Ha’ato’u’s very own Leimoni Moala is set to make his debut for the Tonga National Beach Soccer Team in Tahiti in the OFC Beach Soccer Nations Cup after converting from International Rugby into Beach Football and now he is set to represent his birth country in the National Level.
Leimoni Moala moved to Tongatapu on his college ages to study and play rugby at ‘Apifo’ou College and through to the School’s Rugby Club, Marist where he got the chance to sign on a contract with Romanian Rugby Club U-Cluj University for Four Years in 2014. Within Leimoni’s years playing rugby in Romania he was selected in 2017-2018 to Romania’s National 7s Team which competed in a European 7s circuit Series.
Moala returned in 2018 to Tonga to visit his family and despite the club extending his contract, he chose to stay and pursue a new career in playing Beach Soccer which was developing by the Tonga Football Association at his home land of Ha’apai in the time.
Speaking to TFA Website, Leimoni explains that he was excited when he returned back to his home knowing that an actual sport is based and being developed in Ha’apai so he started converting to this sport on a mission to one day represent not only Tonga but his home land of Ha’apai.
“In everything I do especially in sport, I always put a goal to it and I always put all my effort and time in trying to reach and achieve that goal and I am very proud to now know that I represent my birth country in this new sport which is still developing in Ha’apai and with the hard work the team have done in preparation for this competition I believe we will return with good results after the competition.”
Tautahi’s Coach, Peni Fatafehi is confident with Leimoni’s addition to the team is big impact and boost for newly debutant in the team. “I believe Leimoni’s mentality will be a big benefit for the team since he has past experiences in International level sport although in rugby, but he can bring encourage to the boys who will be playing in a different and new atmosphere during the competition.” Peni Fatafehi to TFA Website.
Tautahi will play their first game today at 4:00pm against
End.
