Tonga believe World Cup experience provides an edge

Tonga players believe they will not only have the overwhelming support of fans at Saturday's historic Test against Australia but an advantage in established combinations after selecting just one new face from last year's World Cup campaign.

With excitement about the Test set to reach fever pitch in Auckland on Wednesday at a Tongan fan day, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern joined local MPs to record a video message urging the team's supporters to stay safe, look after each other, use public transport and for children to attend school first.

The Kangaroos are expected to have few supporters among the anticipated 30,000 crowd at Mt Smart Stadium on Saturday and five-eighth Tuimoala Lolohea said the Mate Ma'a Tonga players had thrived off the energy created by their fans during the World Cup.

An intimidating atmosphere is hardly the ideal environment for the new-look Australian team to develop combinations as halves Daly Cherry-Evans and Luke Keary have only played 13 minutes together after the latter was concussed in last Saturday night’s 26-24 loss to the Kiwis.

The Test was also the first time Cherry-Evans had played alongside hooker Damien Cook and fullback James Tedesco, while the Kangaroos also have new left and right centre/wing pairings.

In contrast, Tonga coach Kristian Woolf has chosen 16 members of the World Cup squad who fell agonisingly short of the final after a controversial 20-18 loss to England at Mt Smart Stadium, with Manly prop Addin Fonua-Blake replacing injured Parramatta forward Manu Ma'u.

The benefit of the Tonga players having spent six weeks together during the World Cup was on display at June's Pacific Test as they overpowered Samoa 38-22 after scoring six tries to one in the opening 31 minutes.

Lolohea said the more Tests Tonga played, the better the team would become.

"That Samoa game this year was a good game," Lolohea said. "We probably played 60 minutes of good footy and we managed to blow Samoa off the park but there was that 20 minute period where they came back at us.

"We can't have that against Australia, we have got to play the 80 minutes to the best we can."

The Tongan camp is bracing themselves for the Kangaroos to hit back after their first defeat in more than three years last Saturday, but with so many key changes to the there is also a sense they may be vulnerable.

"It is a whole new team and they are still trying to pick up on how each other plays," Lolohea said. "I think we can take a little bit of confidence out of that, seeing that there are some weaknesses in their team and that we capitalise on those.

"I guess we are going to have to wait and see on Saturday at how the game unfolds and where those opportunities are."

The Leeds-bound playmaker will line up in the halves with Canberra's Ata Hingano, and while many believe the spine is an area where the Kangaroos have the edge they will be playing behind a powerful forward pack led by Jason Taumalolo, Andrew Fifita and captain Sika Manu.

SioSiua Taukeiaho will partner Fifita in the front row, with Tevita Pangai jnr alongside Manu in the second row and Fonua-Blake, Joe Ofahengaue and Peni Terepo on the interchange bench, along with Sione Katoa, who will share the dummy half duties with Saliva Havili.

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"The pack that we do have, it is massive and it is crazy what some of the big boys can do with their footwork and speed," Lolohea said.

"To get called into this team, your confidence comes right back up and we will see how the confidence levels are on Saturday night.

"I am sure the boys thrive off the energy from the sideline. I think it helped us during the World Cup and I am pretty sure our fans are going to be roaring on Saturday."

After arriving in New Zealand last Wednesday, Lolohea said the support from the Tonga community was as passionate as it was during the World Cup.

"You just see every single car with a Tongan flag on it, they are everywhere," he said. "We get confidence off that and we get energy from them."

Tonga: 1 William Hopoate, 2 Daniel Tupou, 3 Michael Jennings, 4 Solomone Kata, 5 David Fusitu'a, 6 Tuimoala Lolohea, 7 Mafoa'aeata Hingano, 8 Andrew Fifita, 9 Siliva Havili, 10 SioSiua Taukeiaho, 11 Tevita Pangai jnr, 12 Sika Manu, 13 Jason Taumalolo. Interchange: 14 Sione Katoa, 15 Addin Fonua-Blake, 16 Joe Ofahengaue, 17 Peni Terepo. Reserves: 18 Konrad Hurrell, 19 Leivaha Pulu, 20 Robert Jennings, 21 Ben Murdoch-Masila.