US-based rugby coach Adriaan Ferris says it s an honour to be asked to lead the Tonga men s sevens team at next month s Final Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Monaco.
The Tonga Rugby Union announced last month that players and staff based in New Zealand and Tonga would not be considered for selection because of the ongoing risks associated with Covid-19, with regular coach Tevita Tu ifua also remaining in New Zealand.
A New Zealand-based squad has been training under Tevita Tu ifua for the past three years.
Photo: Supplied
Adriaan Ferris, of Ngāti Porou, is a former Northland NPC coach where he crossed paths with a number of Tongan players, including Fetu u Vainikolo and Taniela Moa.
Tonga is among 10 teams vying for the final men s qualifying berth in Tokyo.
Photo: Supplied
The Tonga Rugby Union announced last month it would only select players based in Europe for the qualifying tournament in Monaco, because of travel difficulties caused by Covid-19.
Tonga men s sevens coach Tevita Tu ifua said an initial list of 43 names had been trimmed to 23, which includes two ex All Blacks and a former Wallaby. We have got a few (high profile) names pop up and we still need to rank our priorities list and then we work from there to finalise our selection, he said.
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Stuff Sports
8 May, 2021, 12:40 pm
Pita Gus Sowakula is giving himself until 2023 to achieve his dream of playing for the All Blacks. MICHAEL BRADLEY/GETTY IMAGES
Chiefs loose forward Pita Gus Sowakula is staying put at the franchise and is full steam ahead with his dream of making the All Blacks.
But, he admits if nothing comes of his goal of wearing the black jersey by 2023, it will be his native Fiji who he will throw his lot in with.
The 26-year-old is in barnstorming touch going into Saturday night’s Super Rugby Aotearoa final against the Crusaders in Christchurch – a game Sowakula readily admits will be the biggest of his career to date.
Having earned a surprise call-up to the Chiefs midway through the 2018 season, the 1.95m, 110kg power player has gone from strength to strength in 33 appearances for the club, being a standout in a losing cause in 2020, and now hitting his straps again on a comeback from injury.
Dianne Manson/Getty Images
Despite the emergence of the Fijian Drua, Pita Gus Sowakula will be staying put at the Chiefs for two more years. “I’m excited to see a few of the mates playing in that team [the Fijian Drua] and it’ll be good to see them next year,” Sowakula told