Tonga coach Jim Love says his team can beat Wales, Italy and Canada to qualify for the quarter finals of the Rugby World Cup for the first time in the nation’s history.
“In the two years I’ve been with the Tongan side my mission statement has been to get to the quarter finals of the World Cup," he said. "After two years that must now be a reality.”
Pride and passion
Love said his team has the ability to beat all three Northern Hemisphere Pool D opponents if the players turn up on match days and play with belief and the famed Pacific Island “pride and passion”.
“I’ve got to be honest. If we didn’t have a chance (of qualifying) there’s no point in us being there.”
The former Maori All Black second rower is also not willing to concede defeat against New Zealand, the team’s fourth opponent in pool play.
Strongest team for All Blacks
Love will put his strongest team on the park for the match at Suncorp Stadium on 24 October to have a real crack at the Tri Nations champions.
“It’s a matter of honour and an opportunity for our top players to play the All Blacks,” he said.
Tongan players are renowned for their big hitting defence but aggressive tackling alone will not win RWC matches, Love said.
Camp
The team have been busy working hard on defensive patterns while in camp for the past two weeks in Rotorua, on the North Island of New Zealand.
Love has used former All Black technical advisor and mentor Lipi Sinnott to help with the team’s defence.
“He’s a guy with a hell of a lot of experience,” Love said.
There has also been a lot of work done on attack to ensure the team can score at the other end.
Grateful
Love said the team is having an “awesome” time in the city and is grateful to have been given full use of excellent training facilities, such as the Rotorua International Rugby Stadium.
Tonga plays its vital pool matches games against Italy on 15 October and Wales on 19 October in Canberra.
Team media liaison officer Kilimasi Aho said it has been good for the players to train in Rotorua, which has a similar climate to the Australian capital.
“If it turns out wet we will be well prepared," he said. "And we are always suited to it being dry, so we’ve got it covered.”
Aho said the team would be utilising the upper body strength of its players to achieve its goal of qualifying for the play offs.
“Our players are built for rugby like the Brazilians are built for soccer,” he added.
Tonga flies to Canberra on October 2.