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Tuiaki, Taniela |
  Taniela TUIAKI [Player Stats] + Submit additional information or a correction to this player 
Tonga lose Moimoi and Tuiaki on top of losing Tupou Fri October 10, 2008 by Matthew O'Neill Tonga has been dealt a triple blow leading into the upcoming Rugby League World Cup with Fuifui Moimoi and Taniela Tuiaki being ruled ineligible on top of losing Anthony Tupou to the Australian squad. Tupou was overlooked for Australian selection on Tuesday and alligned himself with Tonga. He was drafted into the Australian squad last night following the withdrawal of Michael Crocker. Tupou had applied to play for Tonga in the World Cup and even trained with the squad. The Australian selectors in their wisdom chose Tupou ahead of a galaxy of back-rowers including Nathan Hindmarsh, Ben Creagh, Nate Myles, Dallas Johnson, Luke O'Donnell and Alan Tongue. Moimoi and Tuiaki had their applications for Tongan selection knocked back by the RLIF on the basis that both of them played for New Zealand last year on their tour to New Zealand and France and had already applied to change their allegience from Tonga to New Zealand. The rules state that you can only change your alligiance once every two years. The RLIF in a statement said: "Under RLIF rules, players who are eligible to play for more than one country must elect which country they will represent," the RLIF statement read. "Once this has been done, a player may not change his election until the completion of the next World Cup, or after having not represented that country for two years. "A player is allowed only one application under this rule in any two-year period. "In 2007 the RLIF executive had approved applications from both Moimoi and Tuiaki to change their country of election from Tonga to New Zealand. "This was approved and each played for the Kiwis in last year's tour of England and France. "A separate application from the two players was also tabled last night seeking to change their election a second time to again be available for Tonga for the 2008 World Cup. "This application was rejected." Meanwhile, the RLIF approved applications from four players to switch allegiance - Ben Roberts (Samoa), Jarryd Hayne (Fiji), Louis Anderson (Tonga) and Antonio Kaufusi (Tonga). Hayne's application could prove to be futile as he's set to be drafted into the Australian World Cup squad should Justin Hodges withdraw. UPDATED 2008 TONGA WORLD CUP SQUAD Fraser Anderson (Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks) Louis Anderson (Warrington Wolves) Andrew Emelio (The Bulldogs) Richard Fa'aoso (Newcastle Knights) Awen Guttenbeil (Castleford Tigers) Michael Jennings (Penrith Panthers) Antonio Kaufusi (Melbourne Storm) Toshio Laiseni (Newtown Jets) Taniela Lasalo (Parramatta Eels) Epalahame Lauaki (NZ Warriors) Tevita Leo-Latau (Wakefield Trinity Wildcats) Willie Manu (Hull FC) Manase Manuokafoa (South Sydney Rabbitohs) Feleti Mateo (Parramatta Eels) Eddie Paea (South Sydney Rabbitohs) Lopini Paea (Sydney Roosters) Mickey Paea (Sydney Roosters) Fetuli Talanoa (South Sydney Rabbitohs) Joel Taufa'ao Esikeli Tonga (Gold Coast Titans) Etuate Uaisele (Newcastle Knights) Cooper Vuna (Newcastle Knights) Tony Williams (Parramatta Eels) Tonga originally named a 26-man squad for the World Cup before the withdrawals of Tupou, Moimoi and Tuiaki. Tonga can still add one further player to their squad to fill the maximum amount of 24 players prior to the tournament starting. The Tongans will be coached by former Australian International and Bulldogs 1995 premiership winner Jim Dymock, who next year will be the Bulldogs NRL Assistant Coach working alongside Kevin Moore. Tonga have been placed in Pool C alongside Ireland and Samoa with the winner of that group to play the winner of Pool B in the Qualifying Final for the right to play the winner of Pool A in the semi final. - Tonga v Ireland at Parramatta Stadium Ticket Information - Tonga v Samoa at CUA Stadium Penrith Ticket Information Rleague World Cup Website - http://worldcup.rleague.com CLICK HERE TO READ & SIGN WORLD CUP FORUM Six players to make debuts for Kiwis in Centenary Test Sun October 7, 2007 by NZRL Coach Gary Kemble tonight confirmed six players will make their debuts for the Kiwis in the Centenary Test against the Kangaroos in Wellington next Sunday (October 14). In trimming his original 19-man squad, Kemble handed first test jerseys to wingers Luke Covell (Cronulla) and Taniela Tuiaki (Wests Tigers), halfback Jeremy Smith (South Sydney), prop Fuifui Moimoi (Parramatta) and loose forward Jeremy Smith (Melbourne) with Melbourne prop Jeff Lima included on the interchange bench. Named 18th man is Warriors back rower Louis Anderson and the 19th man is young St George Illawarra centre Chase Stanley. The selection means two players with the same name will appear in the same test side for the first time in New Zealand rugby league history - Jeremy James Smith in the No 7 jersey and Jeremy Jon Oscar Smith in No 13. There has been a previous instance of two players with the same name appearing in the same Kiwi side but it was in a tour match against Queensland in 1925. Jim O'Brien, a second rower from Devonport, had Marist prop Jim O'Brien as a team-mate (Marist, prop) in that match. With two Smiths and four other new players, Kemble is excited about the prospect of fielding such a new-look side in such a significant test. "We're really happy with the players we have and the whole squad has come together well since we've been in camp," said Kemble. "This will be one of the most exciting tests in some time with so many players set to make their test debuts, not just in our team but in the Australian side as well." Of the New Zealand side that played in this year's Anzac Test, only two remain in the backline - Inu and Roberts. The other survivors are captain Roy Asotasi, the most experienced test player in the team with 17 appearances, hooker Dene Halatau, back rowers Simon Mannering and Frank Pritchard and interchange forwards David Faiumu and Sam Rapira. Mannering was in the centres in the Anzac Test. Centres Paul Whatuira and Steve Matai plus interchange utility Shontayne Hape are recalled after missing the Anzac Test. Matai and Hape were both involved in the Tri Nations campaign last year while the last of Whatuira's 11 tests was last year's Anzac Test. CENTENARY TEST KIWIS V KANGAROOS WESTPAC STADIUM, WELLINGTON SUNDAY, OCTOBER 14 KIWIS 1 Krisnan Inu 2 Luke Covell 3 Steve Matai 4 Paul Whatuira 5 Taniela Tuiaki 6 Ben Roberts 7 Jeremy Smith 8 Roy Asotasi (c) 9 Dene Halatau 10 Fuifui Moimoi 11 Simon Mannering 12 Frank Pritchard 13 Jeremy Smith Interchange: 14 David Faiumu 15 Shontayne Hape 16 Sam Rapira 17 Jeff Lima ISSUED ON BEHALF OF NEW ZEALAND RUGBY LEAGUE
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