Tonga centre Pita Ahki benefitted from World Rugby changing its eligibility laws.
Murray Kinsella Reports from Tours WHEN WORLD RUGBY announced that it was changing its eligibility laws back in November 2021, Pita Ahki’s phone started to blow up. The notifications pinged and popped and swooshed from all corners of the globe.
Ahki’s mother is Tongan and his father is Samoan, so he could have played for either. As a high-performing starter for one of the best clubs in the world, Ahki would surely have been instantly attractive to both of the Pacific Island nations.“To be honest, I didn’t think I would,” said Ahki today at Tonga’s World Cup camp.
There might be some familiar faces from his time in Connacht if Finlay Bealham and Bundee Aki are involved.Ahki signed for the westerners on a short-term deal in the 2017/18 season, playing for the province seven times. He was keen to stay on but Connacht went a different route and Ahki ended up with Toulouse.
“We loved our time, we wanted to stay longer because I was sick of all the moving from club to club, but obviously things didn’t work out there and I ended up in Toulouse.” “Some world-class players in the Irish team but we don’t know what team they’ll put out. Whatever team they put out, we know it’ll be world-class. There’s been a lot of chat around what they can and can’t do, but they’re number one for a reason.”As for the Tongans, there is excitement about seeing them get their World Cup campaign underway after having a watching brief on the opening weekend.
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