Jamie-Lee Price won’t be the only GIANT taking the court at the 2023 World Cup in South Africa later this month.
GIANTS Academy member Luana Aukafolau will proudly represent her family’s heritage, playing for Tonga at the upcoming tournament.
The 22-year-old has been selected in the 12-player squad, which will mark history for the Polynesian Kingdom as the first Tongan side to participate in a Netball World Cup.
Their last major tournament was at the 1999 World Championships in Christchurch, where they were knocked out by Northern Ireland for a spot in the top 16.
The rebirth of Tonga Netball has been built on hardship but is now at what Aukafolau describes as the pinnacle.
“It’s such an honour to represent my family and my country,” she said.
Aukafolau has represented the Tala’s since 2019, participating in the South Pacific Games (2019) and Pacific Aus Games (2022 and 2023).
Performances at the respective competitions have seen Tonga catapult into seventh place in the world rankings.
Aukafolau said opponents should not take Tonga lightly in Cape Town, despite their debutant status.
“It’s unpredictable but we’re coming for the top,” said Aukafolau.
“Everyone’s on the same page and we just want to do our best for our country.”
Their recent performances in the qualifying games saw them remain undefeated from 10 matches across two tournaments, with an average winning margin of 25 goals.
Their squad boasts some strong names, with former Australian Diamond Mo’onia Gerrard and former Silver Fern Cathrine Tuivaiti set to line up for the team in red.
The GIANTS Academy member started her netball journey with Liverpool Netball Association and is now representing the Penrith Panthers in the Netball NSW Premier League competition on Wednesday nights.
She has also been a member of the GIANTS Netball Academy since its inception in late 2019.
The Tala’s have recently spent time in camp at New Zealand and will depart for Cape Town on Wednesday evening.
