Transcript
FE'AO VUNIPOLA: With regard to the grandstand upgrading work will be done, according to our deputy prime minister, will be completed by the end of April so priority is the playing area which is now given the go ahead. The grandstand work, changing rooms and stuff, is, I think, straightforward. It only involves the replacement of...plumbing, fittings and stuff and then doing some decoration work to the whole grandstand but overall, I think, we are all happy and relieved after seven or eight years for our 'Ikale Tahi playing in exile they are all looking forward to come back and the people of Tonga can't wait to welcome them back.
VINNIE WYLIE: If it's all only going to take a few months why has it taken so long? I realise it's not Tonga Rugby's responsibility [for] Teufaiva, that's in the hands of the government and they're now putting some money in and getting things underway but why has it taken his long if it doesn't actually take much to do?
FV: I don't want to point fingers at people but I think it's just a matter of prioritisation and I think for us our priority was always to bring a game to here and to qualify for 2019 World Cup. Which by playing the two important matches here gives us more chance of winning it this year because that's the only way we can qualify for 2019 is to win the Pacific Nations Cup this year. People have priorities, the government have the people of Tonga as their priority but now we are just grateful that they are lending us a big hand to help us out because rugby union, as you know, is the Tongan national game - has been and will always.
VW: The impression I got from Toutai Kefu, the 'Ikale Tahi head coach, was that it possibly needed the grass to be re-turfed and that could take three to four months. Does the whole field need to be re-turfed and what is that time-frame?
FV: They were all surprised when we all turned up to Teufaiva and there used to be a poverty part of the field, particular the infield, but the whole field now is green - it's all green. The grass has grown, it's so healthy, because we had been having rain for the last few weeks and even the the turf management consultant from New Zealand was surprised by how quick the grass had grown, so there's no major work to be done. They will be moving a few patches there - they have started. They will be mowing it, fertilising it and fixing little patches wherever they feel they need to but overall there's just no need for a huge improvement to be done, like they anticipated before.
VW: I assume there will still need to be a final sign-off at some point?
FV: Of course there will be but I think for now the playing area I think it's about 99.99 percent the game is going ahead.