Kaitu'u Fotu, Peter Harding and 'Epeli Taione

A new National Head Coach for Tonga's national rugby team, the 'Ikale Tahi will be announced next week, 'Epeli Taione, the chairman of the Tonga Rugby Union said this morning, August 9.

'Epeli said the TRU had received about 40 applicants and he was very pleased with the quality, "two have won World Cups and one was in the finals."

Tonga's new National Head Coach will face the task of getting together Tonga's national team to go to the USA and Europe in November, where the 'Ikale Tahi will play three test games against the American Eagles, and the national teams of Italy and Scotland.

'Epeli said they had big and ambitious plans to set up for the development of rugby up to 2020. "But a looming priority is to pick the best coach for the 'Ikale Tahi as well as the best teams."

Peter Harding the union's new high performance manager said that all their energy had been put towards finding the head coach since he would be the figurehead of the organisation.

"We were in Sydney and Auckland last week and held majority of the interviews, and names will be shortlisted and submitted to the TRU board for approval," he said.

"We don't want to rush it but it comes to a stage that we have only 12 weeks before we go away, we need to make a decision quickly. There is massive potential in the Tonga team and if we get this right something is really going to happen," he said.

A National Sevens Coach, and CEO is also expected to be confirmed at the end of next week.

The TRU wants to further develop Rugby Sevens in Tonga since it has been included in the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil.

Tournaments

In the meantime, a Tonga Sevens National Squad has been selected for the Rugby World Cup Qualifiers in Sydney from August 25-26.

Peter said the team were currently in training and if they finished in the top three they would qualify for the 2013 IRB Sevens World Cup in Russia.

The Sevens National squad is captained by 'Ikale Tahi open-side flanker Sione Vaiomo'unga, with former 'Ikale Tahi player 'Otenili Pifeleti as coach.

In the second week of October, Tonga A will leave for the final rounds of the Pacific Cup in Fiji. Tonga will play two games against Fiji and Samoa, and maybe Papua New Guinea.

Peter said for this competition they would send a local team and coaches. "This would be a good trial for these local boys to put their best foot forward for the end of the year tour to Europe in November," he said.

Tonga will play against Italy, United States and Scotland during the national team's tour to Europe. The squad will be announced before they leave Tonga on the last week of October, he said.

Tonga is also planning to send a Tonga U-19 squad in November to the qualifiers for the Junior World Trophy, in Samoa.

He said 60 boys had been nominated by high schools and should start training soon. "We have a lot going on, so its pretty exciting here at the Tonga Rugby Union," he said. 

Upgrade

'Epeli said the Teufaiva Stadium needed to be upgraded to attract back international test matches, and bring much needed revenue to the country.

He said Tonga was currently loosing out on hosting international tests because Teufaiva is a red zone. "We will approach government to work together with us towards upgrading the stadium and bring not only international tests but national games of the 'Ikale Tahi home," he said.

'Epeli said Fiji and Samoa hosted Scotland but Tonga missed out on millions. "Fiji is upgrading their stadium in Suva with huge investment from their government who has prioritised rugby as an economic asset to their country, while Tonga will not be awarded any international tests because we do not have good facility.

"We can't do that we have to be up there with them and embrace this change because it is professional rugby," he said.

Plan

'Epeli said TRU would host workshops next week for the High Performance Unit Strategic Planning to map out their path for the next eight years and he wanted all stakeholders to attend from the Tonga Rugby Union, government, TASA and other stakeholders.