Nations Cup Preview - Ikale Tahi Tonga

Jeremy Lardner (0:01)

I begin this episode by paying respect to the Ngunnawal and Ngambri people, the traditional custodians of the land on which this podcast is produced. I pay respect to their elders, past, present, and emerging, and I extend that same respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander listeners of this podcast.

And welcome back to the Dua Moana Pasifika Rugby Podcast, where we bring you Pasifika voices talking, Pasifika rugby. I'm your host Jeremy, and this is the Ikale Tahi Tonga preview for the second leg of the Nations Championship Competition. Now, before we get to Tonga's three upcoming tests, there's one name on the team sheet that I want to ring out. It's number 18, Phil Kite. Phil's been a guest here on the Dua Moana Podcast. He's someone that I'm personally really fond of, and seeing his name back in the matchday 23 made me smile. Now, I'll come back to Phil in a minute, because there's a pretty important rugby reason to watch for him in Bucharest as well. The Ikale Tahi start with Romania on Friday the 6th of November in Bucharest. Now, that's local time. Then it's Georgia in Tbilisi on Saturday the 14th, and then over to Hong Kong to face Hong Kong China on the 21st. Those are the local times and dates. On the Australian East Coast, a Sydney clock, that's 3.3 on Saturday morning for Romania, one in the morning on Sunday, the 15th for Georgia, and eight on Saturday night for Hong Kong China on the 21st. The Tonga went one from three in July, they beat Zimbabwe, 36 to 26, lost 32 to 19 to Spain, and lost 32 to 28 to Portugal. I keep looking at that Portugal score. Four points is one good attacking visit. It's also the kind of margin where a scrum penalty, a poor exit, or a knock on trying to force the extra pass can decide which team gets the last visit.

That's the question I'm taking into this tour. When Tonga are a score either side of the opposition within 20 minutes to go, can they dictate where the rest of the match is played? I want to see what Pat Pellegrini does when he has decent ball and a choice of runners. I also want to see whether the replacement pack can still give him the ball when everyone's tired and the other side knows exactly what's coming.

I'm expecting a close one in Bucharest. Tonga won 45-24 when they met at the 2023 Rugby World Cup. Romania won the most recent meeting, 25-15, in Bucharest in 2024 They beat Manos Samoa 38-37 in July. Romania have named Alan Conace and Dallin Plei in the half, sorry for my pronunciation there, with Cristi Bobac captaining from Blanza. If Tonga can give Conace and play a steady supply of penalties and field position, Romania can make this a long night for Ikale Tahi. Nili Latu has Pea captaining at 12, Fine Inisi is outside him in 13, and Tuito Vucchi starts on the left wing. All three play for the dragons. Now that familiarity matters when Romania play quickly off a turnover, and Tonga have one chance to organize. If Pea takes the first runner, Fine needs to decide whether to close up beside him or hold that space outside. The winger can make his own decision sooner if he already knows how those two defend together.

With the ball, watch what Nginini and Pellegrini do off the first clean line out they get around the Romanian 22 Pea gives Pellegrini a direct carry at 12 If the Romanian midfield squeezes in on that, Fine can come onto the ball against the defender who's already turned his shoulders. And if the opening is closer to the ruck, Loto Inisi at 8 gives Tonga someone who can carry and make Romania put another defender into the tackle. The next ball is the one I want to see them move on. Up front, it's Sigrid Fisihoi, Sui Maile and Pola Lato. On the bench, there's experience in Sonetane Takalahu and Malakai Whakitoa, alongside two possible Tongan debutantes in Maafu and Flyhalf Manu Wunipola. Ben Tamifuna and former all-black Lamarpe were named in the wider group and are outside this opening 23 There'll be time to talk about them when the next team comes out. In Bookerest, one of the biggest calls could be when to change the front row.

Allow myself a personal moment here. When you've had someone on the podcast, you do follow their rugby a little bit differently. Phil Kite is one of those people for me. I was genuinely happy to see him named again, and if he gets a call to come in, or to come on in Bookerest, sorry, I'll be watching that first scrum a little more closely than usual. Phil, if you're listening, it's really good to see you back in the red jersey. Phil was in the July group and was named on the bench against Spain. This time, he's at 18 as the replacement tight head. He's played in some very different rugby environments, from Queensland to provincial rugby in New Zealand, and now Colombia in France.