EXPLOSIVE winger Cooper Vuna missed out on the final rugby sevens qualifying spot for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games with Tonga after finishing tenth at the Monaco Sevens.
Vuna was placed as vice captain of the Tonga Sevens squad on Saturday and Sunday as they looked to claim the 12th spot of the inaugural Olympic Sevens, at the Stade Louis II stadium.
Being placed in a competitive Pool A, the Tongans lost 26-0 to Samoa, 21-14 to Zimbabwe and 31-12 to Ireland, which saw them miss out on a quarter-finals spot.
But Vuna’s side managed to reach the Challenge Trophy final with a 41-7 win against South Korea and a 33-12 victory over Uruguay, but fell to a 31-5 defeat to Zimbabwe in the final.
Minnows Spain upset the odds by defeating top seeds Samoa 22-19 in a dramatic final to book their place in Rio.
Had Tonga won the competition, Vuna could have come up against fellow Warriors team-mate Francois Hougaard, of South Africa, at this summer’s Games.
Fe’ao Vunipola, interim chief executive of the Tongan Rugby Union, said the team will learn and move forward.
Bernard Lapasset, World Rugby chairman, said: “All the teams showed the very best of our sport and its character-building values at the Monaco Sevens. Rugby was certainly the winner throughout a truly compelling final qualifier weekend.
“We can now look forward to a game-changing Rio 2016 Olympic Games, which will enable rugby to reach and inspire new audiences worldwide.”
The Rio Olympic Sevens will get underway on Tuesday, August 9 and comprises Spain, Fiji, South Africa, New Zealand, Great Britain, Argentina, USA, France, Kenya, Japan, Australia and hosts Brazil.
n OTHER Warriors players in international action last weekend included Tevita Cavubati, who helped Fiji claim their fourth successive Pacific Nations title with a 26-16 victory over James Johnston’s Samoa at the ANZ Stadium in Suva.
Hooker Jaba Bregvadze was also in the Southern Hemisphere, where he helped Georgia defeat Tonga 23-20.