GLASGOW Warriors winger Walter Fifita will come up against some of his new team-mates when he takes the field for Tonga against Scotland tomorrow. The 24-year-old, who signed for Danny Wilson’s squad earlier this month from New Zealand side North Harbour, has trained with his new team at Scotstoun but has yet to play for them.
Having been named on the left-wing, Fifita will be in direct opposition to Kyle Steyn, who will be winning his second cap for the home team. Left-winger Rufus McLean and centre pairing Sam Johnson and Sione Tuipulotu are the other Glasgow players in the Scots’ back line along with scrum-half and co-captain Ali Price.
Former Warriors back-row forward Fotu Lokotui is also in the tourists’ starting line-up for the match at BT Murrayfield - the first of four games Scotland will play at the national stadium in successive weekends. Now 29, Lokotui made his Glasgow debut last October, but moved on at the end of last season to French club Agen.
In common with Scotland, the Tongan 23 includes eight players who will be winning their first caps. But while Gregor Townsend has named four debutants in his starting line-up with another four on the bench, the visitors’ split is six starting and two in reserve.
The half-dozen new caps who will start the match are: right-wing Atunaisa Manu, centre Vaea Vaea, loosehead prop Loni Uhila, hooker Maile Ngauamo, lock Setofano Funaki and blindside Tanginoa Halaifonua. Reserve tighthead Tomu Taufa and backs replacement Navarre Haisila are the two uncapped members of the bench.
Tonga (v Scotland at BT Murrayfield, tomorrow 2.30pm): J Faiva; A Manu, M Hingano, V Vaea, W Fifita; K Morath, S Takulua (captain); L Uhila, M Ngauamo, D Lolohea, H Fifita, S Funaki, T Halaifonua, F Lokotui, V Mapapalangi. Substitutes: S Maile, J Felemi, T Taufa, D Faleafa, O Havili, M Kafatolu, A Halo, N Haisila.
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