Tongan Sevens prepare for Wellington and LA [1]
Monday, January 10, 2005 - 16:15. Updated on Friday, May 2, 2014 - 08:47.
A 16-members Tongan seven-a-side rugby team is currently in New Zealand, preparing for the third event on this season's IRB Sevens circuit to be held at the Westpac Stadium Wellington, on February 4-5.
In Wellington, Tonga will be in Pool D, with the Cook Islands, Argentina and Australia.
In Pool A, are England, Samoa, Canada and Niue; Pool B are New Zealand, Fiji, Kenya and the USA; and Pool C are South Africa, Scotland, France and Japan.
Following the Wellington event, the Tongan team will move on to Los Angeles for the fourth event which will be held at the Home Depot Center, LA on February 12-13.
In LA, Tonga will be in Pool A with England, Fiji, and the West Indies.
Following the Los Angeles encounter there will be a break before the Rugby World Cup Sevens 2005 in Hong Kong in March.
The top five teams to date in the IRB Seven circuit are England, Fiji and New Zealand with 32 points each, followed by South Africa with 20 points and in fifth place is Argentina with 18 points.
The Tongan Seven-a-Side team for Wellington and Los Angeles are ... Sikuti Vunipola, Sila Va'enuku, Setaleki Mafile'o, Sione Langatau, 'Ofa Misa, 'Eiti Fuahala, Muli Kaufusi, Siale Lolohea, Tenita Kaufusi, Tevita Tu'ifua, Faupula Kolokihakaufisi, and ...Alipate Fatafehi.
The four officials are Manager, Kutusi Fielea, Coach Manu Vunipola, Trainer, Suliasi Vivili, and the Technical Advisor is Stanley Afeaki.
Kinisiliti Fotu from the Tonga Rugby Union said that four of the players were Tongans who had been playing their rugby in New Zealand.