Tonga star injured in World Cup setback

Tonga’s World Cup campaign encounters a major setback after key player Isaiya Katoa sustained an ankle injury in the Dolphins’ preliminary final defeat to the Roosters. Katoa’s ankle got trapped awkwardly in a hit-up, leading him to signal pain throughout the remaining 79 minutes of the match.

According to local reports, Katoa could barely walk after the match and was spotted walking to the team bus with a moon boot. He will undergo scans on Saturday to determine the extent of the injury, which could potentially keep him out of the World Cup.

A severe injury requiring surgery would be a devastating blow to Tonga’s chances, as Katoa is a key player for the team. On the other hand, a best-case scenario of an ankle sprain would require only a few weeks of rehab, potentially allowing him to play in Tonga’s opening World Cup match.

Katoa’s opposite, Sam Walker, returned to play for the Roosters after only a few weeks out of action, providing some hope for Katoa’s recovery. However, Katoa himself is uncertain about his chances of playing in the World Cup, saying “I’m not sure if I’ll be right (for the World Cup), I hope I am.”

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“It’s pretty sore at the moment and I’ll have some scans to see how bad it is,” Katoa said. “I got my ankle twisted in that tackle, I felt it straight, and I just had to get through the game and do the best I could.” “Hopefully it’s not too serious and I’ll be OK to play for Tonga.”

Dolphins coach Kristian Woolf, who will lead Tonga through the World Cup campaign, revealed that Katoa was in a lot of discomfort during the match but pushed through the pain to fight for a victory. Woolf said, “He was hobbling around with it for the majority of the game.” “That certainly knocked us around, he is a key player for us and you could see he wasn’t quite at his best because he was hindered.” “We will get it checked out and see where he is at.”

Tonga’s emergence as a significant threat in the rugby world was sparked by Jason Taumalolo’s decision to defect from New Zealand in 2017. Since then, many stars have followed suit, leading to Tonga’s historic win over Australia in 2019. Tonga will kick off their World Cup campaign against England on October 17.

As Tonga prepares to face England, they will be hoping that Katoa’s injury is not too severe and that he will be able to play a key role in their World Cup campaign. With a talented squad at their disposal, Tonga is widely regarded as a significant threat, despite not being a Tier 1 nation.