ABS put World Cu on ld
Brothers of All Blacks, a former Warriors rugby league player and one uncapped Christchurch roofer on top of the world are just some of the Kiwi links in Tonga’s team for today’s Rugby World Cup warmup test against the All Blacks in Hamilton.
None are more shocked to be playing at FMG Stadium Waikato than Tonga’s starting hooker Siua Maile.
Coach Toutai Kefu said he was ‘‘nailing roofs to houses’’ three weeks ago before his first call-up for the Ikale Tahi, one the 22-year-old is still coming to terms with.
‘‘We still don’t know much about him,’’ admitted Kefu this week.
‘‘He was a thirdchoice hooker we’re taking to the World Cup and we didn’t envisage him taking any part.
‘‘We brought him along for the experience because we’ve identified he’s got massive potential and might be a player of the future. This is a great opportunity for him. I think he’s still shellshocked.’’
Maile grew up in Tonga but moved to New Zealand in 2013 to take up a rugby scholarship at Timaru Boys’ High School.
While playing club rugby for Shirley in Christchurch, he is yet to play a first-class match and was only converted from a loose forward a few seasons ago after a request from the Canterbury Rugby Union.
Injuries to Paula Ngauamo and Sosefo Sakalia have led to Maile now lining up against All Blacks and Crusaders hooker Codie
Taylor. Kefu said he was recommended via Dan Cron, the team’s scrum coach, after advice from Crusaders assistant Jason Ryan.
‘‘He’s a good, young kid,’’ Kefu said. ‘‘He’s keen, he trained the other day and we were doing some contact drills and he was in the thick of it.
‘‘I actually had to tell him to tone it down a little bit, which is great. It’s what you want with players.’’
Meanwhile, most of Tonga’s starting XV have Kiwi connections. Among them is former Waikato lock Leva Fifita, the elder brother of 12-test All Blacks loose forward Vaea Fifita who was not selected in the World Cup squad, while Tonga’s captain, former Highlanders centre Siale Piutau is the elder brother of former All Blacks winger Charles Piutau. Both now play for Bristol in England.
Either side of Maile are props Siegfried Fisiihoi and Siua Halanukonuka, who played for the Chiefs and Highlanders respectively.
Both left for Europe in 2017, with Fisiihoi playing in France for Pau and Halanukonuka in Scotland for Glasgow.
Alongside Fifita in the second row is Hurricanes lock Sam Lousi, who missed the Super Rugby season because of a pectoral injury. He heads to Wales to join Scarlets after the World Cup but first faces long-time team-mates like Beauden Barrett, TJ Perenara, Ardie Savea and Jordie Barrett today.
Among the back row are Counties Manukau loose forward Fotu Lokotui, former Chiefs No 8 Maama Vaipulu and Sione Kalamafoni, who attended Auckland Grammar School before heading to England in 2010.
Halfback Sonatane Takulua lived in New Zealand from age 11 and played for Northland before joining Newcastle in England in 2015, while first fiveeighth Kurt Morath was born in Takapuna, attended Hamilton Boys’ High and played for Taranaki before heading overseas in 2009.
Left wing Viliami Lolohea, a former Warriors junior, plays club rugby for Papatoetoe but was with Tasman from 2015-17. On the right is Cooper Vuna, who played in the NRL for the Warriors and Newcastle Knights before switching to rugby in 2011. He joins Newcastle in the English Premiership after the World Cup.
On the bench are ex-highlanders prop Ma’afu Fia, former New Zealand under-20s lock Daniel Faleafa, Bay of Plenty lock Zane Kapeli, Auckland halfback Leon Fukofuka and former Auckland outside back Ateli Pakalini.