THE Tongan Rugby League intends to march the international federation to court after it ruled Parramatta's Fuifui Moimoi and the Wests Tigers' Taniela Tuiaki were ineligible to represent Tonga at the World Cup.
Just a day after the Tongans lost Roosters back-rower Anthony Tupou after he was called up to the Australian squad, the Rugby League International Federation delivered the Pacific Islanders another blow when it said Moimoi and Tuiaki could not play because they had elected to play for New Zealand last year.
"We'd love to see all the best players in the tournament," RLIF chairman and tournament director Colin Love told the Herald yesterday. "But you can't just break the rules, you can't turn it into a farce."
It means the tournament - already struggling for credibility after Tupou's abrupt switch of camps on Thursday - has forced two of its drawcards into the stands. Kiwis coach Steve Kearney had told Tongan counterpart Jim Dymock he did not require them.
"I just don't understand," Dymock said yesterday. "I've spoken to Steve Kearney and he's more than happy for them to play for us. I don't see where the damage is. It's not hurting New Zealand. I don't know who it's hurting. More than anything, we've got two quality players who will be sitting in the grandstand when they could've been helping out an emerging nation."
Last night, Tongan tour manager and director William Edwards said his board was poised to fight the matter in the courts after learning there was no avenue to appeal against the RLIF's decision.
"My board has informed me they have engaged legal counsel and will take the matter before the courts," he said. "They are being denied their right to play. My board have taken the view that Fuifui and Taniela should be wearing a Tongan jersey."
At the heart of the matter is that players can choose to play for whoever they want at the completion of this year's tournament. RLIF rules introduced last year require players eligible to play for more than one country to elect which country they wish to represent.
The rule allows players one application to change their choice during a two-year period.
Last year, Moimoi and Tuiaki decided to change their country of election from Tonga to New Zealand, and both represented the Kiwis in last year's tour of England and France.
"A separate application from the two players was also tabled last night seeking to change their election a second time to again be available for Tonga for the 2008 World Cup," a RLIF statement said. "This application was rejected."
However, the RLIF approved applications from four players to switch allegiance - Ben Roberts (to Samoa), Jarryd Hayne (Fiji), Louis Anderson (Tonga) and Antonio Kaufusi (Tonga) - but they were allowed to do so because they have done so only once in the past two years.
"I don't want to elaborate on the grounds too much," Edwards said. "But changes to the eligibility rules that adversely affects us are made by the executive, and we don't have a say in it."
Dymock said: "After the WC, everyone can start again. Why not just do it now? Why not let them do it now and then let it be a fresh slate?"
Tonga were considered one of the dark horses of the competition, which Australia are expected to win comfortably.
Dymock said the sidelining of two more players from his squad would undermine crowd figures for the tournament.
"How do you explain it to the Tongan supporters?" he asked. "Fuifui is a cult figure. When he's playing for Parra, they're all screaming his name out. He's a big crowd pleaser c It will hurt them in that respect."
¡ The match might be a send-off for rugby league great Ruben Wiki, but the All Golds are expecting few favours from the New Zealand Maori in New Plymouth tomorrow, NZPA reports.
The All Golds are drawn mainly from the Kiwis squad, who have just one other outing, against Tonga next weekend.
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