Even as rugby fans look forward to the sparring between the two important teams in Pacific Islands – Tonga and Samoa - Angus Naupoto and Quddus Vusika Fielea, the team manager and the head coach respectively of Tonga, are grappling with the problem of fitness of its 30-member squad for this year.
Well known for its aggressive strikings at the early stages of a match, the Tongan team's biggest morale boost was its victory over Fiji in Pacific Nations Cup. While Viliami Vaki, Ephraim Taukafa, Sukanaivalu Hufanga, Pierre Hola and Tevita Tu'ifua are Tongan second timers for Rugby World Cup, Inoka Afeaki is privileged to represent the country for the third time. Admittedly, Tonga is nowhere near the run up to the championship, yet it has its own dreams to fulfill – toppling Samoa being one among them.
