Loyalty vs. Skill in ‘Ikale Tahi selection [1]
Thursday, July 1, 1999 - 09:00. Updated on Friday, January 8, 2016 - 13:35.
From Matangi Tonga Magazine Vol. 14, no. 3, July 1999.
The Tonga Rugby Union has recruited a full-time Chief Executive Officer, Lisiate ‘Akolo to oversee Tonga’s participation in the 1999 Rugby World Cup.
Lisiate said that the two immediate concerns were to acquire at least $250,000 in funding, and for the Tonga Rugby Union and the South African coach, David Waterston to agree on the names of the 30 players to represent Tonga in the Rugby World Cup.
Government has allocated $100,000 in this year’s budget following a request from the House for special funding.
“But we are asking government for another $100,000, and we are awaiting the International Rugby Board to approve a stopover in South Africa. The IRB pays for the ‘Ikale Tahi’s air fares to the United Kingdom, and we want to use the same air fares but pay for the stopover,” he said.
“The South African coaches have picked a team which they think is the best, and can stand up against the All Blacks. But the TRU have picked a team which includes players who are not the best but players who have made themselves available to play for Tonga when they were needed.
“Both sides have got very good reasons for their selection, the South Africans want a side which they think will beat the All Blacks, but the TRU wants to reward players who have been loyal to the TRU.”
Lisiate said that time was running out and the team had to be announced soon, “the names of the 30 players must be with the IRB before September 1. The ‘Ikale Tahi is due to start their final training session in South Africa on August 15, and we can’t afford to send 40 players to South Africa as the TRU wants to do because we just do not have the financial resources.”
Lisiate said that he was having problems confirming whether or not that the 19 overseas Tongan players would be in South Africa for their final training session, “because some of them are tied up with the clubs that they are playing for. Some could come but they will be late, others can come now but they have to be back for club games, which we just can’t afford to do. We have to deal with them carefully because a lot of commitments have been made, and we are just on the last stage of our preparations and we can’t let things slip away from our hands.”