Tonga head coach Toutai Kefu has named an unchanged starting XV for his team's Pool B match against Scotland at Stade de Nice on Sunday, 24 September, with lock Adam Coleman and fly-half Patrick Pellegrini coming on to the bench.
1 Siegfried Fisi'ihoi
2 Paula Ngauamo
3 Ben Tameifuna (c) (pictured)
4 Halaleva Fifita
5 Sam Lousi
6 Tanginoa Halaifonua
7 Sione Talitui
8 Vaea Fifita
9 Augustine Pulu
10 William Havili
11 Afusipa Taumoepeau
12 Pita Ahki
13 Malakai Fekitoa
14 Solomone Kata
15 Salesi Piutau
Replacements:
16 Sam Moli
17 Tau Koloamatangi
18 Sosefo Apikotoa
19 Adam Coleman
20 Semisi Paea
21 Sione Vailanu
22 Sonatane Takulua
23 Patrick Pellegrini
- Tonga have handed test debuts to more players at Rugby World Cups than any other nation, and Adam Coleman, who won 38 caps for Australia, will become the 22nd if he comes on.
- Patrick Pellegrini has been added to Tonga’s fly-half cohort after Otumaka Mausia sustained a calf injury in training ahead of his country’s defeat against Ireland.
- Toutai Kefu’s decision to maintain the same combinations from the Ireland game means that Sonatane Takulua starts back-to-back matches on the bench for the first time in his nine-year test career.
- There are four former All Blacks in Tonga’s starting XV in full-back Salesi Piutau, centre Malakai Fekitoa, scrum-half Augustine Pulu and number eight Vaea Fifita.
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Like Scotland’s Jack Dempsey, Fekitoa is bidding to become only the second player after Frank Bunce (Samoa/New Zealand) to score for two different countries at a Rugby World Cup. The centre scored tries for New Zealand against Namibia and Georgia at Rugby World Cup 2015.
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Flanker Sione Talitui was the only player to make 20+ tackles during the second round of fixtures at this Rugby World Cup (22), missing just one.
