2018 June Internationals
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Tonga team to play Georgia
1 Siegfried Fisi'ihoi, 2. Paula Ngauamo, 3. David Lolohea, 4. Leva Fifita, 5. Joe Tu'ineau, 6. Dan Faleafa, 7. Fotu Lokotui, 8. Nasi Manu,
9 Sonatane Takulua, 10. Kurt Morath, 11 Penikolo Latu, 12. Siale Piutau (c), 13. Nafi Tu'itavake, 14. David Halaifonua, 15. Sione Fifita.
Bench
16 Sefo Sakalia, 17. David Feao, 18. Ben Tameifuna, 19. Valentino Mapapalangi, 20. Mike Faleafa, 21. Suke Tuumotooa, 22. Latiume Fosita, 23. Viliami Lolohea.Tighthead prop David Lolohea, number eight Nasi Manu and fullback Sione Fifita will make their test debut against the Lelos in Suva.
Sport: Three debutants to start for 'Ikale Tahi
Three debutants have been named to start for Tonga in Saturday's Pacific Nations Cup rugby test against Georgia.
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Georgia:
15 Soso MATIASHVILI (Akademia Tbilisi)
14 Anzor SITCHINAVA (Akademia Tbilisi)
13 Davit KATCHARAVA (Enisey Krasnoyarsk)
12 Giorgi KVESELADZE (Armazi Marneuli)
11 Sandro TODUA (Lelo Saracens Tbilisi)
10 Lasha KHMALADZE (Batumi)
9 Vasil LOBZHANIDZE (Brive)1 Kakha ASIESHVILI (Brive)
2 Shalva MAMUKASHVILI (Lokomotivi Tbilisi)
3 Levan CHILACHAVA (Toulon)
4 Giorgi NEMSADZE [Capt] (Ospreys)
5 Nodar TCHEISHVILI (Chambery)
6 Shalva SUTIASHVILI (Angoulême)
7 Otar GIORGADZE (Clermont )
8 Mikheil GACHECHILADZE (Enisey Krasnoyarsk)Reserves:
16 Jaba BREGVADZE (Sunwolves)
17 Giorgi TETRASHVILI (Agen)
18 Irakli MIRTSKHULAVA (Oyonnax)
19 Kote MIKAUTADZE (Montpellier)
20 Saba SHUBITIDZE (Akademia Tbilisi)
21 Giorgi BEGADZE (Lokomotivi Tbilisi)
22 Lasha MALAGHURADZE (Yar Krasnoyarsk)
23 Merab KVIRIKASHVILI (Lelo Saracens Tbilisi) -
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So Georgian forwards get overseas contracts and Georgian backs don't.
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@crucial said in 2018 June Internationals:
That Tonga/Georgia game looks like a nightmare for a commentator. Would entail a lot of pre game practice on those names.
Normally Ken Laban does these games in the Islands so we should get him for this and the Fiji v Samoa one that follows this match in Suva this afternoon. Be interesting if he maintains his impeccable knowledge of what school each player was "a superstar" at!
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@higgins said in 2018 June Internationals:
@crucial said in 2018 June Internationals:
That Tonga/Georgia game looks like a nightmare for a commentator. Would entail a lot of pre game practice on those names.
Normally Ken Laban does these games in the Islands so we should get him for this and the Fiji v Samoa one that follows this match in Suva this afternoon. Be interesting if he maintains his impeccable knowledge of what school each player was "a superstar" at!
I enjoy it. Just like how the NFL usually say which College each player has come from.
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@machpants said in 2018 June Internationals:
Georgia knocked over Tonga in a close one, Tonga got the tries but gave away the penalties 16-15
Tonga:
71' Lolohea, 79' Halaifonua tries;
79' Takulua con
35' Takulua penGeorgia:
7' Matiashvili try;
8' Matiashvili con;
21', 38', 60' Matiashvili pens 3x;
46' Gachechiladze YC, 79' ? YCI tried watching this game about half an hour into the game but the livestream was frozen, so I gave up.
Now, watchin Fiji v Samoa.
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Paltry crowd in Suva. For a double header including their national team v closest traditional rival.
Doesn't fill me with confidence about a Super Rugby expansion team up in Fiji.
I noticed this last year as well. Bumper crowd for the Chiefs v Crusaders. Then small crowds a few weeks later for their June internationals. They had good quality visitors last year iirc including win over tier 1 Italy, but still not many turned up.
I am/was pro getting a team up there. I'm now edging towards was.
I don't think they can sustain the week in week out numbers required. To pay for a top pro team. Although a young Drua-like team churning out young low paid players for a year or two before they move on would still arguably provide more interest some our teams in the S18.
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@rocky-rockbottom Where are you watching that game?
Edit: forget that question, I found a legal stream to watch Japan v Italy:
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Full time: Fiji 24 - 22 Samoa
Match (scoring) stats: https://www.worldrugby.org/pnc/match/25892
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@rocky-rockbottom said in 2018 June Internationals:
Japan vs Italy.
Japanese national rugby team with their front row, halfback and that one nippy winger being the only actual Japanese people on the team. All the rest, ring-in Islanders. Jamie Joseph sending a great message to Japan's up and coming young players. "Yeah nah."
Italy do a fantastic impersonation of a test rugby team. They have some burly guys and nice blue jerseys and coloured rugby boots and everything. Walking 10 metres away from EVERY single lineout to have a mini conference then slowly sauntering back to the lineout got real old fast. God they are dogshit. Walk around. Drop it. Stand at some ruck like you just want to go home. Just fuck off then.
They're great to have in the Six nations. It means Scotland don't get a wooden spoon.
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@mn5 said in 2018 June Internationals:
@rocky-rockbottom said in 2018 June Internationals:
Japan vs Italy.
Japanese national rugby team with their front row, halfback and that one nippy winger being the only actual Japanese people on the team. All the rest, ring-in Islanders. Jamie Joseph sending a great message to Japan's up and coming young players. "Yeah nah."
Italy do a fantastic impersonation of a test rugby team. They have some burly guys and nice blue jerseys and coloured rugby boots and everything. Walking 10 metres away from EVERY single lineout to have a mini conference then slowly sauntering back to the lineout got real old fast. God they are dogshit. Walk around. Drop it. Stand at some ruck like you just want to go home. Just fuck off then.
They're great to have in the Six nations. It means Scotland don't get a wooden spoon.
Or England this season
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I have added this weekend's results to the table in the first post of this thread.
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That was the result JP needed, hopefully they can keep it up, and don’t get completely ass-raped by the ABs and England later in the year. If they can show improvement thry’ll Ride the same wave as the Japanese team during the soccer World Cup here.
In the WC, They have someone they can’t get past (Ireland I think) and two teams they should beat (Russia and a qualifier), so it all comes down to the Scots game. We’re still trying to get tickets....
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It's a shame Russia is there - they are not very good, but basically got in because better teams fielded 1 or 2 ineligible players. They will be destroyed by all the teams in their pool.
Reckon Japan can definitely beat Scotland.
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@billy-tell said in 2018 June Internationals:
It's a shame Russia is there - they are not very good, but basically got in because better teams fielded 1 or 2 ineligible players. They will be destroyed by all the teams in their pool.
Reckon Japan can definitely beat Scotland.
No fucken way.
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