Ex-All Blacks Fekitoa, Piutau and former Wallabie Folau included in Tonga squad for Pacific Nations Cup
Munster-bound Malakai Fekitoa. Mandatory Credit: ©INPHO/James Crombie
Former All Blacks and Wallabies Israel Folau, Charles Piutau, and Malakai Fekitoa are among the players in Tonga's newly-named squad for the Pacific Nations Cup and World Cup qualifier this summer.
All three players have made their comeback to international rugby as a result of World Rugby's new eligibility rules, which went into effect at the beginning of this year.
The 31-man strong Tonga squad will play Fiji, Samoa, and Australia A in the Pacific Nations Cup, which will take place before a World Cup playoff match against Hong Kong, South Korea, or Malaysia.
Piutau and Fekitoa last played for the All Blacks in 2015 and 2017, respectively, while Folau has not played for the Wallabies since 2018, after he was sacked for comments he made on social media.
Munster-bound centre, Fekitoa moved away from New Zealand in 2017 to join Toulon before spending recent times at London Wasps, and Charles Piutau had a very successful stint at Ulster before moving to Pat Lam's Bristol Bears.
Folau has bounced around between union and league since returning to the game but has settled in with the Shining Arcs Tokyo-Bay Urayasu in Japan this season, scoring 10 tries so far.
