Tonga emerges champ

By Shailendra Singh

trend setter for both Fiji and Tonga following its phenomenal success at international level. Tongan rugby man ager Tavake Fusimalohi said one reason for their improvement was because of the overseas-based Tongans in the team.

Western Samoa was virtually a no body in international rugby until the 1991 World Cup, where it reached the

quarter-finals using mainly its New

Zealand-based players. For some reason Fiji and Tonga were still dead set against the idea, even with Western Samoa’s continuing success staring at them in the face. This included winning test status against the All Blacks, which was taken away from Fiji and which Tonga has yet to achieve.

It was only recently that the two countries changed their attitude. This saw Tongan-born Australian Test player, Willie Ofanighe answer a request to help train Tonga for the Fiji clash while on holiday in Nukualofa. Fiji’s recent improvement has been attributed to the coaching of former All Blacks, Brad Johnston and Fiji-born Bernie

Fraser. Beefed up by players trained and

exposed to New Zealand rugby, Tonga

and Fiji finally provided Western Samoa

some real resistance this year. Tonga lost 19-29 to Western Samoa in Apia, but scored three tries to two. Fiji, which had former All Black Ron Williams, beat Western Samoa 20-13, its first win over the side in six years.

While Fiji’s July 2 win over Western Samoa caused the biggest ripples in the

rugby world, Tonga’s 12-10 victory over

Fiji a week later at Teufaiva Stadium, Nukualofa, was no less sensational.

Trailing 5-10 until the final four minutes, Tonga forced a scrum five

metres away from Fiji’s trylinc, pushing

it backwards to equalise. All eyes were on Tongan full-back Sateki Tuipolotu as he strode forward to take the conversion. He had missed five kicks earlier in the game.

All that was forgiven after he con verted the trickiest kick of the day to give Tonga the extra two points. It was a crushing blow for Fiji, coming only a week after the Western Samoan victory and just four minutes before full-time. □

TONGAN rugby is holding its head high once again after emerging winner from last month’s Pacific Three Nations Tour nament.

The achievement was the most im portant this year as it gave the side a place in next year’s Super 10 series.

Trailing behind Western Samoa and Fiji some years ago, Tonga upstaged both nations in this year’s triangular tourna ment. It replaces Western Samoa in the Super 10 and Fiji in next year’s World Cup in South Africa.

Its not just rugby officials who are jubilant about all the exposure their team will get from the two tournaments.

Tourism officials are also rubbing their hands in glee. Both the World Cup and Super 10 will receive wide television coverage. Several of the Super 10 matches will be played in Tonga.

Tonga’s tourism industry is expected

to reap the same benefits as Fiji and Western Samoa from exposure through rugby. Western Samoa has become the

Victory for Fiji: the match which saw Fiji down Western Samoa last month