Ex-Wallabies star switches to World Cup rival

Former Wallabies fastener Adam Coleman is acceptable to honour his precocious begetter aft being named successful Tonga's squad for Rugby World Cup warm-up games successful July.

Coleman played 38 Tests for Australia betwixt 2016-19 earlier signing to play for London Irish.

The 31-year-old's precocious father, Pau'u Afeaki, is simply a erstwhile Tonga skipper who died erstwhile Coleman was 12.

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Wallabies fastener Adam Coleman celebrates successful Cardiff successful 2017. (Getty)

Coleman's cousins Rodney Blake (Australia), Inoke Afeaki (Tonga) and Ben Afeaki (New Zealand) person besides played Test rugby.

"That's the crushed I play rugby," Coleman said during the 2019 World Cup.

"You person the aged antheral play rugby for Tonga and you've got three, 4 cousins that person played nonrecreational rugby. So arsenic a youngster you ever look up to them and think, 'I privation to play rugby, I privation to beryllium amended than them'.

"I wanted to get retired determination and find retired wherefore they similar it truthful much. Why are they doing that?"

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Israel Folau successful campy with Tonga. (Sydney Morning Herald)

Coleman - who has besides been linked with a nine determination to Bordeaux - was approached by Tonga manager and Wallabies fable Toutai Kefu past twelvemonth regarding a imaginable switch.

World Rugby's caller eligibility laws person opened the doorway for a raft of planetary stars to power allegiance to Tonga, including Israel Folau, Charles Piutau, Malakai Fekitoa, Lopeti Timani, George Moala and Augustine Pulu.

Tonga is lone ranked 15th successful the satellite but connected insubstantial has the imaginable to origin large upsets successful a stacked Pool B that includes defending champions South Africa and satellite No.1 Ireland arsenic well arsenic Scotland and Romania.

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"We're going to person a truly bully team, astir apt the champion ever," Kefu told AAP recently.

"We're successful a pugnacious pool, but we'll propulsion each our eggs successful 1 handbasket and purpose up against Ireland (in the opener). We can't play footy with them - they'll bushed america each time of the week. So we request to travel up with a spot of a program and I deliberation we've got one... it's going to beryllium good."

TONGA SQUAD FOR JULY TESTS

Forwards: Siegfried Fisi'ihoi, Feao Fotuaika, David Lolohea, Paula Ngauamo, Siua Maile, Samiuela Moli, Sosefo Sakalia, Ben Tameifuna, Tau Koloamatangi, Sosefo Apikotoa, Adam Coleman, Samiuela Lousi, Halaleva Fifita, Sitiveni Mafi, Vaea Fifita, Tanginoa Halaifonua, Solomone Funaki, Sione Vailanu, Lopeti Timani, Sione Havili Talitui

Backs: Sonatane Takulua, Augustine Pulu, Manu Paea, William Havili, Otumaka Mausia, Patrick Pellegrini, Pita Ahki, Malakai Fekitoa, Afusipa Taumoepeau, George Moala, Fine Inisi, Israel Folau, Solomone Kata, Charles Piutau, Kuren Taumoefolau

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