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Former Wallaby Adam Coleman has been called up for a stacked Tongan national team ahead of the World Cup under new eligibility regulations that have already seen Israel Folau make a similar transition.
Coleman, a member of the troubled London Irish club who has been linked to a move to France in the past few days, is the Hobart born son of former Tongan skipper Pau’u Afeaki, who died when Coleman was 12.
Coleman, 31, played 38 times for the Wallabies, including at the previous World Cup in 2019, where he paid tribute to his family.
“That is the reason I play rugby,” he said about his late father. “If you have your old man play rugby for Tonga and you have got three or four cousins who play professional rugby, as a youngster you always look up to them and you are like, ‘I want to play rugby, I want to be better than them. I want to get out there and find out why they love it so much’.
“I just think about my family when I am running out.
“I always write ‘mum’ on my left wrist and now I write ‘Thea’, my little girl, on my right. It’s more about the sacrifices they have made for me to get where I am.
“It’s making sure I never take it for granted. We are very privileged to run out there and do something we love, and just reminding myself of that every time I run out keeps me grounded and keeps me focused on the job at hand.”
The 2.04m lock was approached by Tonga coach Toutai Kefu before last year’s rule change that allow players to represent another country after a three year absence from test footy.
“The rule change transforms the Tongan side,” said Kefu, a 1999 RWC winner with the Wallabies.
“I approached Adam out of the blue a year ago and went the step further by sitting down with him in London about five weeks ago.
“He’s very keen to represent the Tongan side of his heritage and experience a World Cup again. It’s a connection he feels strongly about.”
Coleman’s late father captained Tonga’s rugby team in 1983 while cousin Inoke Afeaki played in the 1995, 2003 and 2007 World Cups for Tonga.
His dad left home when Coleman was young, leaving his mum to bring him up.
“My parents being separated, my dad living in Tonga and my mum raising me as a single parent, trying to work, I’m going to have a family now so I’m reflecting — it would be a tough situation raising a kid by yourself,” Coleman said in 2018.
Adam Coleman. (Photo by Daniel Jayo/Getty Images)
“We never had a lot growing up, but she made sure I had shoes on my feet, a roof over my head and a full belly, and I think that’s all you need.
“She gave me the tools I needed to kick on and she’s always backed me. She let me move to Canberra when I was 18 and pursue my dream.”
Kefu is right about the team being transformed by the World Rugby rule changes.
Former Wallabies fullback Folau could be joined by former All Blacks centre Malakai Fekitoa, utility forward Vaea Fifita, utility backs Charles Piutau and George Moala, and scrumhalf Augustine Pulu in playing for Tonga at the World Cup this year.
Rugby Australia’s head coach of national match officials Mitch Chapman has come to the defence of referee Nic Berry and TMO Brett Cronan in the face of criticism following the Ardie Savea no-try call.
The Brumbies clinched a 37-33 victory in their SRP quarterfinal but the match ended in controversial circumstances when Savea claimed a try in the dying moments. Berry ruled a no try and it was upheld by Cronan.
Hurricanes coach Jason Holland criticised handling of the decision and claimed it was a clear try.
His beef was that Berry’s no-try decision gave Cronan no chance to contradict the on-field decision.
Chapman, a former Waratahs, Brumbies and Reds utility forward, told Stuff the pair made the right decision.
“He [Berry] has got to make a live on-field decision – try or no-try,” he said. “Which he did. They can’t guess. If they don’t see the ball on the ground, they can’t guess.
“He saw it held up. He gave no-try, which was the correct decision under those circumstances. The TMO then reviewed it, and there was inconclusive evidence showing the ball hitting the ground.
(Photo by Mark Nolan/Getty Images)
“So he stuck with the on-field decision, which was no-try.”
Chapman said Holland should not have been confused and that all sides in the tournament are aware of the rules.
He said even if Berry had asked Cronan whether it was a try or no-try, “the outcome would have been the same in that respect.
Queensland Reds backrower Harry Wilson has claimed back-to-back Stan Pilecki Medals – the players’player of the year award.
The 23-year-old becomes the ninth Queenslander to win multiple Players’ Player awards, while he also joins Taniela Tupou, Samu Kerevi, Liam Gill, Will Genia, David Croft, Chris Latham and Jason Little in winning the medal in consecutive years.
Wilson featured in all 15 of Queensland’s fixtures in 2023, scoring five tries and leading the competition in carries (211).
Clubmate and Wilson’s backrow partner Fraser McReight finished second in the count, while injury cruelled Jordan Petaia’s chances of claiming a maiden Pilecki Medal, the outside back finishing in third.
Co-captains Tate McDermott and Liam Wright rounded out the top five in fourth and fifth respectively.
Tom Lynagh was named Queensland’s Rookie of the Year after a breakout season in the number 10 jersey.
The 20-year-old played 12 games in his debut season, starting on five occasions including Queensland’s narrow quarter-final loss to the Chiefs in Hamilton last weekend.
Lynagh scored 51 points off the tee in 2023 and joins the likes of Jordan Petaia, Jock Campbell, Harry Wilson, Ryan Smith and Lawson Creighton as recipients of the Rookie of the Year award.
Hooker Matt Faessler was recognised as the player who best embodies the Spirt of the Reds, continuing his rise in Queensland Rugby after debuting last season.
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.