Tongan side for Samoa clash

Two Harlequins RL stars, Solomon Haumono and Tyrone Smith, are included in the Tongan team to face Samoa in the opening match of Rugby League?s newest international competition, the Federation Shield, at Headingley Carnegie Stadium, Leeds on Sunday (Kick off 3.45pm).

They are joined in the Tongan team by another player with British club experience Richard Fa?aoso who played for Castleford Tigers in the engage Super League this year. Haumono will start the match at prop forward while Smith plays on the right wing.

Tonga side for 22 October: Fetuli Talanoa; Tyrone Smith, Andrew Emilio, Lelea Paea, 'Etuate Uaisele; Feleti Mateo, Joel Taufa'ao; Solomon Haumono, Kim Uasi, FuiFui MoiMoi, Richard Fa'aoso, Lopini Paea, Willie Tupou.

Interchange: Mickey Paea, Taniela Tuiaki, Sam Moa, Maka Ritcher

Besides being the opening match in the Federation Shield, the Tongan encounter with Samoa is also doubling up as the final game in the 2008 World Cup Qualifying Competition Pacific Oceania Group.

Two places in the World Cup to be played in Australia in 2008 are up for grabs and three nations from the four-strong group, Fiji, Samoa and Tonga, are in with a chance of making the qualifying positions.

Samoa currently top the group with four points while Tonga are in third place with two points having suffered a surprise defeat by Fiji when the majority of the group games were played in Australia earlier this month. If Tonga wins they will join Samoa and Fiji on four points and the group will be decided on points difference.

Source: www.therfl.co.uk