Ikale Tahi has landed
FORMER All Black Charles Piutau says he is blessed to be part of the Tonga Ikale Tahi side preparing for the Pacific Nations Cup competition next week.
The Tongans arrived in the country on Wednesday and hit the ground at Churchill Park in Lautoka to get the jet weary legs running.
Piutau plays for the Bristol Bears alongside Fijian superstar Semi Radradra. He is one of several former internationals who qualify to play for Tonga under the new World Rugby eligibility rules.
“It’s been a few days in camp. It’s surreal and exciting,” said Piutau, who played 17 matches for the All Blacks from 2013 to 2015.
“It’s a blessing to be part of this team — to get to know the players, coaches and building on our relationships. Today has been our first field session so it’s been a great week so far.”
Other players in the team include former Wallaby fullback Israel Folau and All Blacks centre Malakai Fekitoa.
Tonga plays Fiji in its opening PNC match on July 2 at the ANZ Stadium in Suva.
The match kicks off at 3pm.
MARIST Brothers High School (MBHS) took top honours at the Fiji Cricket Secondary Schools Southern Zone at Albert Park in Suva yesterday.
The boys from Flagstaff took on a powerful Queen
Victoria School side, beating them by two runs in a close final of the Southern Cricket Zone.
Marist Red co-captain Jazray Browne said they managed to make 49 runs in 10 overs with the help of 14-year-old Roman Hughes who was instrumental in the win.
“QVS batted in the second innings and tried to catch the score but with the help of God and all the boys present here today, we were able to cut them down to 47 runs,” he said.
It was also a special match for Roman who lifted the trophy with his elder brother Ezekiel.
Ezekiel said it was an amazing match against QVS and at one point thought his team would taste defeat because QVS was playing catch up and coming up fast in the second innings.
“We didn’t have that many runs but didn’t lose hope,” he said.
Members of the Marist Brothers High School Reds team after the win yesterday.