At a glance
Tonga coach Toutai Kefu isn’t a whinger.
He will play the hand given to him and promises Tonga will be ‘‘super competitive’’ at the World Cup next year, despite being in a tough pool that also includes Argentina, France and England.
But a sense of injustice gnaws away at the former Wallabies No 8 as he ponders the Tongans who won’t be available to him in Japan next year, including All Blacks Vaea Fifita and Shannon Frizell.
It leads him to one conclusion: Tier 1 nations, particularly the Home Unions, see Tonga as a threat and don’t want them to be successful.
‘‘There’s a feeling that they don’t want us to be too competitive,’’ Kefu told Stuff, referencing the eligibility rules that prevented Tonga from using the likes of former All Black Charles Piutau.
‘‘I had a list of about 10-12 players who were ready to come and play for us.
‘‘That gives us a good chance of making the quarterfinals in the World Cup next year. If we make the quarterfinals, that’s obviously taking someone’s spot.
‘‘I think they are just worried about that scenario and the powerbrokers that run the game, they are represented by the Home Unions. They see us as a threat, and maybe they just don’t want that competitiveness in the World Cup, which I think is very wrong.’’
Kefu had hoped that Piutau and about 10 others would be free to play for Tonga by qualifying via an Olympics Sevens tournament before the World Cup, but that door was shut on the Tongans’ faces.
He readily admits Tonga have their own ‘‘issues and challenges’’ but says having those players deemed ineligible for the next World Cup ‘‘is just another kick in the guts’’.
‘‘We just have to keep going along and there is some major changes being made,’’ he said.
‘‘I can moan and complain as long as I want, and I have for the last 18 months, but you just need to move forward and hopefully someone can see some sense down the line, that they need to re-look at this eligibility rule.’’
The players unavailable to Kefu aren’t just restricted to those who wanted to qualify via the Sevens route.
First, there are the Tongans who have been adopted by other countries, such as Fifita, Frizell, Malakai Fekitoa and Amanaki Mafi (Japan).
Second, there are the Tonganqualified players such as Charles Piutau (Bristol) and Frank Halai (Pau), who have played for the All Blacks but have either moved on or fallen out of favour.
Third, there are the players who are Tonga qualified but have been capped by a Tier 1 nation or have thus far made themselves A Tongan World Cup XV that might have been:
❚ 1. Karl Tu’inukuafe (Blues)
❚ 2. Samisoni Taukei’aho (Chiefs)
❚ 3. Siate Tokolahi (Highlanders)
❚ 4. Sam Lousi (Hurricanes)
❚ 5. Vaea Fifita (Hurricanes)
❚ 6. Shannon Frizell (Highlanders) ❚ 7. Colby Fainga’a (Connacht)
❚ 8. Amanaki Mafi (NTT Communications Shining Arcs)
❚ 9. Augustine Pulu (Blues)
❚ 10. David Havili (Crusaders)
❚ 11. Toni Pulu (Brumbies)
❚ 12. Siale Piutau (Bristol)
❚ 13. Malakai Fekitoa (Toulon)
❚ 14. Frank Halai (Pau)
❚ 15. Charles Piutau (Bristol)