Tonga name Rugby World Cup squad
Twenty of the players who helped Tonga finish third in the recent World Rugby Pacific Nations Cup have been selected for the country’s Rugby World Cup 2015 squad.
Among them are scrum-half Sonatane Takulua and winger Fetu’u Vainikolo who finished as joint top try-scorers – along with Fijian second-row Leone Nakarawa – in the Pacific Nations Cup with four.
Three players who made their debut in that competition in Telusa Veainu, Viliami Tahitu’a and Sosefo Ma’ake have also made the cut for coach Mana Otai’s squad, which still has place for one more player.
The experienced Nili Latu and Hale T-Pole were part of that Pacific Nations Cup squad and more familiar names to make the RWC 2015 squad include David Halaifonua, Sione Kalamafoni, Aleki Lutui and Paula Ngauomo.
The squad was announced by Tonga Rugby Union President Epi Taione – himself a veteran of two Rugby World Cups for the ‘Ikale Tahi in 1999 and 2007.
The ‘Ikale Tahi have already arrived in England for a