Tonga A and National 7s teams announced

[Tonga_rugby]

from Matangitonga.to

Tonga A and National 7s teams announced

<article about="/2012/10/08/tonga-and-national-7s-teams-announced" typeof="sioc:Item foaf<img src=" http:="" www.therugbyforum.com="" forumold="" style_emoticons="" default="" biggrin.gif"="" border="0" alt="" ***le="<img src=" smilieid="3" class="inlineimg">Tonga Rugby Union Board members and selected players of the Tonga A team, and a National 7s team had an audience with HM King Tupou VI at Polata'ane Royal Residence on Saturday, October 6.

'Epeli Taione, the chairman of the Tonga Rugby Union said that the audience was to introduce to the king the new TRU Board members, coaches and the management of national teams, the 'Ikale Tahi, Tonga A and the National 7s team. Players of a squad for the Pacific Cup 2012, and the National 7s team were also introduced to the king.
He said the National Sevens team would leave Tonga tomorrow, October 9, to compete in the HSBC Sevens World Series in the Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia . Tonga is in the same Pool with Fiji, Scotland and Australia.

The Tonga A team to play Samoa A in the opening game of the Pacific Cup 2012 on Thursday, October 11 was expected to be announced soon.
(<a href="http://matangitonga.to/2012/10/05/tonga-host-pacific-leg-pacific-rugby-cup-2012" target="_blank">Tonga to host Pacific leg of Pacific Rugby Cup 2012<a href="http://matangitonga.to/2012/10/05/tonga-host-pacific-leg-pacific-rugby-cup-2012" target="_blank">
Tonga has been chosen to host the Pacific Leg of the Pacific Rugby Cup 2012, an official International Rugby Board tournament to be held 11-19 October 2012, putting Tonga back on the international rugby circuit, in a partnership between the Tonga Rugby Union its sponsors Digicel Tonga. The matches in Tonga are Samoa A vs Tonga A; Crown Prince XV vs Tonga A; Fiji Warriors vs Samoa A; and Tonga A vs Fiji Warriors.)
<a href="http://matangitonga.to/2012/10/05/tonga-host-pacific-leg-pacific-rugby-cup-2012" target="_blank">
'Epeli said that an 'Ikale Tahi squad would also be announced before the end of this week. The 'Ikale Tahi is scheduled to tour Europe in November, where they will play test matches against Italy and Scotland.

Also visiting the king were Mana 'Otai the Head Coach of the 'Ikale Tahi, Tevita Pole'o, the coach for the Tonga A, Etuate Waqa, the coach of the National Sevens, Stephen Bannon the CEO of rugby sponsors Digicel Tonga and Jack Bourke Commercial Manager Digicel.

Tonga A
1. John Moeakiola
2. 'Uluakimano Filimone
3. 'Amanaki Vatikani
4. Sione Lolohea
5. 'Isileli Hufanga
6. 'Otulea Fifita
7. Taukolonga Tava
8. Uilisoni Fakakovikaetau
9. Samisoni Hafoka
10. Sione Vaiomo'unga
11. Tevita Heehau
12. Adney Uasila'a
13. Samisoni Masima
14. Sosefo Fahiua
15. 'Osaiasi Filipine
16. 'Etueni Siua
17. Kuli Tonga
18. Michael Fakava
19. Samiuela Ika
20. Soane Lakalaka
21. Fonua Tonga
22. Sosaia Tautalanoa
23. Josateki Veikune
24. Setaleki Luau
25. Siaosi Ngingini
26. Tevita Pohiva
27. Soane Leger
28. Sione 'Aho
29. Faka'osi Lavaka
30. Tupou Ahome'e
31 Sepuloni Makaafi

Officials
Tevita Pole'o, Head Coach
Isileli Fatani, Assistant Coach
Siaosi Atiola, Assistant Coach
Viliami Tonga, Technical Advisor
Laifai Kauhalaniua, Team Manager


Tonga National 7s
1. 'Ofa Finau
2. Alovili 'Ahofono
3. Atelea 'Okati
4. Paula Kata
5. Fineasi Palei
6. David Halaifonua
7. Hosea Saumaki
8. Daniel Kilioni
9. Kilifi Latu
10. Simana Halaifonua
11. Viliame 'Iongi
12. Fotu Lokotui

Officials
Etuate Waqa, Head Coach
Tevita Tu'ifua, Assistant Coach
Filokalafi 'Akau'ola, Team Manager

Those with the red aloha shirts, are the players, the coach and the management of the national 7s team; those with the green aloha shirts are the Tonga A team. At the center in the second row from the front is Mana 'Otai, the 'Ikale Tahi head coach.</article>

 

[Tonga_rugby]

From Matangitonga.to

Tonga A beats Samoa A at Teufaiva

<article about="/2012/10/13/tonga-beats-samoa-teufaiva" typeof="sioc:Item foaf<img src=" http:="" www.therugbyforum.com="" forumold="" style_emoticons="" default="" biggrin.gif"="" border="0" alt="" ***le="<img src=" smilieid="3" class="inlineimg">Saturday, October 13, 2012 - 21:19
Nuku'alofa, Tonga

The Tonga A rugby team had their first win in the 2012 IRB Pacific Rugby Cup competition, by beating Samoa A 20-18 at Teufaiva Stadium, Nuku'alofa on Thursday, 11 October.
Tonga's victory over Samoa meant that the Fiji Warriors have won the 2012 IRB Pacific Rugby Cup.
Samoa needed a bonus point victory over Tonga to be in a position to challenge the champions Fiji Warriors, but to do that they needed to score tries, and it did not happen. Tonga A scored the only try of the match when in the 64th minute No. 8 Lotu Filipine crashed over at the left corner. The No. 15 Setaleki Lu'au missed the conversion and the score was 18-17 for Samoa. Tonga A put on the pressure, and in the 78th​ minute slotted a penalty conversion and Tonga won by 20-18.
At half-time Samoa A was 12-3. The Samoa A No. 15, ***i Esau converted four penalties, to Setaleki Lu'au's one penalty conversion. Setaleki Lu'au was also declared as the man of the match.
The Tonga -Samoa game was the first of the final leg of the 2012 IRB Pacific Rugby CupPRC series.
Super Rugby development
During the trans-Tasman legs of the PRC series, which started in Australia on February 17 and ended in New Zealand on March 19, teams from Tonga, Samoa and Fiji played against Super Rugby development sides. In Australia they played against the Junior Warratahs, Queensland A and the Brumby Runners. In New Zealand they played against the Crusaders Knights, a Blues Development team, and a Highlander Development team.
At the end of the trans-Tasman legs of the PRC, the Fiji Warriors were at the top of the table with 10 points. They lost only one game, against the Queensland A, and won all their three games in New Zealand.
The Samoa A was the first runner-up and Tonga A was at the bottom of the ladder with a draw due the cancellation of their game against the Brumby Runners, because of bad weather.
Tonga schedule
The Samoa A will now play the Fiji Warriors on Monday, October 15 and Tonga A will play the Fiji Warriors on Friday, October 19.




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[Tonga_rugby]

From Matangitonga.to

Samoa A falls short at Teufaiva

Monday, October 15, 2012 - 22:52
<article about="/2012/10/15/samoa-falls-short-teufaiva" typeof="sioc:Item foaf<img src=" http:="" www.therugbyforum.com="" forumold="" style_emoticons="" default="" biggrin.gif"="" border="0" alt="" ***le="<img src=" smilieid="3" class="inlineimg">Nuku'alofa, Tonga

By Pesi Fonua
If the Fiji Warriors, the champions of the IRB Pacific Rugby Cup 2012, thought that they were going to have a cruising game this afternoon against Samoa A at Teufaiva, they were wrong, as the Samoans appeared determined not to leave Tonga without a win.
The Samoans went on attack right from the start, and four minutes from kick off scored the first try of the game, which was converted by fullback ***i Esau and Samoa lead 7-0.
The Fiji Warriors, who were declared champions of the Pacific Rugby Cup after Tonga A beat the Samoa A last Thursday, appeared to be in a state of shock with the aggressive attacking style of the Samoans. The Fijians were making mistakes, and the Samoans were awarded three penalties. ***i missed the first two but in the 17th​ minutes of the game he was successful, and he extended the Samoa A lead to 10-0.
The Fiji Warriors eventually got their act together and crossed the line on the 28th ​minute, but the conversion went out wide and the score was 10-5.
Before the end of the first half, Samoa A had scored two tries within three minutes. The first by their second five, Lafeta Laau, which was converted and three minutes later, Oneone Faafou Soisoi crossed the line. It was not converted and at half time the score was 22-5.
In the second half, the Fiji Warriors came out firing, and they scored their first try in the second minute of the game. It was a converted try and the score was 22-12.
The Fijians came to life in the second half and they started running with the ball, and during the remainder of the second half they scored three more converted tries, and also converted three penalties to take the lead.
Samoa A during the second half managed to convert only four penalties.
The score at the end of the game was 42-34 for the Fiji Warriors.
The final game of the IRB Pacific Rugby Cup 2012 will be between Tonga A and the Fiji Warriors on Saturday, 19 October.




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