Tonga rugby

“I got dropped after that Test. It probably saved my medical career so I’m grateful for that,” Dr Loane said of the extra study time forced upon him.

Tonga’s stunning 16-11 upset of Peter Sullivan’s Wallabies on a Saturday afternoon at Ballymore in 1973 is on any list of the code’s greatest boilovers. 

As with all momentous upsets, there are two very different scripts. The conquerors keep staging reunions and get woven into history’s tapestry. The vanquished wish their names were written in invisible ink and could somehow disappear from the match program.

And the former Wallabies World Cup winner is confident that combination will help Tonga do more than just scare their rivals in a stacked group at the tournament in France later this year.

Kefu has spent three months of this year abroad, assessing his stocks plying their trade in Japan and Europe.

“We’re going to have a really good team, probably the best ever,” he said.

The London tournament is scheduled to be held on 20-21 May.

Tonga defeated Germany 33-26 in the semi-finals of the World Sevens Challenger Series in Cape Town, South Africa on Sunday, 30 April.

The win was enough to secure their spot at the London event despite losing the final against Belgium.

Tonga will return to New Zealand this week to continue preparing for the London tournament.

He was accompanied by another former NZ Rugby coach, Wayne Smith and Timber business partner Siliva Payn.

The trio have been giving out rugby equipment for secondary schools and training local coaches.

They visited Tonga College, Tupou College and Takuilau College.

The two coaches assisted and provided certain equipment and stationery essential for rugby training to schools in Tonga.

Sir Graham Henry along with Wayne Ross Smith led New Zealand’s All Blacks to win the 2011 and 2015 World Cup.

The side went down in an excruciating 36-0 loss to Fiji, last week.

Coach Toutai Kefu said it was not the result they wanted but they are still learning on getting each player combination right.

Kefu added it was just not their day and they will need to dig deeper in order to get the results needed next week.

“There’s a lot of connections needed for the backs and the forwards, we’re still trying to implement a game plan so turnover today was extremely poor, I think there was over 20 turnovers for the whole game, 12 in the first half so from that perspective more”

Amongst these players are rugby stars, Israel Folau, Malakai Fekitoa and Charles Piutau.

The other players that will be making their debut are Veikoso Poloniati, William Havili, Anzelo Tu’itavuki, Sosefo Apikotoa, Sione Havili, Lotu Inisi, Manu Paea and Tima Fainga’anuku.

Tonga will play against Fiji at 3pm (Fiji Time) on Saturday at the ANZ Stadium in Suva.

Tonga Squad:

Piutau is excited about the showdown against their Pacific Island brothers, who displayed their best performance at their first ever Super Rugby.

“The style of rugby they play is exciting and some of the tries they scored are just amazing. And as a fan watching it, I still remember the 100m try they scored just goes to show the talent they have.”

Having played a few seasons at the Bristol Bears with Semi Radradra, Piutau is expecting more players with similar qualities from the Flying Fijians. 

January's volcanic eruption sent a tsunami crashing onto Tonga's coastline, causing widespread damage which only got worse when the falling ash settled.

Almost 90 per cent of Tonga's 86,000 residents are said to be affected and now in need of assistance, according to the Red Cross.

Former Wallaby-turned Tongan coach Kefu's phone has been running hot ever since a charity game ahead of the Reds' season-opener at Suncorp Stadium next Saturday was announced.

The disgraced former Wallaby was sacked by Rugby Australia for posting homophobic comments in an Instagram post in 2019.

Folau then fought a significant legal battle with the governing body, which was eventually settled in December of that year.

In 2020, he returned to rugby league – the sport where his professional career began – and signed a deal with Catalan Dragons.

The 32-year-old was released from his contract in 2021 and returned to Australia, citing ‘personal reasons’, but has since joined Japanese rugby union outfit Shining Arcs.

The kingdom’s rugby union announced Moa’s passing away on its official Facebook page a short time ago.  

“A stalwart of Ikale Tahi Tonga rugby who will now have his named etched among the echelons of the legendary greats. Such sad news to receive about the passing of Taniela Moa.”

“We would like to send our love and deepest condolences to his family through this sad and tragic time. May he fly high among God’s army and look over you all.”

Moa was playing for the French rugby club Section Paloise.