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Thread: Tonga mid-season international

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    Default Tonga mid-season international

    Tonga have announced a mid-season international game against New Zealand in June, will Woolf be coaching them for that. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen anything regarding what happens in this eventuality.
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    In The North Stand With All The Old Folk The Yellow Giraffe's Avatar
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    Just looked, we play Leeds on the Thursday and Tonga play on the Saturday. Doesn't give him much time to get over there and prepare for the game. Assume Wellens will take charge for the Leeds game.
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    Woolfe will surely want to go to prep with his team ahead of the World Cup, which is fair enough. He was Tonga coach before he signed for Saints so we will have known that this was a possibility. Presumably Hurrell, Passi and Hopoate might be involved too?

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    Learning All The Songs SaintJon's Avatar
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    Yes but we pay his wages ... We should make him a deal. He can go if he signs a 2 year extension

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    I think for a one off league game he should be allowed to go, let Wello take the reigns for a game, I'm sure it'll be fine

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    Quote Originally Posted by Apollo8 View Post
    Woolfe will surely want to go to prep with his team ahead of the World Cup, which is fair enough. He was Tonga coach before he signed for Saints so we will have known that this was a possibility. Presumably Hurrell, Passi and Hopoate might be involved too?
    Not too sure on this.

    Would the NRL clubs let their players or coaches travel to the UK for a mid-season international? No chance

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    Quote Originally Posted by Kakariki View Post
    Not too sure on this.

    Would the NRL clubs let their players or coaches travel to the UK for a mid-season international? No chance
    Yes but the NRL hold the international game back. We should embrace this, surely the culture at the club isn’t so bad that if the top man is away for a week everyone goes out on a bender?

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    Default Tonga mid-season international

    Let him go and prep his team and his staff will prep us for one game.

    No biggie


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    Quote Originally Posted by Kakariki View Post
    Not too sure on this.

    Would the NRL clubs let their players or coaches travel to the UK for a mid-season international? No chance
    Seems a bit childish to block it just because the NRL would do the same. There's probably more to be gained for the club longer term showing good will to players who value playing for their country - which the Tongan lads definitely do.

    I'd have though Woolf going will be easy enough given he was already coaching Tonga before us. Would be a good opportunity for Wello to take the reigns for a week.

    Just a shame our international calendar is such a disorganised mess that we haven't got northern and southern hemispheres in sync.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Bostik Bailey View Post
    Yes but the NRL hold the international game back. We should embrace this, surely the culture at the club isn’t so bad that if the top man is away for a week everyone goes out on a bender?
    Yet they’ve actually put together a proper international weekend while we have the fallacy of one dressed up as an international when it’s really an exhibition game that they can’t give tickets away for. We’re as much to blame as anyone for the state of the game internationally.
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    I hope Saints let Woolf go with their blessing and hopefully gain some brownie points in helping him consider where his future lies for the next couple of years.

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    Didn't Tonga have a friendy fixture during KW's tenure already? He didn't leave the country then.

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    For what he has done in making us a great side I think Woolf deserves to make his own decision when he wants to go and hence rest him from our coaching duties for a week.

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    Quote Originally Posted by brook View Post
    Didn't Tonga have a friendy fixture during KW's tenure already? He didn't leave the country then.
    No, they haven’t played since 2019 according to Wikipedia, which would make sense with 2020 and 21 ruined by covid.
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dos Cervezas View Post
    No, they haven’t played since 2019 according to Wikipedia, which would make sense with 2020 and 21 ruined by covid.
    That only shows test games and not friendlies,i'm sure they had a friendly against another pacific team while KW has been here and he coached it from home.

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    Quote Originally Posted by brook View Post
    That only shows test games and not friendlies,i'm sure they had a friendly against another pacific team while KW has been here and he coached it from home.
    They almost certainly wouldn’t have played. 2020 saw no international rugby at all because of covid and there wasn’t a Tonga mid-season game.
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    There may be clauses in his contract that clear all this up anyways as he was Tonga coach before he signed with us. Letting him go for a week/10 days is fine by me. If he wants to take Paasi, Hurrell and Hopoate with him I’m not sure I’d be too keen on that though.
    Forwards win games. The backs decide by how much.

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    Quote Originally Posted by The Wee Waa Womble View Post
    There may be clauses in his contract that clear all this up anyways as he was Tonga coach before he signed with us. Letting him go for a week/10 days is fine by me. If he wants to take Paasi, Hurrell and Hopoate with him I’m not sure I’d be too keen on that though.
    My thoughts as well.

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    Quote Originally Posted by The Wee Waa Womble View Post
    There may be clauses in his contract that clear all this up anyways as he was Tonga coach before he signed with us. Letting him go for a week/10 days is fine by me. If he wants to take Paasi, Hurrell and Hopoate with him I’m not sure I’d be too keen on that though.
    I fine with that as long as he only brings Paasi, Hurrell back with him.

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    Has anything been said on this?

    We've got Catalan away the week after in what looks like a huge game in the race for 1st (and we could do with 1st this year without Dodd).

    Don't like the idea of the coach not being there for a few days of that build up etc given we play Leeds on the Thursday, we'd have 9 days pre Catalan. Never mind any players.

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    Quote Originally Posted by JamesSL View Post
    Has anything been said on this?

    We've got Catalan away the week after in what looks like a huge game in the race for 1st (and we could do with 1st this year without Dodd).

    Don't like the idea of the coach not being there for a few days of that build up etc given we play Leeds on the Thursday, we'd have 9 days pre Catalan. Never mind any players.
    I don't see a problem with it, let him go if he wants to, it sets the right message for future recruitment. If the team cant manage one match without him it's a problem anyway, and it allows Wellens to dip his toes into a head coach role for e few days.

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    Woolf confirms he won't be going and says a number of Super League players will be missing

    https://www.loverugbyleague.com/post...a-new-zealand/

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    Quote Originally Posted by paulscnthorpe View Post
    Woolf confirms he won't be going and says a number of Super League players will be missing

    https://www.loverugbyleague.com/post...a-new-zealand/
    Interesting to see if they go backwards wit Bennet involved. Despite his credentials, he certainly did GB no favours.

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    NSW Blues players Daniel Tupou & Kotoni Staggs have both been named, which will have ramifications for the Blues, unless they withdraw from the Test.

    Extended bench:
    18: Moeaki Fotuaika
    19. Will Penisini
    20. Isaiya Katoa
    21. Andrew Fifita
    22. Joe Ofahengaue
    23. Starford To’A
    24. Christian Tuipulotu
    25. Eliesa Katoa


    From Super League there’s potentially Hopoate, Paasi and Hurrell to add to the mix plus you’ve got Fonua, Feki, Langi, Lolohea, Satae, Ma’u, Vete, Fusitua, Akauala, Tupou, Fifita, Sene-Lefao, Hingano, Asiata. Tonga are starting to add some strength in depth. They just still look too light in the pivots.
    Forwards win games. The backs decide by how much.

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    Looks a more exciting squad than the England one to be fair.

    I think they could go all the way in the World Cup.

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