Tonga national rugby union team (sevens)

Tonga
Union Tonga Rugby Football Union
Nickname(s) 'Ikale Tahi
Coach(es) Andy Katoa
Captain(s) Fautasi Mau
Team kit
Change kit
World Cup Sevens
Appearances 5 (First in 1993)
Best result 7th (1993)

The Tonga national rugby union team represent Tonga in rugby sevens. The team competes in the IRB World Sevens Series.

History

Sevens World Cup

1993 Sevens World Cup

Tonga has particpated in five Sevens World Cup's. Their first appearance was at the 1993 Rugby World Cup Sevens held in Scotland. They finished at the top of their pool and progressed to the finals with four wins and a loss to the hosts.[1] The quarter finals were another round robin with teams split into two pools. Tonga lost all their games and finished in seventh place overall.

1997 Sevens World Cup

The 1997 Rugby World Cup Sevens was held in the mecca of sevens rugby Hong Kong. The tournament was played over three days. Day 1 and 2 had a total of eight pools with three teams per pool. Teams were seeded at the end of Day 1 and assigned to their various pools for Day 2. Tonga had a win against Japan and a loss to New Zealand.[2]

Tonga's pool, coincidentally, on Day 2 was a repeat of Day 1 with Japan and New Zealand being pooled together with them. Day 2 yielded the same results as the previous day. They were placed in the Plate quarter-finals and recorded wins against Wales, the Cook Islands and the hosts, Hong Kong to win the Plate and finish in ninth place.

2001 Rugby World Cup Sevens

The 2001 Rugby World Cup Sevens was held in Argentina. Tonga did not qualify.

2005 Rugby World Cup Sevens

Hong Kong hosted the Sevens World Cup for a second time. Tonga finished at the bottom of their pool[3] and ended up in the Bowl quarter-finals where they defeated Chinese Taipei 28 - 19. They lost to Canada in the semi-finals 7 - 0 and finished in their lowest rankings at a World Cup in 19th place.

2009 Rugby World Cup Sevens

Tonga qualified for the 2009 World Cup in the Oceania region. The United Arab Emirates were the hosts for the 2009 Rugby World Cup Sevens. They were in Pool A and played against Arabian Gulf, Italy and New Zealand. Tonga were second in their pool with two wins and a loss.[4] They made it to the Plate quarter-finals and beat Tunisia 24 - 7. However, they lost to Australia in the semis 22 - 19. They finished in eleventh place overall.

Pool A

Team Pld W D L PF PA +/- P
 New Zealand 330010712959
 Tonga 32015734237
 Italy 31022990-615
Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf Arabian Gulf 30032279-573

Plate

Quarter-finals Semi-finals Final
                   
       
  Tonga  24
  Tunisia  7  
  Tonga  19
      Australia  22  
  United States  14
  Australia  24  
  Australia  17
   
    Scotland  21
  France  19
  Scotland  21  
  Scotland  29
      Portugal  7  
  Portugal  12
  Canada  5  
 

2013 Rugby World Cup Sevens

Russia were the hosts for the 2013 Rugby World Cup Sevens. Tonga advanced to the Plate quarter-finals from their pool.[5] They lost to Canada 26 - 0 and finished in 13th place.

Sevens World Series

2008–09 IRB Sevens World Series

Tonga have only participated in one round of the current IRB Sevens Series so far. They managed the bowl final in their first round of this series in Wellington, they won 24-56 over Cook Islands.

2009 Wellington Sevens

Tonga were in pool "A" along with Scotland, South Africa and Kenya for the Wellington round of the IRB World Sevens Series.

Stages Team Pts Team
1  Kenya 21-35  Tonga
2  South Africa 22-65  Tonga
3  Scotland 15-21  Tonga
1/4 final bowl  Niue 0-21  Tonga
Semi-final bowl  France 5-28  Tonga
Final bowl  Cook Islands 24-56  Tonga

2015 Hong Kong Sevens

Tonga played in the World Series Qualifier in the 2015 Hong Kong Sevens. They only managed one win against Guyana.[6]

Current squad

Squad to the 2015 Hong Kong Sevens World Series Qualifier:[7]

  1. Jack Ram
  2. Inoke Finau
  3. Manu Tuifua
  4. Isikeli Taufa
  5. Richard Taliuli
  6. William Hafu
  7. Taliauli Sikuea
  8. Meiohihifo Kuli
  9. Kasye Greer
  10. Sosefo Ma’ake
  11. Fautasi Mau (c)
  12. Irwin Finau

References

  1. ↑ World Rugby.org. "1993 Rugby World Cup Sevens". Retrieved 28 April 2015.
  2. ↑ World Rugby.org. "1997 Rugby World Cup Sevens". Retrieved 28 April 2015.
  3. ↑ World Rugby.org. "2005 Rugby World Cup Sevens". Retrieved 28 April 2015.
  4. ↑ World Rugby.org. "2009 Rugby World Cup Sevens". Retrieved 28 April 2015.
  5. ↑ World Rugby.org. "2013 Rugby World Cup Sevens". Retrieved 28 April 2015.
  6. ↑ worldrugby.org (23 January 2015). "Teams confirmed for Hong Kong Sevens". Retrieved 28 April 2015.
  7. ↑ Kaniva Pacific (24 March 2015). "Tongan team confirmed for Hong Kong Sevens 2015". Retrieved 28 April 2015.