita and Sione Vailanu are key ball winners in the breakdowns and good carriers of the ball.

Good understanding between them has seen them improve and they will be the key in winning possession off the ground and in tackle-ball situations.

Veteran captain Sonatane Takulua does not back down from any challenge.

Defending World Cup champions South Africa, current world No.1 Ireland, world No.5 Scotland and Romania make up the pool.

Coach, Toutai Kefu has described it as a pool of death.

But he believes the team can cause upsets if they click on the day.

Tonga has competed in every Rugby World Cup since the first one in 1987, except for 1991 when they failed to qualify.

Their best performances were in 2007 and 2011.

In 2007 they finished third in their pool behind England and South Africa after wins over Samoa and the United States.

Toutai Kefu has built an impressive roster filled with World Cup experience in a quest to advance past the group stages for the first time.

They find themselves in a brutal group, although have the quality to match it with the best on their day.

How they qualified

Qualified as ‘Asia/Pacific 1’ after defeating Hong Kong 44-22 in the Asia/Pacific Playoff

Recent form

Tonga have built gradually into this year’s World Cup as they integrate a plethora of new talent.

2022 finished perfectly for the side with wins over Spain, Chile and Uruguay.

Fiji has lost only one Test out of five since the new coaching team led by Simon Raiwalui took over the reins from Vern Cotter six months ago.

Raiwalui said compared to before where they sometimes just get together a week before a game, this squad is well ahead in terms of preparation.

The former national captain added that this is going to be one of most competitive World Cup following the recent success of tier two nations.

Barrett was sent off after being shown a second yellow card for a dangerous clean out on Springbok hooker Malcolm Marx in the first half of New Zealand's record 35-7 defeat at Twickenham.

He had only just returned to the field after being sent to the sin bin for a foul at the breakdown, when New Zealand were on a team warning for repeated infringements.

The independent Disciplinary Committee was chaired by Sir James Dingemans (England), joined by former international player Olly Kohn (Wales) and former referee Valeriu Toma (Romania).

It was August 15 when the 32-year-old former All Blacks player was originally suspended by an independent disciplinary committee chaired by Stephen Hardy (Australia) and joined by former player Stefan Terblanche (South Africa) and former international referee Valeriu Toma (Romania).

They decided that the red card Moala was given for his August 10 tip tackle versus Canada warranted a 10-match mid-range entry point.

Head coach Toutai Kefu has named a 32-player squad, with two further players to be added before the tournament.

Tonga have confirmed that the controversial fullback has failed to recover from a knee injury and will miss the tournament alongside Telusa Veainu.

“Isileli Folau (knee) and Telusa Veainu (hamstring) have suffered recurrences of existing injuries and will be unavailable for the tournament,” the union said in a statement.

Securing two wins against the visitors is a confidence booster for the Tonga rugby team preparing to fly off to the Rugby World Cup in France next month.

The 'Ikale Tahi scored a total of six tries against Canada's two in front of around 4,000 fans.

With the game serving as the Tongans' last warm up match before jetting off to France, head coach Toutai Kefu used players he was interested to see in the game line-up, including a few local players who were given the chance to show their worth.

After their landmark 34-32 win against South Africa in 2015, the Brave Blossoms went on to produce even more incredible victories on home soil by beating Ireland and Scotland in 2019. They went through to the knockouts for the first time in their history.

This time out they face 2019 finalists England, and a feisty Argentina in their pool. Will they be able to produce more thrilling performances?

Coach Jamie Joseph – who is leaving Japan to return to the Highlanders next season – has named an initial 30-man squad ahead of the official 33-man squad deadline of 28 August.

The 24-year-old Ntamack ruptured cruciate ligaments in his left knee in the second half of the 30-27 victory over Scotland in a World Cup warm-up on Sunday, the team said following scans.

Matthieu Jalibert is set to fill in as Ntamack's understudy when the tournament begins in France on Sept. 8.

“Romain, we are thinking of you a lot,” the French rugby federation posted on X, formerly known as Twitter. “The whole group is supporting you. We wish you a good recovery.”

In his own post, Ntamack wrote: “I'll be back.”