{"id":93022,"date":"2023-09-16T01:36:09","date_gmt":"2023-09-16T01:36:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/stopsmokingway.com\/?p=93022"},"modified":"2023-09-16T01:36:09","modified_gmt":"2023-09-16T01:36:09","slug":"charles-piutau-says-tonga-want-world-cup-glory-ahead-of-ireland-clash","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stopsmokingway.com\/rugby\/charles-piutau-says-tonga-want-world-cup-glory-ahead-of-ireland-clash\/","title":{"rendered":"Charles Piutau says Tonga want World Cup glory ahead of Ireland clash"},"content":{"rendered":"
Charles Piutau fulfilled a lifelong personal dream by making 17 All Blacks appearances.<\/p>\n
But on Saturday night, the former Premiership superstar will play for his Tongan-born parents Manako and Melenaite when he represents the Pacific Island nation at his first World Cup.<\/p>\n
Piutau, 31, is one of the headline figures to have benefited from World Rugby\u2019s change in eligibility laws at the tournament here in France. Now, he is targeting an upset of world No 1 Ireland in Nantes.<\/p>\n
\u2018The All Blacks had always been my dream and something I wanted to do for myself,\u2019 Piutau said. \u2018Whereas I felt playing for Tonga was for my parents and my family. It was for the village I come from and for the next generation. I\u2019ve always thought of the World Cup as the pinnacle of the game.<\/p>\n
\u2018To be able to represent Tonga in that will be the best feeling ever. Just the thought of it excites me.<\/p>\n
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Charles Piutau is now representing Tonga at his first World Cup, thanks to World Rugby’s eligibility law change which allows players to switch nations if they qualify for the new country<\/p>\n
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The Tongan international (pictured above in 2020) played for Bristol Bears for over four years<\/p>\n
That thought will become a reality for Piutau on Saturday evening.<\/p>\n
In 2021, World Rugby confirmed players can switch nations after a three-year standdown period, so long as they qualify for their new country under the rules. Piutau was born in Auckland after his parents moved from Tonga to New Zealand and having last played for the All Blacks in 2015, he ticked every box.<\/p>\n
H Keenan; M Hansen, G Ringrose, B Aki, J Lowe; J Sexton (capt), C Murray; A Porter, R Kelleher, T Furlong; T Beirne, J Ryan; P O\u00bfMahony, J van der Flier, C Doris.<\/span><\/p>\n Replacements:<\/span> R Herring, D Kilcoyne, F Bealham, I Henderson, R Baird, C Casey, R Byrne, R Henshaw.<\/p>\n Kick off:<\/span> 8pm, Saturday<\/p>\n \u2018My mum and dad grew up on the main island called Tongatapu,\u2019 Piutau said, explaining his Tongan heritage. \u2018Man, time is slow there. When you go there the islands are tropical with coconut trees everywhere. Everyone is relaxed, no rush. People live off the land, the plantations.<\/p>\n \u2018There is nice warm weather, nice beaches, and my first experience going there as a kid was thinking it was a big swimming pool. It was actually the Pacific Ocean!<\/p>\n \u2018I was swimming every day, enjoying the weather. Going when I was older you see that it\u2019s not as developed as the other islands like Samoa and Fiji.<\/p>\n \u2018The people there look like they\u2019re enjoying life.\u2019 Piutau is one of nine siblings.<\/p>\n \u2018There were five girls first and then us five boys,\u2019 he said. \u2018Crazy! It\u2019s a big family, man! I always grew up with lots of people in the house.\u2019<\/p>\n World Rugby\u2019s law change on eligibility has undoubtedly benefited the Pacific Island nations for this World Cup, especially Tonga and Samoa.<\/p>\n Piutau would have been joined in the Tonga side here in France by Israel Folau had the former Australian full-back not suffered a knee injury.<\/p>\n Even without Folau, Tonga look a dangerous outfit. The fact Ireland head coach Andy Farrell has named a full-strength team to face them is a reflection of the huge threat they pose.<\/p>\n Charles’ brother Siale Piutau warned him that Tongan rugby was ‘different’ after he was receiving mouth-watering contracts at Wasps, Bristol and Japanese club Shizuoka BlueRevs<\/p>\n Ireland thrashed Romania 82-8 in their opening match for the Rugby World Cup in France<\/p>\n \u2018To pull on the Tongan jersey was very emotional. To tap into the Tongan culture and be part of that is pretty cool,\u2019 said Piutau, who starred in European rugby with Wasps, Ulster and Bristol.<\/p>\n \u2018Growing up in New Zealand we\u2019d have it at home and in other places but it\u2019s good to have the faith aspect in terms of religion tied in with the rugby.<\/p>\n \u2018Singing is popular in our culture so having stuff like that and praying every morning was a wow moment. That\u2019s something we wouldn\u2019t do in a New Zealand team culture.<\/p>\n \u2018We have our prayer. Our chaplain will chair scripture and then we\u2019ll go into the rugby. There\u2019s always prayer before we eat and hymns sung as well.<\/p>\n \u2018We talk about our culture and that\u2019s what we base ourselves on. The pride we put into wearing the jersey is a massive part of representing Tonga.\u2019<\/p>\n Piutau has earned big money in rugby. He received eye-watering contracts at Wasps and Bristol and will do the same again when he joins Japanese side Shizuoka BlueRevs after the World Cup. Tongan rugby is slightly different.<\/p>\n \u2018I\u2019d always heard stories from my brother Siale when he was part of the Tonga team and I was with New Zealand,\u2019 said Piutau. \u2018Back then it was little things like not getting paid on time or going to the hotel and the rooms weren\u2019t sorted. The first camp I went to it was certain logistical things like some of the kit hadn\u2019t come in yet and the state of the hotel.<\/p>\n \u2018You definitely wouldn\u2019t see New Zealand or tier-one teams staying in places we do. You see the reality of the resources teams like us have access to but you still try to give it your best shot and make it work. Our attitude is to try and do the best we can with what we\u2019ve got.\u2019<\/p>\n There are doubts on whether picking the influential Johnny Sexton against Tonga is a risk with a huge clash against South Africa just a week away in the Rugby World Cup<\/p>\n Piutau said there is ‘massive pride’ when they wear the Tonga jersey at tournaments<\/p>\n Dan Sheehan (pictured) will not play this weekend, but will be ready to face South Africa<\/p>\n The strength of so-called \u2018tier-two nations\u2019 is definitely improving. Japan have impressed at the last two World Cups. Georgia have beaten both Italy and Wales.<\/p>\n But for rugby to be a truly global sport, this World Cup needs the likes of Tonga, Fiji and Samoa to shine and shine bright. Fiji impressed in a cruel opening defeat by Wales. Tonga face a tough draw in Pool B alongside Ireland, defending World Cup champions South Africa, and Scotland.<\/p>\n Ireland is Tonga\u2019s first World Cup game. They will be going into it determined not to die wondering. Piutau is joined by fellow former All Blacks Vaea Fifita and Malakai Fekitoa in a Tongan side for Ireland which also includes Toulouse\u2019s Pita Ahki.<\/p>\n \u2018Teams like Ireland and South Africa \u2013 man, they\u2019re so dominant,\u2019 said Piutau, who helped raise \u00a350,000 in emergency funds while playing at Bristol last year after Tonga was struck by a vicious tsunami which devastated the island. \u2018Looking at the Six Nations and seeing how good Scotland were I was like: \u201cOh, man.\u201d<\/p>\n \u2018But what better way to be part of the tournament than to play against the best sides and give it everything you\u2019ve got?<\/p>\n \u2018We could challenge Scotland and try and get a result there. We\u2019ve got Romania which we\u2019ll treat as a game to win. In terms of Ireland and South Africa, I think it\u2019s about showing we\u2019ve closed the gap.<\/p>\n \u2018I\u2019ve seen Tonga play the All Blacks and it was 102-0. It\u2019s a big gap and we want to show we can be competitive, hang in there with those teams, and play to a good standard.<\/p>\n Tonga players during the Captain’s Run at the Stade de la Beaujoire in Nantes, France<\/p>\n Ireland boss Andy Farrell’s team proved why they are one of the favourites in Romania win<\/p>\n \u2018Hopefully, we can come out with a result. If not, hopefully we can put pride in the Tongan jersey and Tongan kids all round the world can have that aspiration to follow in our footsteps.<\/p>\n \u2018There is a lot more catching up the Pacific Islands need to do to get closer to the tier-one nations. But the first part is helping ourselves and proving you can be trusted to be given more. It goes hand-in-hand with building trust with the unions and World Rugby.<\/p>\n \u2018Within our team there might be some young guys who I can give back to and inspire the next generation. When I was growing up in New Zealand, it was only about New Zealand.<\/p>\n \u2018Now, with rugby league and union, I\u2019m seeing kids saying they want to play for Tonga and Samoa. Hopefully more guys will grow up with their first option being playing for the Pacific Islands.\u2019<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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