Tongan ties as Reds unleash Wallaby Kaitu'u for Ikale Tahi clash
Wed, Jul 24, 2024, 1:00 PM
Lachlan Grey
Reds coach Les Kiss will fight Tongan fire with fire this by handing Feleti Kaitu'u a maiden Queensland cap against the Ikale Tahi.
Wallaby #945 Kaitu'u is the latest new face around Ballymore since Super Rugby Pacific wrapped up after impressing with GPS in Brisbane's Hospital Cup competition.
The 29-year-old recently cut ties with the Western Force after 61 games in blue, including a stint as club captain through 2022, and last donned Wallaby gold in 2021.
"He's an experienced player in his own right but for him to come and join us and play will be fantastic," Kiss said of Kaitu'u, whose family hails from the Kingdom of Tonga.
"He'll come off the bench for number two at us. I think it'll be a great experience for him."
Kaitu'u is the only newcomer to a stacked Queensland outfit that has changed little from the side beaten 36-35 by Wales last week.
New recruit Lachie Anderson steps into a starting wing role with Flloyd Aubrey moving to the pine while Massimo De Lutiis swaps tighthead roles with Jeffery Toomaga-Allen for his maiden start.
It's a side littered with Test caps with Jock Campbell retaining the captaincy, James O'Connor unchanged at flyhalf and an all-international replacement front row in Kaitu'u, Matt Gibbon and Toomaga-Allen
For their part, the Ikale Tahi are set to roll out a Wallaby of their own with lock Adam Coleman among a swathe of international stars including 150kg prop Ben Taumeifuna and boom centre Malakai Fekitoa.
"They're explosive and you've got to be careful of this team," Kiss said.
"You give them a start and they're hard to pull back so we need to be on the ball.
"It's going to be a tough challenge, they're at home, I believe there'll be a fairly handy crowd and they can be quite boisterous so we need to be on point."
The Reds tackle Tonga in Nuku'alofa on Friday afternoon following an earlier women's clash featuring Queensland and Tonga's national side - the Lofa.
Queensland Reds v Tonga
Friday 26 July
Teufaiva Sport Stadium, Nuku’alofa
12.30pm AEST
1. Sef Fa’agase – Sunnybank – Shailer Park State High School – Beaudesert Warriors
2. Richie Asiata – Easts – Anglican Church Grammar School
3. Massimo De Lutiis – Easts – The Southport School – Surfers Paradise Dolphins
4. Connor Vest – Souths - Grafton High School - Grafton Junior Rugby Club
5. Ryan Smith (vc) – Brothers – St Patrick’s College, Shorncliffe – Caboolture Snakes
6. Seru Uru – Wests, Ratu Kadavulevu School, Fiji – Namoli Rugby Club, Fiji
7. John Bryant - Souths - St Laurence’s College - Souths
8. Joe Brial – University of Queensland – Scots College – Easts, Sydney
9. Louis Werchon - Wests – Sunshine Coast Grammar – Maroochydore Swans
10. James O’Connor - Brothers - St Joseph’s Nudgee College - Brothers
11. Mac Grealy – University of Queensland – Downlands College – Souths Toowoomba
12: Dre Pakeho – Brothers – Anglican Church Grammar School
13. Tim Ryan – Brothers – St Patrick’s College, Shorncliffe
14. Lachie Anderson – Eastwood – Oakhill College – Dural Rugby Club
15. Jock Campbell (c) – University of Queensland – The Southport School – Inverell Highlanders
16. Feleti Kaitu’u – GPS – St Joseph’s Nudgee College
17. Matt Gibbon – Bond University – St Joseph’s Nudgee College – Wollongbar Alstonville Rugby Club
18. Jeffery Toomaga-Allen - Norths - Wellington College, NZ
19. Josh Canham – Bond University – Brighton Grammar, Melbourne - Harlequins, Melbourne
20. Taine Roiri – Sunnybank – John Paul College - Sunnybank
21. Will Cartwright – Brothers – St Joseph’s Nudgee College - Brothers
22. Mason Gordon – Wests – Brisbane Boys’ College - Wests
23. Floyd Aubrey - GPS - Marist College Ashgrove – GPSEndFragment
