Folau, ex-All Blacks hailed as Pacific rugby star power returns

Controversial former Wallaby Israel Folau's Pacific Nations Cup debut at the weekend, along with four former All Blacks, will provide a gilt-edged opportunity to raise the profile of the game in the region, the players' association chief told AFP on Wednesday.

Flying wing Folau played 73 Tests for Australia before being sacked in 2019 for posting homophobic messages on his social media account.

He is expected to be named in Tonga's team for Saturday's opening Pacific Nations Cup Test against Fiji in Suva, alongside ex-New Zealand backs Charles Piutau and Malakai Fekitoa.

Two others switching are Tonga scrumhalf Augustine Pulu and Fiji centre Seta Tamanivalu, who both played a handful of Tests for the All Blacks.

They have all taken advantage of new World Rugby eligibility rules which allow players to represent a country where they have a birthright, providing they haven't played Test rugby for three years.

Pacific Rugby Players Association co-founder and chief executive Hale T-Pole described the players who have switched allegiance as "pioneering" for the game in the cash-starved Pacific islands and predicted more would follow.

T-Pole told AFP that the veteran quintet, who are all in their thirties, were just the tip of the iceberg and several more former Test stars would become available for Fiji, Tonga and Samoa ahead of the November international window.

More will be eligible in time for next year's World Cup in France but he said much would hinge on how the teams perform on and off the pitch during the Pacific Nations Cup, which takes place over the next three weekends and also features an Australia A team.

T-Pole said the professionalism of the Pacific Nations would be a key factor in convincing others with overseas club