Cooper Vuna named in Tonga squad

[barbarian]

Cooper Vuna earns Tongan call-up

Melbourne Rebel Cooper Vuna and NSW Waratah Sitaleki Timani are two of the players selected in Tonga's initial 50-man squad for the rugby World Cup.

Coach Isitolo Maka named the pair in the squad, which will be pared down to 30 later in the season.

Maka will also choose Churchill Cup and Pacific Nations Cup teams from the group before finalising his squad for the World Cup in New Zealand in September and October.

Former NRL player Vuna and second-rower Timani are two of several overseas-based players in the squad with players from New Zealand, England, Ireland and France all named.

Tonga will play New Zealand in the opening match of the World Cup at Auckland on September 9.

Fairly happy for him to play for Tonga, don't think he is a viable Wallaby prospect at this point. Will give him the opportunity to play in a RWC, and strengthen Tongan rugby. Same goes for Timani.

 

[Joe Mac]

I think Timani could have been a Wallaby in a few years. Its unfortunate he is so keen to play in this world cup. You can never have too many massive units for the WB's to chose from...

 

[Gnostic]

I am happy to see them both play for Tonga. I hope they strengthen that proud side so they once again threaten the tier one sides ala Samoa circa 1987-2003.

 

[en_force_er]

Have they been named in an optimistic way or have they been chatted to and agreed to play for Tonga? With all the talk of Vuna being so good I doubt he'd throw away a potential Wallaby cap this early on, unless he wants to go back to league sooner rather then later.

I think Samoa will be the best of the Islander sides this WC, they should make the finals considering Wales' poor form and the fact they will practically be playing home games all WC.

On another wavelength, I think Steve Mafi will be playing 2nd row for Tonga in the WC as well.

 

[Joe Mac]

Good point Barbarian. I think that they will still play WB's if they picked in the extended group before the WC.

 

[en_force_er]

I think this leads back to the whole discussion of allowing people to get capped for more then one country.

Yes, it had turned league into a joke but cricket does it and it seems to work out. It isn't just the Islands either, imagine the boost Canada would get from having Matt Dunning or America from having James Paterson.

 

[tranquility]

Nah, I don't like the multiple cap thing. Professional athletes need to realise that it is a professional decision on which country they choose at an early age. No longer is the 'i played for this side when i was young' a viable excuse. I think Vuna, and Timani will be a good fit as I don't see either of them really having the ability to play for the Wobbs. Vuna should think long and hard though, because it will mean he has to change countrys when the foreign dispensation is removed from the Rebels. Although I guess he could always go back to league....

The only situation that I think should be relaxed is ex-players who are not needed by their capped country for a set amount of time. Mat Dunning would be a prime example, has not played for the wallabies for 2-3 years, is eligible for Canada, its a win-win. I just dont like the idea of a player getting a cap for Australia, realising he isn't good enough to get more and then going, I'm a proud South African, Tongan whatever I want to play for them.

 

[T.Rugby]

Hey Guys,

Here is the 50 man squad they announced. I suspect that this may be just people that they have an interest in (i could be wrong) but afa pakalani (a.k.a. atieli pakalani) from the waratahs is in there and i know for a fact that he said he wants to play more super 15 and by playing for tonga he would have to move to japan/france ect.

http://www.matangitonga.to/article/sports/rugby/20110420_tonga_rwcsquad.shtml

 

[T.Rugby]

another fella that you guys would know is antonio halangahu (randwick) who is trying to make the squad, cant for the life of me think why his brother daniel halangahu isn't putting his name up for world cup selection!

 

[Sully]

If they play for Tonga are they then considered as imports for Super Rugby?

 

[barbarian]

I imagine Halangahu has played Australia A at some point.

I don't think Pakalani has to move at all, isn't he a foreign marquee player at present?

 

[tranquility]

But it would limit him, as they can only stay on for two years.

 

[Maroon Army]

I see one of the Kefu boys in in that squad. Are there any other Australian born players seleceted?

 

[Slim 293]

I think Timani could have been a Wallaby in a few years. Its unfortunate he is so keen to play in this world cup. You can never have too many massive units for the WB's to chose from...

Timani?

I very much doubt he would ever become a Wallaby...

After several years in Super rugby he's struggled to make it as a bench player...

I'm sure the Waratahs will be dumping him out of the 22 as soon as Vickerman is ready to go...

There are already several young locks ahead of him... and I'm sure there will be more coming through the ranks that will fast overtake him...

Big unit... no impact...

 

[Johnny Blaze]

Quite a few familiar names in the squad, let's hope all these guys are available, I'd hate see a late call up for Willie Mason to replace Siale Piutau or Cooper Vuna... in the centres!

 

[TOCC]

IMO the ARU needs to increase the foreign player allowance to at least 2 players for each team, which would allow players like Timani and Vuna to represent these countries and not have to worry about having to leave Australia to continue to play rugby professionally.

 

[lily]

I was bored on the last day of term and I managed to compile a list of all Tongan, Samoan and Fijian players playing in Japan, Itaky, France, and the UK + Ireland. I think Maka may have been as bored as myself. Sitiveni from Leicester via Fairfield is a dead set cert.

 

[Groucho]

Professional athletes need to realise that it is a professional decision on which country they choose at an early age.

Why? (i.e. Serious question)

It stops poaching, agreed, and therefore in theory (but not necessarily in practise) protects second and third-tier nations from being plundered.

But it also damages those nations by barring the return of players that have been capped for major nations.

As always, the capped rule is really there to protect the playing pools of the major powers from each other.

 

[tranquility]

Why? (i.e. Serious question)

It stops poaching, agreed, and therefore in theory (but not necessarily in practise) protects second and third-tier nations from being plundered.

But it also damages those nations by barring the return of players that have been capped for major nations.

As always, the capped rule is really there to protect the playing pools of the major powers from each other.

Without looking at the pro's and cons or the merits of the system, it is still the system. This is well known now by players and agents. Therefor a promising Fijian player has to realise at 18 that if he plays for the Fiji U20s he is now a Fijian player. This was often lost on players 10 years ago, but it is not really relevant these days. Who is the bloke (i'm sure lee will know) who is playing in the top 14 and in red hot form and the French coach wanted to call him to his current squad however they did a backround check on him and he played for Morocco in a WC qualifier when he was like 17. I can see that the rules are tough on a bloke like that, but in all honesty I am for it. I dont really like the idea of players getting 30 tests for one country and 10 for another, while it might make competitions more even, you dilute the patriotism and that is far more important to the fabric of sport.

 

[Groucho]

Without looking at the pro's and cons or the merits of the system, it is still the system. This is well known now by players and agents. Therefor a promising Fijian player has to realise at 18 that if he plays for the Fiji U20s he is now a Fijian player. This was often lost on players 10 years ago, but it is not really relevant these days. Who is the bloke (i'm sure lee will know) who is playing in the top 14 and in red hot form and the French coach wanted to call him to his current squad however they did a backround check on him and he played for Morocco in a WC qualifier when he was like 17. I can see that the rules are tough on a bloke like that, but in all honesty I am for it. I dont really like the idea of players getting 30 tests for one country and 10 for another, while it might make competitions more even, you dilute the patriotism and that is far more important to the fabric of sport.

Sure, but the question was whether it should be the the rule, or whether multi-caps should be allowed. The fact that something is currently a rule isn't an argument against changing it.