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2023 Tonga rugby league tour of England

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2023 Tonga rugby league tour of England
Date22 October – 4 November 2023
Coach(es)Kristian Woolf
Tour captain(s)Addin Fonua-Blake
Top point scorer(s)Toluta'u Koula (8)
Top try scorer(s)Toluta'u Koula (2)
Summary
P W D L
Total
03 00 00 03
Opponent
P W D L
 England
3 3 0 0
Tour chronology
Previous tour2022
Next tour2024

The 2023 Tonga rugby league tour of England was a three-match tour by the Tonga national rugby league team to England in October and November 2023.[1][2]

Background

[edit]
IRL Men's World Rankings
Official rankings ahead of the tour[3]
Rank Change Team Pts %
4 Steady  England 80.00
5 Steady  Tonga 56.00

The tour was the first by a Pacific island nation to England and the first test match series between the two countries.[4] England and Tonga had only played each other three times previously, twice during the 2006 Federation Shield and during the 2017 Rugby League World Cup Semi Final. All three games were won by England. Tonga however, beat Great Britain during the 2019 Lions tour of New Zealand and Papua New Guinea.[5]

Venues

[edit]
St Helens Huddersfield Leeds
Totally Wicked Stadium Kirklees Stadium Headingley
Capacity: 18,000 Capacity: 24,121 Capacity: 21,500
Map
About OpenStreetMaps
Maps: terms of use
30km
20miles
Headingley Stadium
Headingley Stadium
Kirklees Stadium
Kirklees Stadium
Totally Wicked Stadium
Totally Wicked Stadium

Squads

[edit]

England

[edit]

The England squad was announced on 17 October 2023.[6] Morgan Smithies and Josh Thewlis were added on 31 October.[7]

Player Club
Matty Ashton Warrington Wolves
John Bateman Wests Tigers
Tom Burgess South Sydney Rabbitohs
Daryl Clark Warrington Wolves
Ben Currie Warrington Wolves
Tyler Dupree Wigan Warriors
Liam Farrell Wigan Warriors
Chris Hill Huddersfield Giants
Tom Johnstone Catalans Dragons
Toby King Wigan Warriors
Morgan Knowles St Helens
Matty Lees St Helens
Mikey Lewis Hull KR
Tommy Makinson St Helens
Mike McMeeken Catalans Dragons
Robbie Mulhern Leigh Leopards
Harry Newman Leeds Rhinos
Victor Radley Sydney Roosters
Harry Smith Wigan Warriors
Morgan Smithies Canberra Raiders
Josh Thewlis Warrington Wolves
Danny Walker Warrington Wolves
Jack Welsby[a] St Helens
Elliott Whitehead Canberra Raiders
George Williams (C)[a] Warrington Wolves
Dom Young Newcastle Knights

Tonga

[edit]

Squad announced on 4 October 2023.[8]

Player Club
Latu Fainu Manly Warringah Sea Eagles
Addin Fonua-Blake (C) New Zealand Warriors
Moeaki Fotuaika Gold Coast Titans
Tyson Frizell Newcastle Knights
Siliva Havili South Sydney Rabbitohs
William Hopoate St Helens
Konrad Hurrell St Helens
Eliesa Katoa Melbourne Storm
Isaiya Katoa Dolphins
Felise Kaufusi Dolphins
Keaon Koloamatangi South Sydney Rabbitohs
Toluta'u Koula Manly Warringah Sea Eagles
Tuimoala Lolohea Huddersfield Giants
Haumole Olakau'atu Manly Warringah Sea Eagles
Will Penisini Parramatta Eels
Hame Sele South Sydney Rabbitohs
Moses Suli St. George Illawarra Dragons
Tevita Tatola South Sydney Rabbitohs
Dion Teaupa South Sydney Rabbitohs
Starford To'a Wests Tigers
Daniel Tupou Sydney Roosters
Siua Wong Sydney Roosters

Matches

[edit]

First test

[edit]
22 October 2023
14:30 BST (UTC+01:00)
England  22–18  Tonga
Tries: King, Lewis, Johnstone (2)
Goals: Lewis (1/1), Smith (2/3)
 1st: 12–12
2nd: 10–6
Report
 Tries: To'a, Frizell, Koula
Goals: Katoa (3/4)
Totally Wicked Stadium, St Helens
Attendance: 12,898[9]
Referee: Liam Moore (England)
Touch judges: Jonnie Roberts (England), Jack Smith (England)
Player of the Match: Mikey Lewis (England)
Team details
England Position Tonga
Name Number Number Name
Jack Welsby 1
FB
 1 Will Hopoate
Tommy Makinson 2
WG
 2 Starford To'a
Harry Newman 3
CE
 3 Will Penisini
Toby King 4
CE
 4 Moses Suli
Tom Johnstone 5
WG
 5 Toluta'u Koula
Mikey Lewis 6
SO/FE
 6 Tui Lolohea
Harry Smith 7
SH/HB
 7 Isaiya Katoa
Tom Burgess 8
PR
 8 Addin Fonua-Blake
Daryl Clark 9
HK
 9 Siliva Havili
Mike McMeeken 10
PF
 10 Moeaki Fotuaika
John Bateman 11
SR
 11 Tyson Frizell
Elliott Whitehead 12
SR
 12 Keaon Koloamatangi
Victor Radley 13
LF/LK
 13 Felise Kaufusi
Danny Walker 14
IN
 14 Dion Teaupa
Morgan Knowles 15
IN
 15 Tevita Tatola
Matty Lees 16
IN
 16 Haumole Olakau'atu
Chris Hill 17
IN
 17 Hame Sele
Liam Farrell 18
CS
 18 Eliesa Katoa
Shaun Wane
Coach
 Kristian Woolf


Second test

[edit]
28 October 2023
14:30 BST (UTC+01:00)
England  14–4  Tonga
Tries: Ashton (2)
Goals: Smith (3/4)
 1st: 12–0
2nd: 2–4
Report
 Tries: Koula
Kirklees Stadium, Huddersfield
Attendance: 11,210[10]
Referee: Jack Smith (England)
Touch judges: Chris Kendall (England), Rich Thompson (England)
Team details
England Position Tonga
Name Number Number Name
Jack Welsby 1
FB
 1 Will Hopoate
Matty Ashton 2
WG
 2 Junior Tupou
Harry Newman 3
CE
 3 Will Penisini
Toby King 4
CE
 4 Moses Suli
Tom Johnstone 5
WG
 5 Toluta'u Koula
Mikey Lewis 6
SO/FE
 6 Tui Lolohea
Harry Smith 7
SH/HB
 7 Isaiya Katoa
Tom Burgess 8
PR
 8 Addin Fonua-Blake
Daryl Clark 9
HK
 9 Siliva Havili
Matty Lees 10
PF
 10 Tevita Tatola
John Bateman 11
SR
 11 Tyson Frizell
Elliott Whitehead 12
SR
 12 Haumole Olakau'atu
Victor Radley 13
LF/LK
 13 Felise Kaufusi
Danny Walker 14
IN
 14 Dion Teaupa
Liam Farrell 15
IN
 15 Moeaki Fotuaika
Chris Hill 16
IN
 16 Keaon Koloamatangi
Mike McMeeken 17
IN
 17 Eliesa Katoa
Ben Currie 18
CS
 18 Hame Sele
Shaun Wane
Coach
 Kristian Woolf


Third test

[edit]

The third test match of the series was played at Headingley Stadium as a double header with an England vs Wales women's international test match being played before the men's fixture.[11]

4 November 2023
14:30 GMT (UTC±00:00)
England  26–4  Tonga
Tries: Currie, Ashton, Whitehead, Newman
Goals: Smith (5/5)
 1st: 14–0
2nd: 12–4
Report
 Tries: E. Katoa (68')
Headingley Stadium, Leeds
Attendance: 15,477[12]
Referee: Chris Kendall (England)
Touch judges: Liam Rush (England), Warren Turley (England)
Team details
England Position Tonga
Name Number Number Name
Jack Welsby 1
FB
 1 Will Hopoate
Tom Johnstone 2
WG
 2 Will Penisini
Harry Newman 3
CE
 3 Konrad Hurrell
Ben Currie 4
CE
 4 Moses Suli
Matty Ashton 5
WG
 5 Toluta'u Koula
George Williams 6
SO/FE
 6 Tuimoala Lolohea
Harry Smith 7
SH/HB
 7 Isaiya Katoa
Tom Burgess 8
PR
 8 Hame Sele
Daryl Clark 9
HK
 9 Siliva Havili
Matty Lees 10
PF
 10 Felise Kaufusi
John Bateman 11
SR
 11 Tyson Frizell
Elliot Whitehead 12
SR
 12 Haumole Olakau’atu
Robbie Mulhern 13
LF/LK
 13 Keaon Koloamatangi
Danny Walker 14
IN
 14 Latu Fainu
Tyler Dupree 15
IN
 15 Moeaki Fotuaika
Chris Hill 16
IN
 16 Eliesa Katoa
Mike McMeeken 17
IN
 17 Siua Wong
Shaun Wane
Coach
 Kristian Woolf


Broadcasting

[edit]

All three matches of the tour were broadcast live on BBC One, except in Wales where the first two matches of the test series were shown on BBC Two Wales.[13][14]

See also

[edit]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ a b George Williams was serving a ban for the first two matches of the tour. Jack Welsby captained the side in these games.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "England to host Tonga in maiden Test series". BBC Sport. 28 April 2023. Retrieved 28 April 2023.
  2. ^ "England to host Tonga in three-match Test series". National Rugby League. 28 April 2023. Retrieved 28 April 2023.
  3. ^ "SERBIA, PHILIPPINES, WALES BIG MOVERS IN IRL WORLD RANKINGS". 27 July 2023.
  4. ^ "England to host Tonga in three-game Test series". National Rugby League. April 28, 2023.
  5. ^ "Great Britain beaten on Test return" – via www.bbc.co.uk.
  6. ^ "England vs Tonga: Wigan Warriors captain Liam Farrell returns for Test series as Shaun Wane names squad". Sky Sports. Retrieved 22 October 2023.
  7. ^ "England v Tonga: Hosts 'obsessed' with series clean sweep says head coach Shaun Wane". BBC Sport. 31 October 2023. Retrieved 3 November 2023.
  8. ^ "Three Super League players named in Tonga squad for England series but big names missing". Yorkshire Post. 4 October 2023. Retrieved 9 October 2023.
  9. ^ Walker, Callum (22 October 2023). "Attendance revealed for England's Test match against Tonga at St Helens". Total Rugby League.
  10. ^ Walker, Callum (29 October 2023). "Attendance revealed at England-Tonga clash as rugby league fans call for switch in venue". Total Rugby League.
  11. ^ "Women's home nations clash confirmed: England to take on Wales at Headingley". www.rugby-league.com. Retrieved 22 October 2023.
  12. ^ "Men's international: England v Tonga". BBC Sport.
  13. ^ "England rugby league: BBC TV to show five international matches this autumn". BBC Sport. 8 September 2023. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
  14. ^ "BBC Sport to broadcast five England international fixtures, including end-of-year Tonga series". LoveRugbyLeague. 8 September 2023. Retrieved 8 September 2023.
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