All hands on deck - Tonga putting in defence against Samoa at the Pacific Games in Solomon Islands. FT score Tonga 18 - 0 Samoa. Photo: RNZ Pacific / Koroi Hawkins
Medals for the men's and women's rugby league nines will be decided at the Pacific Games in Honiara today.
The Tonga women's team is just one match away from being crowned Pacific Games champions in Solomon Islands.
The tournament debutante's unbeaten run to the final included a 14-8 victory over defending champions Fiji, who will be playing Samoa for bronze.
Tonga will play the Cook Islands in the gold medal match on Wednesday night and their captain Ana Ngahe said the team was keeping its eyes on the ball.
"The Cook Islands gave us a tough game (when the teams met in pool play), but it was pretty awesome our girls were determined and committed throughout the whole game," Ngahe said.
Tonga's Lavinia Tauhalaliku breaks Samoa's defence line at the Pacific Games in Solomon Islands. FT score Tonga 18 - 0 Samoa. Photo: RNZ Pacific / Koroi Hawkins
She said the hardest thing for her team had been playing in the sultry conditions.
"Our girls are not very adapted to the weather but all-in-all we just want to thank God, he is the reason we have made it this far ... we just want to give the glory back to God."
The Cook Islands' only loss in the tournament has been against Tonga, and captain Toru Arakua was chomping at the bit for a rematch.
"I'll tell you now that was a nail-biter, but we will come back from it two times stronger," Arakua said.
Fiji-Samoa rematch
In the men's competition, defending champions Fiji are also keen for a rematch, their only loss this tournament coming at the hands of Samoa who they play again on Wednesday local time in the gold medal match.
Big Hits - Samoa put in some bone-crunching tackles against hosts Solomon Islands. FT score Samoa - Solomons Islands. FT score Samoa 22 - 4 Solomon Islands. Photo: RNZ Pacific / Koroi Hawkins
Fiji captain Rusiate Ratukana said the team had recovered well from the loss against Samoa with back-to-back wins over hosts Solomon Islands and the Cook Islands on Tuesday.
"We have been working on things game after game, we had lost yesterday and we bounced back," Ratukana said.
He said the Fijians were loving playing in Honiara.
"We love Solomons, even though it is hot here, we love Solomons, the food, the people it's lovely and the competition is really competitive, and we really love this whole new stadium ... the atmosphere here, the Fijian boys just love it."
For the men's bronze medal match the Cook Islands will be taking on Tonga who beat them in their final pool match on Tuesday.
Kick-off for the women's gold medal match is at 5.30pm (7.30pm NZT) and the men will battle it out from 7pm (9pm NZT).
The Cook Islands' Adya Angana has a crack at Tonga's Ulukaulupe Akolo during the 2023 Pacific Games in Solomon Islands. 21 November 2023 Photo: RNZ Pacific / Koroi Hawkins