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Great interest will be placed on this match from the Americas. Argentina and the USA are both in Pool C with the former side looking for the Pacific Islanders to pull-off an upset to help their cause. The USA face Tonga in their final match, with a win in that game making or breaking the tournament for the Eagles.
France Head Coach Jacques Brunel has heavily rotated his roster for Sunday’s Pool C match against Tonga in Kumamoto. Only Camille Chat, Paul Gabrillagues, Sofiane Gitoune and Alivereti Raka remain from the side that faced the USA on Wednesday.
The new-look side will be captained by loose head prop Jefferson Poirot. He joins Camille Chat, and Rabah Slimani in the front-row. Paul Gabrillagues, and Sebastién Vaha’amahina start in the engine tome to give France some serious sizer against the physical Tongans.
A third halves pairing will start in as many matches for Les Blues. Named to face Tonga are Baptiste Serin and Romain Ntamack. There is also a new-look in the centers with Sofiane Guitoune, and Virimi Vakatawa starting.
Tonga Head Coach Toutai Kefu has made few changes to his side. In the forwards the one change sees Ma’afu Fia replaces Ben Tameifuna at tight head while in the backs Cooper Vuna replaces Viliami Lolohea who played right wing against Argentina.
The Tongan side features six players from the 2018-2019 Pro D2 or Top 14. They are Malietoa Hingano (Bayonne), Steve Mafi (Castres), Maama Vaipulu (Castres), Leva Fifita (Grenoble), Paula Ngauamo (Agen) and Siegfried Fisiihoi (Stade Français).
France enter the match as firm favorites to win by 30 points. This is the case despite Tonga having upset Les Bleus at RWC 2011. The overall history also tells a story that Tonga are contenders. Of the five prior matches Tonga has two wins. In their most recent match France won 38-18 in Le Havre in 2013.
TEAMS
FRANCE
1 Jefferson Poirot (capt.), 2 Camille Chat, 3 Rabah Slimani, 4 Paul Gabrillagues, 5 Sebastién Vaha’amahina, 6 Wenceslas Lauret, 7 Charles Ollivon, 8 Gregorie Alldritt, 9 Baptiste Serin, 10 Romain Ntamack, 11 Alivereti Raka, 12 Sofiane Guitoune, 13 Virimi Vakatawa, 14 Damian Penaud, 15 Maxime Medard
Replacements: 16 Guilhem Guirado, 17 Cyril Baille, 18 Emerick Setiano, 19 Bernard le Roux, 20 Yacouba Camara, 21 Antoine Dupont, 22 Camille Lopez, 23 Pierre-Louis Barassi
TONGA
1 Siegfried Fisi’ihoi, 2 Paula Ngauamo, 3 Ma’afu Fia, 4 Sam Lousi, 5 Halaleva Fifita, 6 Sione Kalamafoni, 7 Zane Kapeli, 8 Maama Vaipulu, 9 Sonatane Takulua, 10 James Faiva, 11 David Halaifonua, 12 Siale Piutau (capt.), 13 Malietoa Hingano, 14 Cooper Vuna, 15 Telusa Veainu
Replacements: 16 Sosefo Sakalia, 17 Vunipola Fifita, 18 Siua Halanukonuka, 19 Steve Mafi, 20 Nasi Manu, 21 Leon Fukofuka, 22 Latiume Fosita, 23 Atieli Pakalani
Date: Sunday, October 06
Kick-Off: 16:45 local (00:45 Pacific, 03:45 Eastern, 04:45 Rio de la Plata)
Venue: Kumamoto Stadium, Kumamoto
Referee: Nic Berry (Australia)
Assistants: Paul Williams (New Zealand), Matthew Carly (England)
TMO: Ben Skeen (New Zealand)
