{"id":307745,"date":"2023-06-14T05:30:21","date_gmt":"2023-06-14T05:30:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/?p=307745"},"modified":"2023-06-14T05:58:00","modified_gmt":"2023-06-14T05:58:00","slug":"ex-wallabies-star-switches-to-world-cup-rival","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/?p=307745","title":{"rendered":"Ex-Wallabies star switches to World Cup rival"},"content":{"rendered":"

Former Wallabies lock Adam Coleman is set to honour his late father after being named in Tonga's squad for Rugby World Cup<\/a> warm-up games in July.<\/p>\n

\ufeffColeman played 38 Tests for Australia between 2016-19 before signing to play for London Irish.\ufeff<\/p>\n

The 31-year-old's late father, Pau'u Afeaki, is a former Tonga captain who died when Coleman was 12.<\/p>\n

Watch the 2023 Super Rugby Pacific finals on the home of rugby, Stan Sport.<\/strong><\/em> All matches streaming ad free, live and on demand<\/strong><\/em><\/a><\/p>\n

\"Wallabies<\/p>\n

Coleman's cousins \ufeffRodney Blake (Australia), Inoke Afeaki (Tonga) and Ben Afeaki (New Zealand) have also played Test rugby.<\/p>\n

"That's the reason I play rugby," Coleman said during the 2019 World Cup.<\/p>\n

"You have the old man play rugby for Tonga and you've got three, four cousins that have played professional rugby. So as a youngster you always look up to them and think, 'I want to play rugby, I want to be better than them'.<\/p>\n

"I wanted to get out there and find out why they like it so much. Why are they doing that?"<\/p>\n

READ MORE:<\/strong> The $1.8m insult that led to Luke Brooks rejection<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

READ MORE:<\/strong> Blues snub that 'surprised' Queensland greats<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

READ MORE:<\/strong> Golf s<\/strong><\/a>tar reveals biggest 'betrayal' in secretive deal<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Coleman – who has also been linked with a club move to Bordeaux – was approached by Tonga coach and Wallabies legend Toutai Kefu last year regarding a potential switch.<\/p>\n

World Rugby's new eligibility \ufefflaws have opened the door for a raft of international stars to switch allegiance to Tonga, including Israel Folau, Charles Piutau, Malakai Fekitoa, Lopeti Timani, George Moala and Augustine Pulu.<\/p>\n

Tonga is only ranked 15th in the world but on paper has the potential to cause major upsets in a stacked Pool B that includes defending champions South Africa and world No.1 Ireland as well\ufeff as Scotland and Romania.<\/p>\n

NEW PODCAST! Sean Maloney, Stephen Hoiles and Justin Harrison are backing the Brumbies against the Chiefs and reflect on the Waratahs and Reds bowing out of the Super Rugby Pacific finals<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

https:\/\/omny.fm\/shows\/between-two-posts-1\/quarter-classics-the-final-four\/embed?style=Cover<\/a><\/p>\n

"We're going to have a really good team, probably the best ever," Kefu told AAP recently.<\/p>\n

"We're in a tough pool, but we'll throw all our eggs in one basket and aim up against Ireland (in the opener). We can't play footy with them – they'll beat us every day of the week. So we need to come up with a bit of a plan and I think we've got one… it's going to be good."<\/p>\n

TONGA SQUAD FOR JULY TESTS<\/strong><\/p>\n

Forwards<\/strong>: Siegfried Fisi'ihoi, Feao Fotuaika, David Lolohea, Paula Ngauamo, Siua Maile, Samiuela Moli, Sosefo Sakalia, Ben Tameifuna, Tau Koloamatangi, Sosefo Apikotoa, Adam Coleman, Samiuela Lousi, Halaleva Fifita, Sitiveni Mafi, Vaea Fifita, Tanginoa Halaifonua, Solomone Funaki, Sione Vailanu, Lopeti Timani, Sione Havili Talitui<\/p>\n

Backs:<\/strong> Sonatane Takulua, Augustine Pulu, Manu Paea, William Havili, Otumaka Mausia, Patrick Pellegrini, Pita Ahki, Malakai Fekitoa, Afusipa Taumoepeau, George Moala, Fine Inisi, Israel Folau, Solomone Kata, Charles Piutau, Kuren Taumoefolau<\/p>\n

For a daily dose of the best of the breaking news and exclusive content from Wide World of Sports, subscribe to our newsletter by<\/strong><\/em> clicking here<\/strong><\/em><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Former Wallabies lock Adam Coleman is set to honour his late father after being named in Tonga's squad for Rugby World Cup warm-up games in […]<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":307747,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/307745"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=307745"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/307745\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":307750,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/307745\/revisions\/307750"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/307747"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=307745"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=307745"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=307745"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}