Isaiya Katoa Ruled Out of Tonga v Lebanon With the Ankle He Hurt Against England
Update, 24 October: Katoa did not play. He was named in the team, then officially ruled out on the Thursday morning before the game, news.com.au reported. Tonga beat Lebanon 36-0 without him, with Tui Lolohea and Latu Fainu in the backline, RNZ reported. Whether he will be fit for Samoa on Sunday 1 November had not been announced when this was updated. The rest of this page is what he and the camp said before the game.
Tonga’s halfback aggravated his left ankle in the 30-12 win over England and trained on modified duties on Tuesday, but he told nrl.com he gave no thought to sitting out Friday’s match against Lebanon at CommBank Stadium.
“I think that sends a bad message if we say I’m resting,” Katoa said. “You definitely don’t want to take the Lebanon team lightly.”
An ankle he has been managing since September
Katoa first hurt the ankle in the Dolphins’ 36-20 preliminary final loss to the Roosters on 25 September, and the club’s physios worked on it to get him fit for Tonga’s camp. “I hurt it again early in the (England) game but the fact I finished the match was a positive sign,” he said. “The physios have told me it’s probably going to be a bit slow to get going. So I came into the World Cup knowing it’s something I’m going to have to manage, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
He trained on his own after the warm-up and finished the session practising goal-kicking. He kicks with his right foot, so the left ankle can take it. Against England he kicked three conversions and four penalties and set up two tries.
Tonga finally have depth in the halves
Five-eighth Latu Fainu lasted only 17 minutes against England after straining a pectoral muscle, and Tui Lolohea came off the extended bench to replace him. Fainu completed training on Tuesday. Junior Amone is also available.
“To be honest it’s probably the first time we’ve had some depth in the halves,” Katoa said. “Usually we’re trying to transform a fullback or a centre into a half.” Of Fainu, who is 21, he said: “He honestly can be one of the most damaging five-eighths in the NRL.”
Eli Katoa’s return, off the field
The emotional story in the camp is Eli Katoa. The back-rower has not played since he needed fluid drained from his brain after three blows to the head before and during Tonga’s Pacific Championships match against New Zealand last November, the Sydney Morning Herald reported. He is with the squad now as a staff member.
Isaiya Katoa said he spoke to the team in Perth early in the camp. “He teared up in our team meeting,” he said. “So to hear that, it touched the boys’ hearts, and reminded us to be grateful for the smallest things in life, including having this opportunity to play footy.”
Coach Kristian Woolf said Eli was the squad’s blue-shirt trainer, part of the assistant coaching staff and a help with what the group does culturally. He faces scans in the next six weeks, and an independent panel of overseas experts will then decide whether he can return to playing.
What comes next
Tonga are on four points and plus 54 in the combined Pools B and C table after beating England for the first time and then Lebanon. Samoa are also on four. Tonga play Samoa at CommBank Stadium on Sunday 1 November at 8.05pm in Sydney, 9.05am in the UK, in the game that could decide the table, and England are hoping Tonga win it. The standings are updated after every match.
