The centre, who joined the Exiles in 2010 from Doncaster Knights, hasn’t featured for Welsh since a shoulder injury sustained in the opening minutes of the club’s Premiership win over London Irish at the Kassam in December 2012.
Agonisingly Tonga’uiha’s return was then further delayed when he picked up an Achilles injury in September in training, but Saturday will see him finally bring an end to his injury nightmare.
“I’m a bit nervous about Saturday but I can’t wait, as it’s been a very long time since my last game for the club,” said Tonga’uiha, who has been capped 24 times by Tonga.
“At the beginning it was really tough for me. There were loads of doubts going through my head, but I was so lucky to have my family and friends around me and their support all the time.”
Tonga’uiha is now keen to repay the faith shown in him by the club, not least of all by its medical team and strength and conditioning coaches.
“They’re all probably sick of the sight of me! But I would really like to take this opportunity to thank the club for standing by me and my family during all the hard times I’ve been through,” said Tonga’uiha.
“Special thanks to the head coach Justin Burnell, Gordon Ross, Ollie Smith, Chris Jenkins and his medical staff, and strength and conditioning coaches Ryan Campbell and Lee Eldridge, for all of their hard work and everything they’ve done for me. Hopefully I can now pay them all back.”
After playing a leading role in London Welsh Championship success in 2012 – Tonga’uiha racked up 12 tries in 28 appearances in all competitions that season including crossing in both legs of the Exiles’ final victory over Cornish Pirates – Tonga’uiha made an impressive start to life in the Premiership with a try on debut against Leicester Tigers, before injury brought a promising season to a very premature end.
“It’s been very frustrating because I started last season very well before injury struck, but that can happen to anyone. The last three months have been very tough, the rehab and working on my fitness – I hope I’m able to compete again,” said Tonga’uiha.
The centre returns to first-team action against Jersey on Saturday with Welsh having secured their place in the Championship semi-finals and with three games of the regular season to go. Three games that offer Tonga’uiha the chance to stake a claim before the play-offs, although he’s not thinking that far ahead.
“At the moment I’m concentrating only on this weekend and nothing else. We’ve got a very good squad and I think we are good enough to win the league, but anything can happen in the play-offs,” he said.
