The battle over the governance of rugby league in Tonga is ongoing. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
In 2017, the landscape of international league underwent a seismic shift as some of the biggest names in the game pledged their allegiance to their Pacific homes. The star-studded side ignited the world cup, and have notched several historic victories while captivating their people. While it's been a lean period for Tonga since the Covid pandemic, having lost their last four, Mate Ma'a Tonga remain one of the most must see side's in sport thanks to their raucous fans and razzle dazzle on field style.
RNZ looks back at the top ten moments of the Tongan Rugby League renaissance
1. Superstar Signings
This was a game changer for international league as a host of superstars aligned with Mate Ma'a Tonga. David Fifita, Konrad Hurrell, Will Hopoate, Michael Jennings, Manu Vatuvai, Manu Ma'u, David Fusitu'a, Sio Siua Taukeiaho, and perhaps most significantly, Jason Taumalolo, regarded as the best forward in the game at the time, all opted not to play for either Australia or New Zealand, and set the global game alight by honouring their Tongan heritage ahead of the 2017 Rugby League World Cup.
2. The Arrival
Beat Samoa 32-18 in Hamilton, 2017 RLWC.
Kicking off their campaign with a big win over Italy, the star-studded Tongan side next met their Pacific neighbours in Hamilton at the 2017 Rugby League World Cup. Michael Jennings pounced on back to back Samoan mistakes to cash in with a first half double. Peni Terepo put Tonga further ahead with a try just after the break, followed by a rampaging Ben Murdoch-Masila who stretched the lead to 20. A late rally helped Samoa erase the deficit to just eight, before Manu Ma'u sealed things in the 77th courtesy of a beautiful Ata Hingano ball.
3. A Heist against the Hosts
Beat New Zealand 28-22 in Hamilton, 2017 RLWC.
Waikato Stadium was drenched in red but the electric atmosphere was soon silenced as New Zealand raced it to a 16-2 lead with tries for Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, Jordan Rapana and Roger Tuivasa Sheck. In the 47th minute, David Fusitua leapt into the air to claim a bomb, and the crowd exploded. Fusitua was then in again as Konrad Hurrell sucked in four Kiwis and flicked it inside to his winger, the momentum swinging firmly in favour of Tonga. They took the lead through a Tui Lolohea intercept before Will Hopoate made it 20 unanswered points for the unstoppable Tongans. Some individual brilliance from RTS brought the Kiwis back within two, but another deft Hurrell offload gave Fusitua his hat-trick and Tonga a famous win.
4. The Comeback
Lost to England 20-18 in Hamilton, 2017 RLWC semi final.
It was seven minutes of absolute mayhem. Having conceded 20 points through tries from Jermaine McGillvary, Gareth Widdop and John Bateman, Tonga appeared dead and buried inside the final ten. Then came one of the most pulsating periods in league history. With the roaring faithful again packed to the rafters and time ticking away, Tonga woke up. Tevita Pangai-Junior finally muscled his way over to get Tonga on the board followed stunning break from dummy half which saw Siliva Havili sneak over for back to back tries to give the side a sniff. Taumololo was next to step up as he stormed upfield and linked up with Lolohea who went under the bar to make it 20-18 and send the crowd into raptures. More drama ensued as with just seconds on the clock, Fifita stormed toward the line only for the ball to be dislodged from his grasp. The Tongan players pleaded with the referee to go upstairs as they declared an illegal strip, but Matt Cecchin was having none of it and put an end to their historic World Cup run.
5. Mālō e Lelei AFB
Seeing his brothers tear it up on the international stage, Addin Fonua Blake wanted to be part of what was clearly a special side and in 2018 he also took his considerable talents to Tonga. A massive coup for Tonga while in an ironic twist, it was now New Zealand losing players to the Pacific Islands.
6. Thirty Minutes of Magic
Beat Samoa 38-22 in Campbelltown, 2018 Friendly.
Samoa opened the scoring after 90 seconds, but that was as good as it got in the first half for them as Tonga went on a tear.
A six try blitz in the next half hour with tries for Havili, Hingano, Hurrell, Robert Jennings, Will Hopoate, and Daniel Tupou saw Tonga surge out to a 30-6 advantage and shut the gate on Samoa before oranges. Elise Katoa made it 36 just after the break leaving Samoa with a steep mountain to climb. They refused to lie down, running in three tries to help flatter the scorebaord, but the ruthless first half demolition had the result assured early.
7. The Ad-Lib Kings
Beat Great Britain 14-6 in Hamilton, 2019 Lions Tour.
After a tense scoreless thirty minutes in the Tron, a chaotic opener came through Jennings as England fumbled a kick and Tonga pounced with some trademark Pacific offloading. With halftime approaching, Tonga struck with a second in outrageously genius fashion. At times in slow motion, Tonga threw a total of 15 audacious offloads including back flicks, one handed speculators, several jinking runs covering one side of the field to the other, goosies, swerves, and finally a grubber ahead which sat just inches inside the dead ball line, Sione Katoa diving on the ball to score one of the most extraordinary tries ever seen. Up 12-0 at the break, Sio Siua Taukeiaho put Tonga ahead by another two to ensure John Bateman's late try was just a consolation.
8. Giant Killers
Beat Australia 16-12 in Auckland, 2019 Oceania Cup.
An electrified Eden Park clad in crimson, and the stage for one of the greatest upsets in League. A pumped up Tonga landed the first blow, Will Hopoate barging over from dummy half. The Kangaroos replied through a slicing run from Jack Wighton before Paul Vaughn pirouetted over the line, to take a 12-6 lead. It would prove the final points for the Aussies though. Michael Jennings crashed after five minutes into halftime, which put his side within two of the world champions. Then a precision short pass from Katoa to a charging Pangai Junior had Tonga ahead with 20 minutes to play. Even with a five on two overlap in the 79th, Australia were unable to cross the chalk. Showing desperate defence in the dying stages in the face of a relentless Australian onslaught, the Tongans completed the greatest chapter in their test history as players and fans alike erupted in emotion.
9. A Clinic against the Cooks
Beat Cook Islands 92-10, 2021 RLWC.
This was the Tesi Niu show as the young prodigy and Tonga ran riot over the Cook Islands in this group stage slaughter. A quartet for Will Penisini, hat-trick for Niu and and doubles for Lolohea, Taumololo and Tupou, saw Tonga rack up their highest ever score and send a stark warning to the rest of the competition.
10. A Quarterfinal Classic
Lost to Samoa 20-18, 2021 RLWC quarterfinal.
Samoa struck first through Jaydn Su'A to put Tonga on the backfoot early and take a lead it would not end up relinquishing. Tupou kicked off the try-scoring for Tonga in the corner which was soon countered by Panthers playmaker Jerome Luai to make it 12-4. Taukeiaho then latched on to a kick ahead for a second Tongan try before Samoa was pinged for offside and Isaiya Katoa evened the honours at 12 apiece. Stephen Crichton pushed his side back in front with a penalty goal before a stunning Joseph Suali'i surge led to Brian To'o scoring. Ahead by eight, Samoa's advantage was reduced when Mosese Suli broke up the centre of the park and found Sione Katoa looming on his inside to score with less than ten to play. Hot on attack with twenty seconds remaining, Lolohea rolled a grubber forward which ricocheted into Samoa's possession to Send Tonga home in a heartbreaker.