Malakai Fekitoa will captain Tonga at this weekend's Final Olympic Rugby Sevens Qualifier in Monaco.
Malakai Fekitoa is all smiles in training with the Tonga sevens team. Photo: Giorgio Perottino - World Rugby/Getty Images
The former All Black first represented the team 13 years ago before moving to New Zealand as a 17-year-old.
Fekitoa is one of three players switching their international allegience to Tonga, alongside former Wallabies forward Lopeti Timani and ex Australian sevens international Afusipa Taumoepeau.
"I am very proud to have been a part of the best team in the world but at the same time I want to contribute something great to Tonga, my country, my homeland and where my heart belongs," he wrote on Twitter.
— Malakai Fekitoa (@MalakaiFekitoa) June 17, 2021
Former Tonga sevens player Viliami Vaki will coach the team this weekend and said the trio have been amazing since joining up with the squad.
"They just want to play for Tonga and that's enough for us," he said.
"The meaning of them wanting to play for Tonga - even though they already played for the All Blacks or the Wallabies - and seeing them very emotional when they talk about their families and stuff, it makes my job easier because if it wasn't for them it would be impossible to make a team."
Malakai Fekitoa will be supported by vice captains and 'Ikale Tahi internationals Alaska Taufa and David Halaifonua in Monaco.
Vaki also paid tribute to the work of Tonga Sevens Head Coach Tevita Tu'ifua, manager Richard Weightman and Tonga Rugby CEO Peter Harding, who spent countless hours planning for the repechage tournament, as they navigated World Rugby regulations, club and player availability and travel restrictions in the midst of a global pandemic.
Viliami Vaki playing for the Tonga Sevens team in 2002. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Harding was looking forward to seeing the high profile additions in a red jersey.
"Malakai's going to be a great asset on the field for Tonga Rugby but also off the field because he's just that sort of bloke who can galvanise people together and he's a natural leader," he said.
"We've got Lopeti Timani coming back who will add depth in our backrow second row which will be fantastic, and Afusipa [Taumoepeau] whose a strong one and he's the captain at Perpignan at the moment who just went up into Top 14, so as the centre he's going to add depth as well."
Malakai Fekitoa first played for the Tonga Sevens in 2008. Photo: Supplied
Former Tonga international Vaki was originally asked to act as the team's manager in Monaco, alongside interim coach Adriaan Ferris, because Covid-19 restrictions made it difficult for Tu'ifua and Weightman to travel from New Zealand.
But San Francisco-based Ferris was also unable to get to the principality, leaving the 45-year-old in charge, with help from former 'Ikale Tahi fullback Vungakoto Lilo.
"I didn't expect that. It was unfortunate that Age (Ferris) couldn't make it - I was looking forward to work with him because his experience would be a massive help here with the team but...he didn't make it so I move up to take his place and then Vunga came in to fill in as manager."
Vaki, who is coaching in Italy, said it was a privilege to help his country.
"It's great thing to give back to the Tongan team that helped me throughout my career and where I am today. I just said, 'I'm in', because I know Tevita. We played together and I think we have the same mindset and stuff - it wasn't difficult to respond."
Tonga open their Monaco campaign against Samoa on Saturday, before taking on Ireland, Mexico and Zimbabwe.
37-year-old Alaska Taufa is the oldest player in the Tongan squad. Photo: AFP
Vaki was confident the kingdom would hold their own in a tough pool.
"We only got together for a couple of days and that's it, but these guys are professional players, they know what to do," he said.
"You don't go coaching these guys, they've been playing in the high level. I think we just look at our own strength, we don't look at the other team."
Harding also backed Tonga to ruffler some feathers.
"It's a big, fast and tough team and they will do some damage on the weekend. A lot of these guys haven't played sevens for a long time but they have all played at international level at one stage in their life.
"They're fit, they've all been playing professionally and we tested them and they were fit, so it will be interesting to see what they can do this weekend."
The top two teams in each pool in the men's draw will advance to the semi finals, with just one qualifying spot in Tokyo up for grabs.
