PNC 2024 – Tonga vs Canada – ARN Guide

Canada will close out their Pacific Nations Cup with a 5th-place play-off against Tonga at the neutral venue of Tokyo on Saturday. Both sides dropped both of their pool matches and as a result missed out on the Semi Final and a fourth test. The meeting comes a year after the Ikale Tahi swept the Maple Leafs in Nuku’alofa as part of Tonga’s World Cup preparations.

FORM GUIDE

Current World Ranking: 16 (67.78 points)
2024-09-06 – Tonga 19, Fiji 50 (Nuku’alofa)
2024-08-30 – Samoa 43, Tonga 17 (Apia)
2024-07-26 – Tonga 14, Queensland Reds 41 (Nuku’alofa)
2024-07-19 – Tonga 20, Spain 29 (Nuku’alofa)
2024-07-12 – Tonga 14, Italy 36 (Nuku’alofa)

Current World Ranking: 22 (61.15 points)
2024-08-31 – USA 28, Canada 15 (Carson)
2024-08-25 – Canada 28, Japan 55 (Vancouver)
2024-07-12 – Canada 35, Romania 22 (Ottawa)
2024-07-06 – Canada 12, Scotland 73 (Ottawa)
2023-11-18 – Brazil 15, Canada 40 (La Vila)

STARTING LINEUP CHANGES

2 Sefo Sakalia replaces Solomone Aniseko
6 Siosiua Moala replaces Onehunga Havili (No5 vs Fiji)
11 John Tapueluelu replaces Sam Tuitupou
15 Josiah Unga replaces Esau Filimoehala (No14 vs Fiji)

6 Matthew Oworu replaces Izzak Kelly (No4 vs USA)
11 Josiah Morra replaces Nic Benn
15 Cooper Coats replaces Talon McMullin (no12 vs USA)

NOTES

• Tonga won both of last year’s tests in Nuku’alofa in convincing fashion, outscoring Canada 10 tries to 2… the second test saw the Ikale Tahi running out a number of players who did not travel to France
• it’s been a rough year for Tevita Tu’ifua’s men, who have dropped all five of their matches to date including a non-cap match against the Queensland Reds
• Tu’ifua has selected two uncapped players in his match day squad… Auckland Blues under-20 graduate Josiah Unga is selected at fullback with 20-year-old Counties Manukau center Kafa Vaea in reserve
• despite missing several front line players, the Tongans feature nine players with Super Rugby experience, seven of them starters… four starters currently play professionally in Europe
• Major League Rugby fans will be familiar with two Tongans who featured during the 2024 campaign… San Diego flanker Tupou Afungia starts with Miami prop Tau Koloamatangi on the bench
• Kingsley Jones has made one personnel change up front with Canada Sevens standout Matthew Oworu named on the blindside flank… Mason Flesch moves to lock, with Izzak Kelly dropping out
• in the backs it’s a straight swap on the left wing with Josiah Morra in for Nic Benn… Cooper Coats is recalled at fullback, with Andrew Coe shifting to the right wing, Ben LeSage moving to inside center, and Takoda McMullin getting a run at outside center… brother Talon McMullin is the odd man out
• Jones has opted for work rate over size with James Stockwood also left out… NOLA’s Callum Botchar is the reserve lock with new Ebbw Vale signing Sion Parry covering flanker… injury has ruled out Canada’s most experienced player Djustice Sears-Duru which opens the door for 20-year-old Tyler Matchem to make his test bow as a replacement tighthead prop

QUOTES

Kingsley Jones (Head Coach)

“We’ve got better. I think we’re also a little bit frustrated and disappointed with the performance against the USA. We see it as a lost opportunity that day after a pretty strong finish against a good Japanese team. We just want to keep building. Sometimes it’s two steps forward, one step back. But we need to see some progress in this game.”

“They have a big, strong, heavy pack. We need to be prepared for that. We need to make sure that we can stay in the game. We feel that we’ve got fitter and fitter, obviously being together for over four weeks mow. And we hope to be in the fight in the 50th, 60th minutes.”

PREDICTION

Neither team have impressed this year though Canada do have a win on their resume against Romania. The Maple Leafs could find it difficult to move around Ikale Tahi skipper Ben Tameifuna in the scrum, while Moana Pasifika loose forward Lotu Inisi has been one of Tonga’s best in the PNC. The midfield pairing of Fetuli Paea and Fine Inisi are both Tier 1 pros. Physicality will not be in Canada’s favor, and they struggled in the humidity during last year’s trip to the Pacific. Tonga are favorites in Tokyo.

TEAMS

TONGA
1 Jethro Felemi, 2 Sefo Sakalia, 3 Ben Tameifuna (capt.), 4 Harison Mataele, 5 Tevita Ahokovi, 6 Siosiua Moala, 7 Tupou Afungia, 8 Lotu Inisi, 9 Aisea Halo, 10 Patrick Pellegrini, 11 John Tapueluelu, 12 Fetuli Paea, 13 Fine Inisi, 14 Nikolai Foliaki, 15 Josiah Unga

Replacements: 16 Penisoni Fineanganofo, 17 Salesi Tuifua, 18 Tau Koloamatangi, 19 Kelemete Finau, 20 Vutulongo Puloka, 21 Manu Paea, 22 Latu Akauola, 23 Kafa Vaea

CANADA
1 Cali Martinez, 2 Andrew Quattrin, 3 Conor Young, 4 Kaden Duguid, 5 Mason Flesch, 6 Matthew Oworu, 7 Ethan Fryer, 8 Lucas Rumball (capt.), 9 Jason Higgins, 10 Peter Nelson, 11 Josiah Morra, 12 Ben LeSage, 13 Takoda McMullin, 14 Andrew Coe, 15 Cooper Coats

Replacements: 16 Dewald Kotze, 17 Cole Keith, 18 Tyler Matchem, 19 Callum Botchar, 20 Sion Parry, 21 Brock Gallagher, 22 Mark Balaski, 23 Talon McMullin

MATCH INFO

Date: Saturday, September 14
Venue: Chichibunomiya Stadium, Tokyo
Kickoff: 16:00 local (Midnight Pacific, 03:00 Eastern)
Weather Forecast: sunny, 86°F (30°C), humidex 95°F (35°C), wind S 17-26mph (27-41 km/h)
Broadcasts: TSN Digital (Canada), RugbyPass TV

MATCH OFFICIALS

Referee: Nic Berry (Australia)
Assistants: Takehito Namekawa (Japan) & Katsuki Furuse (Japan)
TMO: Damon Murphy (Australia)

HISTORY

HEAD-TO-HEAD (11):  Tonga 6, Canada 5
2023-08-15 – Tonga 36, Canada 12 (Nuku’alofa)
2023-08-10 – Tonga 28, Canada 3 (Nuku’alofa)
2019-08-09 – Tonga 33, Canada 23 (Lautoka)
2015-07-24 – Canada 18, Tonga 28 (Vancouver)
2013-06-08 – Canada 36, Tonga 27 (Kingston)
2011-09-14 – Tonga 20, Canada 25 (Whangerei)
2003-10-29 – Tonga 7, Canada 24 (Wollongong)
2000-05-20 – Canada 29, Tonga 11 (Vancouver)
1999-07-03 – Tonga 18, Canada 10 (Nuku’alofa)
1987-05-24 – Tonga 4, Canada 37 (Napier)