Moala gets his chance in Tonga's final pool match

Former All Blacks centre George Moala will finally get his chance to play for Tonga at the World Cup against Romania in Lille on Sunday, when the Pacific islanders will be looking to sign off from the tournament with a first victory.

Moala, who played four tests for New Zealand from 2015, was selected for the World Cup despite still having three matches to serve on a ban for a tip tackle against Canada in early August.

The 32-year-old will line up at outside centre against the Romanians in place of another former All Black Malakai Fekitoa in one of six changes to the side that lost to South Africa last week.

The Tonga XV facing Romania in their last #RWC2023 match 🇹🇴#TGAvROU pic.twitter.com/U9niqmctpI

— Rugby World Cup (@rugbyworldcup) October 6, 2023

"We should win this game," said coach Toutai Kefu. "It's not going to be easy but if we can bring that same energy, aggression and commitment that we did for the last couple of games, we should get a good result."

Sonatane Takulua, Tonga's most capped player, returns to captain the side from scrumhalf in place of another former New Zealand international, Augustine Pulu.

A fourth former All Black, Charles Piutau, lines up at fullback for the fourth straight pool match, while the fifth, No 8 Vaea Fifita, was unavailable after being banned for four matches for a high shot in the loss to Scotland.

Adam Coleman, who played for Australia at the last World Cup, comes into the starting second row alongside Vaea's brother Leva Fifita.

Tonga coach Kefu, a World Cup winner with the Wallabies in 1999, brought Afusipa Taumoepeau and Solomone Kata back on the wings after leaving them out of the starting line-up for the Springboks match.

Kefu also tweaked his back row, shifting Semisi Paea to blindside flanker and promoting Sione Vailanu from the bench to start in his place at No 8.

"We wanted to give all players a run," Kefu said. "Even if this game was crucial for us to go through to the pool stages, we still would have done the same. If we could do it without compromising our ability to win the game, why not?"

TONGA TEAM: 1-Siegfried Fisi'ihoi, 2-Paula Ngauamo, 3-Ben Tameifuna, 4-Leva Fifita, 5-Adam Coleman, 6-Semisi Paea, 7-Sione Talitui, 8-Sione Vailanu, 9-Sonatane Takulua, 10-William Havili, 11-Afusipa Taumoepeau, 12-Pita Ahki, 13-George Moala, 14-Solomone Kata, 15-Charles Piutau

REPLACEMENTS: 16-Sione Anga'aelangi, 17-Paula Latu, 18-Siate Tokolahi, 19-Steve Mafi, 20-Penitoa Finau, 21-Manusiu Paea, 22-Patrick Pellegrini, 23-Kyren Taumoefolau