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Tonga and Japan have named their sides to contest third place in the Pacific Nations Cup. Originally slated in the second slot of the day, the match will now be the first of three games to be played at Swangard Stadium on Monday.
Mana Otai has made six changes to the starting side that dominated the Eagles in Toronto. The most prominent is the return of captain Nili Latu on the flank, with Jack Ram switched to the blindside and Hale T-Pole lining up at no8. Tevita Mailau starts in place of Soane Tonga’uiha at loosehead, and Lua Lokotui takes over from Joe Tu’ineau at lock.
Viliami Tahitu’a wins his second cap in the midfield, with Alipate Fatafehi again the one to drop out, and Vunga Lilo returns at fullback. Otulea Katoa moves to the wing to accomodate Lilo’s inclusion, with Telusa Veainu the one to drop out. Three uncapped players are found on the bench, with hooker Kalafi Pongi, scrumhalf Wayne Ngaluafe, and flyhalf Martin Naufahu all poised to make their debuts.
Japan have opted to retain the bulk of their side that nearly came from behind against Fiji, making four changes all told. Hitoshi Ono is the only switch up front, starting at lock in place of Luke Thompson.
Yu Tamura drops out, with Harumichi Tatekawa sliding over into the midfield vacancy, and Kosei Ono starting in the no10 jersey. Both wings have been changed, with Yoshikazu Fujita and Karne Hesketh getting a run. Craig Wing is included in the reserves for the first time in this PNC, having last played for the Brave Blossoms in November of 2013.
The two sides have faced each other 15 times since 1990, with Tonga owning a slight edge by eight wins to Japan’s seven. Their last meeting was in May of 2013, with Tonga coming out on top by a score of 27-17.
TONGA
1 Tevita Mailau 2 Elvis Taione 3 Halani Aulika 4 Lua Lokotui 5 Uili Kolo’ofai 6 Jack Ram 7 Nili Latu (capt.) 8 Hale T-Pole 9 Tane Takulua 10 Kurt Morath 11 Fetu’u Vainikolo 12 Viliami Tahitu’a 13 Sione Piukala 14 Otulea Katoa 15 Vungakoto Lilo
16 Kalafi Pongi 17 Soane Tonga’uiha 18 Sila Puafisi 19 Sefo Sakalia 20 Viliami Fihaki 21 Wayne Ngaluafe 22 Martin Naufahu 23 Latiume Fosita
JAPAN
1 Keita Inagaki 2 Shota Horie 3 Hiroshi Yamashita 4 Hitoshi Ono 5 Shoji Ito 6 Michael Broadhurst 7 Michael Leitch (capt.) 8 Koliniasi Holani 9 Fumiaki Tanaka 10 Kosei Ono 11 Yoshikazu Fujita 12 Harumichi Tatekawa 13 Kotaro Matsushima 14 Karne Hesketh 15 Ayumu Goromaru
16 Hiroki Yuhara 17 Hisateru Hirashima 18 Kensuke Hatakeyama 19 Hayden Hopgood 20 Hendrik Tui 21 Atsushi Hiwasa 22 Craig Wing 23 Tim Bennetts
