Tongan captain Sika Manu will lead Mate Ma’a Tonga against Australia on October 20 after being cleared of a serious knee injury.
The on-again off-again match will finally happen when the two sides take the field at Mt Smart stadium.
Manu damaged ligaments while playing for Hull FC against St Helens.
It was thought his injury would rule him out of the Mt Smart match, with Hull coach Lee Radford saying he would not play for the rest of the season.
However, Tongan coach Kristian Woolf has named Manu in the 19 man squad for the test.
Woolf said being able to bring back Sika as captain was “a big plus.”
Manu, 31, has played 11 tests for the Mate Ma’a since switching his allegiance from New Zealand in 2013.
Woolf said he was pleased with the calibre of the squad who would face Australia.
“We realise there is a huge challenge ahead of us in player the current World Cup holders, so we are extending every resource we can to give this challenge our absolute best effort,” he said.
The Tonga squad will travel to New Zealand next week for a pre-match camp in Hamilton before basing themselves in Auckland in the week of the Test.
Woolf has named the followings squad for Mate Ma’a Tonga:
Andrew Fifita – Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks
Addin Fonua-Blake – Manly Warringah Sea Eagles
David Fusitu’a – Warriors
Siliva Havilli – Canberra Raiders
Ata Hingano – Canberra Raiders
Will Hopoate – Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs
Konileti Hurrell – Gold Coast Titans
Michael Jennings – Parramatta Eels
Solomone Kata – Warriors
Sione Katoa – Penrith Panthers
Tuimoala Lolohea – Wests Tigers
Sika Manu – Hull FC
Ben Murdoch-Masilla – Warrington Wolves
Joe Ofahengaue – Brisbane Broncos
Tevita Pangai jnr – Brisbane Broncos
Jason Taumalolo – North Qld Cowboys
Siosiua Taukeiaho – Sydney Roosters
Peni Terepo – Parramatta Eels
Daniel Tupou – Sydney Roosters
Coach: Kristian Woolf
Development players: Robert Jennings (South Sydney Rabbitohs) and Leivaha Pulu (Warriors)
The main points
- Tongan captain Sika Manu will lead Mate Ma’a Tonga against Australia on October 20 after being cleared of a serious knee injury.
- It was thought he would not be able to play against Australia before coach Kristian Woolf named him in the 19 man squad for the test.
- Woolf said being able to bring back sika as captain was “a big plus.”
For more information
