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Former All Blacks are being targeted to play for Tonga vs Argentina and the USA in Rugby World Cup 2019. In an effort to improve their chances in Pool C Tonga is looking to capture players through the Olympic loophole.
Head Coach Toutai Kefu told Radio New Zealand that he wants European-based star wingers Charles Piutau and Frank Halai to play in Japan 2019.
Both players are capped by New Zealand. Pitutau was an All Black from 2013-2015, narrowly missing out on selection for Rugby World Cup 2015. In his place the Fijian-born Waisake Naholo made the roster.
In total Piutau earned 17 caps for his home country. Three of his appearances were against Argentina in Rugby Championship matches. He departed New Zealand to play for Wasps followed by Ulster and in 2018 he is to join Bristol.
Speaking of him Kefu told Radio New Zealand:
“I’ve spoken to him a few times and his brother as well – he’s very determined to play for Tonga so we’re very happy about that.”
Piutau was born and raised in Auckland, New Zealand to Tongan parents. Meanwhile Frank Halai was born in Tonga but grew up in Auckland. Both he and Piutau attended Wesley College.
Halai earned his one and only cap for New Zealand in 2013 against Japan. With other players being ahead of him he departed New Zealand, moving to England in 2015. He now plays in the Top 14 for Pau and Kefu is interested in him turning out for his country of birth in 2019.
Under World Rugby Player eligibility Law Regulation 8.7 players capped by one country are able to go on to play for another if they do so in Olympic Games Rugby 7’s. This includes qualifiers. To do so they require a passport from that country and have completed three years since earning their most recent cap.
It is from this loophole that Kefu is seeking to obtain former All Blacks Piutau and Halai. Yet there may also be former Australian players featuring for Tonga. Kefu noted:
“There is also some ex Wallabies – Sitaleki Timani and also Anthony Fainga’a – there’s a few more as well but that’s just the few names that scratch the surface.”
Kefu is looking at capturing such names in Olympic qualifying tournaments and the 2018-19 HSBC Sevens World Series. Doing so may not be as easy as it appears in the case of Tonga. The country, after all, is not a core member on the circuit.
”We would have to come through the Oceania sevens qualifying tournaments, which at this stage we’re not quite sure where they’re going to be held. They just have to play two tournaments I think they just have to be Olympic qualifying tournaments. There’s a tournament in the World Cup year that we still need to find out the minor details of that with Oceania Rugby, but there’s a tournament that we may be able to qualify them in around June or July of the World Cup year.”
Tonga are drawn with Argentina, England, France and the USA in Rugby World Cup 2019. They are to open their campaign against England in Sapporo on September 22. Both matches against Argentina and the USA are to be played at the Hanazono Rugby Stadium in Higashiosaka.
