Tonga takes on Women's Sevens in Sabah [1]
Friday, September 23, 2011 - 14:30. Updated on Wednesday, September 11, 2013 - 09:54.
Twelve Tongan rugby players in Tonga's Women's Sevens team, are set take on the Malaysian Borneo Women's Sevens Tournament this weekend, as part of the IRB sanctioned HSBC Asia Pacific Sevens Series.
Watching the 'Ikale Tahi game on Wednesday, before they ran out in the Borneo rain for a training session, gave the girls extra motivation, said the team captain Tokilupe Veamatahau, from Matahau village, "We were very happy to see the boys win and it made us want to win as well".
The female 'Ikale Tahi will be aiming to surprise a few teams at the tournament. "we don't have the things that the other teams have but we really want to win and we have prepared with what we have," said Tokilupe, "the team is very close and we're going to do our best for Tonga".
The Tonga's Women's Sevens program is now into its second year with last year's Borneo tournament the first time the team had toured. This year's team will be looking to build on last year's performance that saw them go through to the Bowl final with a win against the Cook Islands and good games against Singapore and Kazakhistan. Players like speedster Sela Vaenuku, who is fresh from representing Tonga in soccer at the Pacific Games in Noumea, and 100m sprinter Mele Manumu'a from Liahona High School should help them do this.
The women's tournament, which runs from September 23-25 in Kota Kinabalu City, Sabah province, Malaysia, will feature four teams from the Asian Rugby Football Union (ARFU) and four from the Federation of Oceania Rugby Unions (FORU). The tournament consists of two pools of four teams (two drawn from ARFU and two from FORU). The pools were drawn this week, with Tonga placed in a tough Pool B with Malaysia, the Pacific number one team Papua New Guinea, and Asian number one team China. Pool A teams are Samoa, Cook Islands, Singapore and Hong Kong.
Tonga Women's Sevens
1, Mele Manumu'a (18) Lomaiviti, Wing/Halfback
2, Sela Vaenuku (22) Ha'alalo, Wing/Halfback
3, Fangufangu Tuivailala (22) Matahau, Wing
4, Katiola Tokotaha (20) Tofoa, Wing/Prop
5, Losaline Potaufa (25) Tokomololo, Halfback
6, Ema Potaufa (25) Tokomololo, Hooker/Prop
7, Lupe Fisilau (25) Masilamea, Prop
8, Fakaola Malungahu (26) Nukunuku, Centre/Wing
9, Pesalini Lave (22) Fo'ui, Flyhalf/Centre
10, Lesieli Veamatahau (30) Matahau, Prop
11, Mele Aluesi (19) Alaki, Prop
12, Tokilupe Veamatahau (27) Matahau, Prop/Centre.
Coach, Mark Hojelson
Manager, Lano Fonua
Team Doctor, Dr. Flora Lutui.