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'You’ll see that': Piutau backs revamped Tonga to produce at the World Cup

Bristol Bears' Charles Piutau during the Gallagher Premiership Rugby match between Gloucester Rugby and Bristol Bears at Kingsholm Stadium on October 15, 2022 in Gloucester, United Kingdom. (Photo by Bob Bradford - CameraSport via Getty Images)

Former All Black Charles Piutau is ready to finally feature at the game’s showpiece event, the Rugby World Cup, later this year and predicted some extra excitement this time around.

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This year’s World Cup in France is first since the eligibility laws were amended to allow players to switch nations following a stand-down period.

For Piutau, who lost eligibility for the All Blacks when he took up a deal with Premiership side Wasps in 2015, will be able to represent Tonga and attend the first World Cup of his career.

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Speaking to 1News on Zoom from Japan after the announcement of his new deal with the Shizuoka Blue Revs, Piutau was ecstatic over the possibility of playing in France for the nation of his family heritage.

“I see the World Cup as the pinnacle of our game and to have the opportunity of being selected to be on that world stage and to match my abilities against the best speaks for itself,” Piutau said.

“It will be, if I’m given the opportunity, my first World Cup, and just the joy and excitement just thinking of it is a lot.

“For what it means for Tonga in terms of the eligibility regulations is just a massive shift for tier two nations and to see some of the guys who have been able to use that eligibility shift is exciting in itself and you’ll see that in the games at the World Cup.”

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Tonga have been grouped in Pool B with heavyweights Ireland and South Africa, while Scotland are also in the mix for what will be a ‘pool of death’.

But the Ikale Tahi will be a much stronger opponent with many former internationals of tier one countries completing transfers.

Former All Black midfielder Malakai Fekitoa was capped in 2022 along with former Wallabies superstar Israel Folau.

Other former All Blacks who have been capped by Tonga include blindside flanker Vaea Fifita, centre George Moala and halfback Augustine Pulu.

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The new look Tonga will add intrigue to Pool B and be looking to add a big scalp to their five previous wins over tier one nations.

For Piutau personally, he does not hold any regret over his early decision to leave New Zealand and feels like there is ‘nothing to prove’ ahead of his first World Cup campaign.

“I’ve never looked back or regretted that decision and seeing so far how my career has panned out and I’ve just been very grateful and happy,” he said.

“Going into this World Cup I have nothing to prove on the world stage. It’s just a chance to enjoy it and test my abilities.”

The 31-year-old said he took the experience from his time in All Blacks’ set-up with him across his career, particularly learning from greats of the game on how to deal with pressure.

“The thing that I’ve learned from being part of the All Blacks was professionalism,” he said.

“I was lucky enough to be part of the team when legends of the game like Richie McCaw and Dan Carter were still playing.

“So I was able to see how they would prepare for a game and soak that in. With the All Blacks jersey there was always an expectation from the country to perform and to be No 1.

“To be able to deal with that pressure and play under that pressure was a skill I took out of that.”

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S
SK 22 minutes ago
Who is telling the truth about France's tour of New Zealand?

From what I am seeing in the comments there seems to be a battle about the playing time discussion and not counting minutes across the season like Champions Cup and Autumn tours. I think we also have to remember is that in the Autumn internationals the French players are fully fit having played just a few rounds of Top 14 while NZ and Aus have played the whole year. They put out players who have played 17 games plus 9 or 10 internationals and have over 2000 minutes in total. What is clear is that France have the same problem but choose to rest players. One cannot deny it detracts from the series and perhaps the French should have sent a stronger team when you consider the fact that after a long season the All Blacks do send a strong site. France are taking a player welfare stance because they have to confront the realities of the Top 14 and the powerful clubs as well as their demands. No other union has the same constraints and instead choose how to manage their players. The question is are players being run into the ground? The real issue we should be discussing here should be player welfare and what is acceptable for minutes? In my opinion a larger debate needs to be opened up in the game about player management. This tour cuts to the heart of it because it has drastically reduced the quality of the series but in the end I cannot blame France or Galthie for taking these actions neither can I blame NZ for being miffed about it.

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B
BleedRed&Black 24 minutes ago
Who is telling the truth about France's tour of New Zealand?

Ok, so thanks to the wonder that is allrugby, I checked the facts, then compared it to France's 2025 6N squad, so the last time showed they up as strong as they could. Of the 46 players selected, only 15 are touring NZ. Of those missing, 23 players are at least two full matches within the claimed 2000 minute "limit". Even if Jalibert, who has the highest number at 1847, played the two tests he would be eligible for, he would only be on 2007 minutes.


Hooker

Lamothe 1482 BB

Marchand 1321 TL

Mauvaka 982 TL


Prop

Aldegheri 1303 TL

Atonio 955

Baille 635 TL

Gros 1076

Priso 1414 TU


Lock

Meafou 1503 TL


Loose Fwd

Roumat 1667 TL

Jelonch 1401 TL

Alldritt 1804

Boudehent 1678

Cros 1759 TL

Gazzotti 1516 BB

Jegou 1142


Halfback

Serin 1693


First Five

Jalibert 1847 BB

Ntamack 1479 TL


Midfield

Frisch 705 TU

Nene 669

Brau-Boirie 1239


Wing

Dréan 1418 TU


The idea that France has brought a C team to NZ because of player welfare is, as the article suggests, a fiction. Some of the numbers on the players not going on tour are tiny, with five less than a thousand. Most in that 23 wouldn't get anywhere near 2000 minutes even of they played every minute of every test. Equally, the idea that "player welfare" is important in France is given the lie by the fact that they have five players from that 6N squad [all of course not touring] who are over 2000 minutes, Lucu 2106, Moefana 2174, Bielle-Biarrey 2277, Penaud 2045 and Ramos 2205. World class players flogged in a sequence of anonymous games [outside France] instead of having a once in a lifetime opportunity to play the All Blacks in a test series in NZ. Oh well.


France has sent a C team to NZ because they are not obliged to send anything else, either for legal or commercial reasons. So they have. The Top 14 clubs want their players preparing for next seasons "10 month soap opera". These tests means nothing to them. These tests mean nothing to their public either. France has been repeatedly humiliated by NZ, but those humiliations are quickly forgotten, so there are no consequences. It is equally true that the public and the clubs couldn't care less what their players want. Those players desire to win in the country it is hardest to win in means nothing to them. What Alldritt and Ntamack want means nothing to them. What a sad, small minded, provincial place French rugby is. It really might as well be rugby league.

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