In Tonga squad: Kisi Pulu
Tonga will bring together players based in ten countries to compile their squad for next month's Pacific Nations Cup tournament.
The 28-man squad named on Tuesday by head coach Toutai Kefu includes players based in Tonga, Australia, New Zealand, England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, France, Japan and Romania.
Tonga's World Cup captain, 34-year-old Finau Maka is not among the squad for the four-nation Pacific tournament in Japan and Fiji from June 5 to June 23.
The squad includes veterans Alaska Taufa and Fetu'u Vainikolo on the wings, Taniela Moa at scrum-half, Kisi Pulu at prop and Japan-based Kurt Morath at flyhalf.
Tonga: 'Ofa Fainga'anuku, Tevita Mailau, Sila Puafisi, Kisi Pulu, 'Ilaisa Ma'asi, Viliami Pola, Joe Tu'ineau, Joshua Afu, Tukulua Lokotui, Sione Kalamafoni, Steven Mafi, Paula Kaho, Sione Vaiomo'unga, 'Osaiasi Pepa Koloamatangi, Viliami Ma'afu, Taniela Moa, Thomas Palu, Kurt Morath, Eddie Paea, Sefa Vaka, Mafile'o Kefu, Siale Piutau, Kilifi Latu, 'Alipate Fatafehi, Fetu'u Vainikolo, Alaska Taufa, Daniel Kilioni, Viliame 'Iongi.
Comments
Tauala says...
The single apostrophe in front of a vowel in the Tongan language is a glottal, giving the vowel a deep throaty sound when the word is pronounced. Commentators have problem with these glottal sound. In the case of the Fainga'a twin, Saia and Anthony who play for the Queensland Red, commentators just ignore the glottal and the vowel a so it sounded like Fainga, instead of Fainga'a.
Posted 10:39 26th May 2012
tweedledee49 says...
@tha_mai
Thanks mate!
Posted 11:17 25th May 2012
tha_mai says...
tweedledee49 - from a news site"No official explanation has been provided by Kefu or the Tongan Rugby Union regarding Taumalolo¿s absence."
Maybe he made the choice not to play; had a lot of game time for Chiefs and they will be headed for Super top 6 playoffs most likely.
Posted 09:51 24th May 2012
tweedledee49 says...
looks like an awesome squad. Anyone know why Taumalolo is not in the squad? I see Mailau (Blues) and Piutau(Highlanders) in the squad so Im pretty sure the Super rugby franchises arent holding players back. Just curious, cause with his form this super rugby season, I was almost certain he was gonna be in the squad
Posted 04:55 24th May 2012
firepower says...
@tha_mai
In Tongan language "Ma'a" means clean or tidy and in Samoan it means stone or rock. Correct me if I'm wrong Manusamoa hahaha.
back to rugby
forget about Lilo, Maka and Helu etc. i wish Toutai Kefu will forget them completely
Posted 20:21 23rd May 2012
APV1 says...
Thanks all - as someone with a Dutch surname in the UK, I can empathise with those who have their name cocked-up by all and sundry! I suspect, like me, they get used to it and ignore it, rarely bothering to correct the pronunciation unless asked.
Interesting point brought up on an Irish thread - if Tonga do very well in the PN Cup and Ireland get thrashed by NZ and beyond, could Tonga overtake them in the IRB Rankings and, therefore, get a better seeding for the 2015 RWC..?
Posted 11:01 23rd May 2012
Manusamoa says...
nice squad for Tonga, good to see they got a lot of good players interested to play in the Pacific Nations.
Posted 09:54 23rd May 2012
tha_mai says...
Tauala and firepower - thanks for your explanations - better than mine!
I have one more for if Ma'a Nonu comes here (Thailand) a tonal language and maa can mean mother, dog, horse depending on tone. I try to remember this with mother-in-law (joking!)
Posted 07:12 23rd May 2012
tha_mai says...
stumpy says...held onto most their players from the world cup
By my count they have half - fifteen of their 30-man 2011 RWC squad. Missing are: Lutui, Taukafa, Taumālolo, Tonga'uiha, 'Aulika, Filise, Hehea, Timani, Maka (Captain), Vahafolau, Fisilau, Ma'ilei, Hufanga, Helu, Lilo (Vice Captain).
Apologies if I've got any of those names wrong.
Posted 07:06 23rd May 2012
tha_mai says...
APV1 - linguistics on a rugby forum! It's not an apostrophe but that's the closest a computer allows; find them in many languages incl Hawaiian, Tongan, Samoan. A - a brief pause (glottal stop) - think of how (if they get it right) Ma'a Nonu and Hawai'i (original spelling) are pronounced. Look up 'okina for more.
phew, back to the rugby.
For Tonga squad, still a few more that are contracted to Super rugby, pity the competitions overlap.
Posted 06:51 23rd May 2012
Tauala says...
The single apostrophe is one of the punctuation marks in the Tongan alphabet, it is a glottal. A glottal in front of a vowel gives the vowel a deep throaty sound. At first it can be difficult to pronounce. Rugby commentators usually ignore the glottal, and for a Tongan ears it sounded terrible. It sounds absurd when commentators pronounce the name of the Fainga'a twins who play for the Queensland Red, they drop off completely the glottal and the second a, Fainga and Fainga'a are two different things.
Posted 02:13 23rd May 2012
punz says...
the team to beat..... this one!
Posted 01:14 23rd May 2012
firepower says...
@APV1
I'm a Tongan and I'm right here to help you with your question. In Tongan language, apostrophes (we call it "fakau'a") always go with vowels which represents a glottal stop in Polynesian languages. FYI just visit http://www.tau.olunga.to/internet.html
Posted 22:00 22nd May 2012
stumpy says...
Great squad, have held onto most their players from the world cup which looked like a successful team. Kisi Pulu, Steve Mafi, and Iongi are very good inclusions. Tonga could be a real threat in the pacific nations cup.
Posted 16:14 22nd May 2012
kybone says...
What an astonishing lack of comittment Finau Maka has shown to his country over the years! think im right in saying that he has 8 caps! All won during the last 2 World Cups!
Posted 16:13 22nd May 2012
APV1 says...
I'll take a risk with this, so please excuse my ignorance and clumsiness...
Why the apostrophes in the names? Is it similar to the (usually) Irish name O'Doyle, where the apostrophe signifies a missing "f" - as in "Of Doyle"?
Posted 15:15 22nd May 2012