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Pacific Nations Cup

Tonga reshuffle starting XV, overhaul bench for Canada clash

Tonga's Tupou Afungia is tackled. Photo by TUPOU VAIPULU/AFP via Getty Images

‘Ikale Tahi head coach Tevita Tu’ifua has made six changes to his starting XV to face Canada in the fifth-place playoff that kicks off round four of The Pacific Nations Cup this Saturday.

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The tournament has landed in Tokyo for the knockout stages and both Tonga and Canada face their final chance to claim a coveted win after challenging pool stages.

Two changes have been made to the Tongan tight five, including Tevita Ahokovi shifting from the blindside flank to the second row. Sosefo Sakalia also comes in to start at hooker.

John Tapueluelu has made the starting XV on the left wing, while Nikolai Foliaki shifts from fullback to the right wing, accommodating Josiah Unga at fullback.

The impact unit has seen a complete overhaul with Tau Koloamatangi joining the front row reserves,  Kelemete Finau and Vutulongo Puloka rounding out the forwards and an electric backline trio of Manusiu Paea, Latu Akauola and K. Vaea set to bring the energy.

Fixture
Pacific Nations Cup
Tonga
30 - 17
Full-time
Canada
All Stats and Data

Tonga team to face Canada

1. Jethro Felemi
2. Sosefo Sakalia
3. Ben Tameifuna
4. Harison Mataele
5. Tevita Ahokovi
6. Siosiua Moala
7. Tupou Afungia
8. Lotu Inisi
9. Aisea Halo
10. Patrick Pellegrini
11. John Tapueluelu
12. Fetuli Paea
13. Fine Inisi
14. Nikolai Foliaki
15. Josiah Unga

Substitutes

16. Penisoni Fineanganofo
17. Salesi Tuifua
18. Tau Koloamatangi
19. Kelemete Finau
20. Vutulongo Puloka
21. Manusiu Paea
22. Latu Akauola
23. K. Vaea

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Related

Debut on the cards for young prop as Canada name team for Tonga

Canada head coach Kingsley Jones has made a handful of changes to his side's matchday 23 to face Tonga in the Pacific Nations Cup's fifth-place play-off.

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Comments on RugbyPass

W
WI 5 minutes ago
How 'misunderstood' Rassie Erasmus is rolling back the clock

Would you call that freely? Yes, the tries have a skillset of their own attached to them. Would not call it freely. They did outscore France in that game thought, which is in and off itself something to admire.

137 Go to comments
I
IkeaBoy 9 minutes ago
How 'misunderstood' Rassie Erasmus is rolling back the clock

You missed the part about the lab getting shut down in Bloemfontein in March last year - FOR THE SECOND TIME. Got stripped of it’s accreditation.


As previously explained, few schoolboys in Ireland would be 18, as in an ADULT. The vast majority of their active schools players are classed as MINORS. Not just in law, in every sense. The youngest grade governed by the IRFU is U19 and is overseen by a union who has never not been WADA compliant. Ever.


It’s obviously the norm to not test children in amateur sports.

137 Go to comments
R
RedWarriors 9 minutes ago
How 'misunderstood' Rassie Erasmus is rolling back the clock

If there is doubt about the interpretation of laws then the Intention of the law is the law.

This is what SUPREME courts do. The black and white must reflect the intention of the law. If the intention of the law was 5-3, then thats the law. That is the entire basis of how law is interpreted. You are arguing against centuries of legal norms. You should stop making stuff up to suit your argument.

137 Go to comments
R
RedWarriors 13 minutes ago
How 'misunderstood' Rassie Erasmus is rolling back the clock

Owen Doyle was a referee until 1994. He was in charge of the IRFU referees through the last replacement change (from 7 to 8 re[placements in 2009). He was subsequently an elite referee coach before becoming a journalist in the last few years.

The changes were made in 2009 very much the professional era.

The proposal that the IRFU agreed with is below. It is disappointing that you attempt to distort facts that contardict your argument.

In any Law whether legislation for running a State or for World Rugby the intention of the law when drafted is what counts. Now you can put your hands over your ears and sing ‘La, La, La’ because this contradicts your article in some respects but you can’t make up facts you don’t like. You’re argument that 7-1 splits etc should be allowed is a different one. My argument is because the INTENTION of the law was 5-3 then new laws will need to be drafted for less than 3 backs on the bench. If World Rugby ignore the law to the tune of ridiculous PR nonsense like ‘Its discriminating against South Africa’ then the entire basis for faith in laws becomes eroded. Big Unions will interpret laws to suits themselves at odds with their intention knowing that World Rugby won’t defend their laws.


I was part of the law group that determined the IRFU’s position on how things work currently. In short, we agreed with what was being proposed. It was to ensure that there must be three specialist frontrow players on the bench, plus a secondrow, and a backrow player, hence five. The backs were allowed to cover the specialist positions of nine and ten. Finally, one utility back would be permitted, making up the three.

137 Go to comments
I
IkeaBoy 15 minutes ago
How 'misunderstood' Rassie Erasmus is rolling back the clock

This is news to me!!! Game changer.


I must have been the only Irish rugby fan unaware of their record at RWC knockouts.

137 Go to comments
I
IkeaBoy 17 minutes ago
How 'misunderstood' Rassie Erasmus is rolling back the clock

Yep! I live with one.


Draft dodgers

137 Go to comments
I
IkeaBoy 18 minutes ago
How 'misunderstood' Rassie Erasmus is rolling back the clock

WAYNE BARNES - WAYNE BARNES.


Player of the match in the final…

137 Go to comments
M
MM 18 minutes ago
Glasgow hit back at Stephen Donald's 'absolutely unfounded' comments

The only thing he traded up by going north was his salary….

4 Go to comments
P
PB 19 minutes ago
How 'misunderstood' Rassie Erasmus is rolling back the clock

You clearly have no idea of how much fatigue factor there is among the front five. I challenge you to a fitness test against any Bok forward!

137 Go to comments
I
Indrani aushal 24 minutes ago
England's Megan Jones makes club switch ahead of 2025/26 season

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0 Go to comments
G
GrahamVF 30 minutes ago
Glasgow hit back at Stephen Donald's 'absolutely unfounded' comments

Let them continue to think they have the answer only to fall at the last hurdle again. Long may Stephen Donald’s rugby nous guide New Zealand thinking.

4 Go to comments
I
IkeaBoy 32 minutes ago
How 'misunderstood' Rassie Erasmus is rolling back the clock

The 2019 Final?? Graham, lad????


England emptied the sack to hammer the ABs in the semi. They got the boks in the final. It was the physical equivalent of a seniors team playing an U12s.

137 Go to comments
I
IkeaBoy 34 minutes ago
How 'misunderstood' Rassie Erasmus is rolling back the clock

That’s my point though. For a confidence player I don’t think it’s great to get waved off by your coach for an early bath.


His kicking is still suspect which I can’t understand. It’s his only weakness in a strong all round game. Don’t get why he isn’t being coached overtime to improve.


He’s the twice the player that Pollard is in open play.

137 Go to comments
G
GrahamVF 37 minutes ago
How 'misunderstood' Rassie Erasmus is rolling back the clock

He’s starting to sound more and more like the TMan with every post. Any minute now he’s start clicking.

137 Go to comments
P
PR 38 minutes ago
Glasgow hit back at Stephen Donald's 'absolutely unfounded' comments

Not sure why anyone is taking Stephen Donald seriously. Dead average player back in the day and clearly not the sharpest tool in the box.


Simple fact is that Barrett traded up not down when he moved to the Northern Hemisphere and some fragile egos in NZ, where they still believe the All Blacks are the game’s standard-bearers, can’t handle it.

4 Go to comments
I
IkeaBoy 39 minutes ago
How 'misunderstood' Rassie Erasmus is rolling back the clock

I did. There’s an Irish language channel (TG4) that shows most of the Irish clubs games.


I thought the score flattered Connacht. They were well beaten. Again, he looks the business but he’d an arm chair ride from a dominant pack against one of the worst defences in the league.


If he does it in the next RWC final then he can have a statue.

137 Go to comments
G
GrahamVF 47 minutes ago
How 'misunderstood' Rassie Erasmus is rolling back the clock

have googled and tour speaking the worst kind of Irish,. You are generalising in desperation. Start testing 18 year old schoolboys before you point fingers.

137 Go to comments
G
GrahamVF 48 minutes ago
How 'misunderstood' Rassie Erasmus is rolling back the clock

Four SA players tested positive for Clenbuterol of the four only Nkosi and Jantjies were involved in 2019 - none of them in 2023. During the WC campaign they were tested and found clean by WR. If you really think drugs was the reason why SA won the WC I sincerely hope all the Irish coaches and staff believe that too.

137 Go to comments
G
GrahamVF 57 minutes ago
How 'misunderstood' Rassie Erasmus is rolling back the clock

Could you name your sources for this statement of fact? All those squad members were playing in international competitions regularly so how did they get away with it. And I still come back to the question why Ireland steadfastly refuse to test 18 year old schoolboys? Schoolboy rugby union players report the highest susceptibility to doping among those sampled, compared with other athletes and non-athletes.” the RFU issued this statement in 2019. The Craven Week competition is the most intensively tested rugby competition in the world. But of course Irish schoolboys are different.

137 Go to comments
E
Ed the Duck 1 hour ago
How 'misunderstood' Rassie Erasmus is rolling back the clock

Agree with all that you say here Nick, the mix of the Atonio’s, Skeltons and Tamiefunas with the Kolbe’s, Arende’s and Darcy Grahams is great to watch but you are wide of the mark on data set analysis. Your quote on table sets even references tables with millions of records regarding mean for a reason. Data on a few hundred (and that’s stretching it) props is nowhere near this category and doesn’t have the same statistical characteristics or parameters. The smaller the data set becomes, the more relevant median also becomes for certain purposes.

137 Go to comments
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