Toutai Kefu says Tonga have a 'different class of side with massive X-factor'

Tonga sit on the difficult side of the draw and lost all three matches at the 2023 Pacific Nations Cup.

But they have included five former All Blacks and ex-Australia forward Adam Coleman in their squad, although injury ruled out controversial ex-Wallabies star Israel Folau.

Tonga coach Toutai Kefu, a former Australia loose forward, has made the most of the rules allowing capped players to switch allegiance after a stand-down period of three years.

Full-back Charles Piutau, centres George Moala and Malakai Fekitoa -- a 2015 World Cup winner with New Zealand -- plus loose forward Vaea Fifita and scrum-half Augustine Pulu have all played for the All Blacks.

Moala is banned for Tonga's first three games against Ireland, Scotland and South Africa after being sent off in a warm-up win over Canada.

Coleman, whose late father Pau'u Afeaki captained Tonga, can boost the pack, but a knee injury sidelined Folau, who was sacked by Rugby Australia in 2019 over a homophobic social media post.

Tonga have never reached the knock-out phase of a World Cup, but Kefu says his squad will bring something original to a very strong Pool B featuring South Africa, Ireland and Scotland.

"This is obviously a different class of side compared to teams we have had in the past and what it enables us to do, it provides us with some massive X-factor," he added.