Tonga at the Rugby World Cup

The Tonga national rugby union team has played in all Rugby World Cup tournaments, except in 1991, when they did not qualify. Their best performances were in the 2007 and 2011 tournaments, when they won two matches. Their best single match win was an upset victory in 2011 over eventual finalists France.

Nation	Number of appearances	First appearance	Most recent appearance	Streak	Best result
Tonga	9	1987	2023	8	Two wins (2007, 2011)

By position

Rugby World Cup record

Qualification

Year

Round

Pld

W

D

L

PF

PA

Squad

Head coach

Pos

Pld

W

D

L

PF

PA

1987

Pool stage

3

0

3

29

98

Squad

V. Tuku'aho

Invited

1991

Did not qualify

3rd

3

1

0

2

64

62

1995

Pool stage

3

1

0

2

44

90

Squad

F. Valu

1st

2

1

0

1

34

26

1999

Pool stage

3

1

0

2

47

171

Squad

P. Tu'ihalamaka

4th

7

2

0

5

317

241

2003

Pool stage

4

0

4

46

178

Squad

J. Love

3rd

8

4

0

4

398

178

2007

Pool stage

4

2

0

2

89

96

Squad

Q. Fielea

3rd

7

3

0

4

329

136

2011

Pool stage

4

2

0

2

80

98

Squad

I. Maka

Automatically qualified

2015

Pool stage

4

1

0

3

70

130

Squad

M. Otai

2019

Pool stage

4

1

0

3

67

105

Squad

T. Kefu

2nd

4

1

0

3

68

93

2023

Pool stage

4

1

0

3

96

177

Squad

2nd

4

2

0

2

126

111

Total

—

33

9

0

24

568

1,143

—

35

14

0

21

1,336

847

Champions Runners-up Third place Fourth place	Home venue

By match

1987 Rugby World Cup

Pool 2 games -

Team v t e	Pld	W	L	PF	PA	PD	T	Pts	Qualification
Wales	3	3	0	82	31	+51	13	6	Knockout stage
Ireland	3	2	1	84	41	+43	11	4	Knockout stage
Canada	3	1	2	65	91	−26	8	2
Tonga	3	0	3	30	98	−68	3	0

Source: ^{[citation needed]}

24 May 1987

Canada	37–5^[1]	Tonga
Try: Palmer (2) Vaesen (2) Stuart Frame Penalty try Con: Wyatt (2) Gareth Rees Pen: Rees		Try: Valu

McLean Park, Napier
Attendance: 7,000
Referee: Clive Norling (Wales)

29 May 1987

Tonga	16–29^[2]	Wales
Try: Fielea Fifita Con: Liavaʻa Pen: Liava'a Amone		Try: Webbe (3) Hadley Con: Thorburn (2) Pen: Thorburn (2) Drop: Davies

Showgrounds Oval, Palmerston North
Attendance: 19,000
Referee: Dave Bishop (New Zealand)

3 June 1987

Ireland	32–9^[3]^[4]	Tonga
Try: Mullin (3) MacNeill (2) Con: Ward (3) Pen: Ward (2)		Pen: Amone (3)

Ballymore, Brisbane
Attendance: 4,000
Referee: Guy Maurette (France)

1995 Rugby World Cup

Pool D games -

Team v t e	Pld	W	L	PF	PA	PD	Pts
France	3	3	0	114	47	+67	9
Scotland	3	2	1	149	27	+122	7
Tonga	3	1	2	44	90	−46	5
Ivory Coast	3	0	3	29	172	−143	3

Source: ^{[citation needed]}

26 May 1995

France	38–10	Tonga
Try: Lacroix (2) Hueber Saint-André Con: Lacroix (3) Pen: Lacroix (3) Drop: Delaigue		Try: Vaʻenuku Con: Tuipulotu Pen: Tuipulotu

Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria
Attendance: 25,000
Referee: Steve Lander (England)

30 May 1995

Scotland	41–5	Tonga
Try: S. Hastings Peters G. Hastings Con: G. Hastings Pen: G. Hastings (8)		Try: Fenukitau

Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria
Attendance: 21,000
Referee: Barry Leask (Australia)

3 June 1995

Ivory Coast	11–29	Tonga
Try: Okou Pen: Dali (2)		Try: Otai Tuipulotu Latukefu Con: Tuipulotu (3) Pen: Tuipulotu

Olympia Park, Rustenburg
Attendance: 16,000
Referee: Don Reordan (United States)

1999 Rugby World Cup

Pool B games -

Team v t e	Pld	W	L	PF	PA	PD	Pts
New Zealand	3	3	0	176	28	+148	9
England	3	2	1	184	47	+137	7
Tonga	3	1	2	47	171	−124	5
Italy	3	0	3	35	196	−161	3

Source: ^{[citation needed]}

3 October 1999

New Zealand	45–9	Tonga
Try: Lomu (2), Kelleher, Maxwell, Kronfeld Con: Mehrtens (4) Pen: Mehrtens (4)		Pen: Taumalolo (3)

Ashton Gate, Bristol
Attendance: 21,000
Referee: Derek Bevan (Wales)

10 October 1999

Italy	25–28	Tonga
Try: Moscardi Con: Domínguez Pen: Domínguez (6)		Try: Taufahema Fatani Tuipulotu Con: Tuipulotu (2) Pen: Tuipulotu (2) Drop: Tuipulotu

Welford Road Stadium, Leicester
Referee: David McHugh (Ireland)

15 October 1999

England	101–10	Tonga
Try: Guscott (2) Greening (2) Luger (2) Healey (2) Greenwood (2) Dawson Perry Hill Con: Grayson (12) Pen: Grayson (4)		Try: Tiueti Con: Tuipulotu Pen: Tuipulotu

Twickenham Stadium, London
Attendance: 72,485
Referee: Wayne Erickson (Australia)

2003 Rugby World Cup

Group D games-

Team v t e	Pld	W	L	PF	PA	PD	BP	Pts	Qualification
New Zealand	4	4	0	282	57	+225	4	20	Quarter-finals
Wales	4	3	1	132	98	+34	2	14	Quarter-finals
Italy	4	2	2	77	123	−46	0	8
Canada	4	1	3	54	135	−81	1	5
Tonga	4	0	4	46	178	−132	1	1

Source: ^{[citation needed]}

15 October 2003

Italy	36–12	Tonga
Try: M. Dallan D. Dallan (2) Con: Wakarua (3) Pen: Wakarua (5)		Try: Payne Tuʻifua Con: Tuipulotu

Canberra Stadium, Canberra
Attendance: 18,967
Referee: Steve Walsh (New Zealand)

19 October 2003

Wales	27–20	Tonga
Try: Cooper M. Williams Con: S. Jones Pen: S. Jones (4) Drop: M. Williams		Try: Hola Kivalu Lavaka Con: Hola Pen: Hola

Canberra Stadium, Canberra
Attendance: 19,806
Referee: Paul Honiss (New Zealand)

24 October 2003

New Zealand	91–7	Tonga
Try: Braid Carter Flynn Ralph (2) Spencer Meeuws Penalty try Muliaina (2) MacDonald Howlett (2) Con: MacDonald (12) Spencer		Try: Hola Con: Tuipulotu

Lang Park, Brisbane
Attendance: 47,588
Referee: Pablo De Luca (Argentina)

2003-10-29

Canada	24–7	Tonga
Try: Fauth Abrams Con: Pritchard Pen: Ross (4)		Try: Kivalu Con: Hola

Wollongong Showground, Wollongong
Attendance: 15,630
Referee: Alain Rolland (Ireland)

2007 Rugby World Cup

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	L	PF	PA	PD	B	Pts	Qualification
1	South Africa	4	4	0	189	47	+142	3	19	Advanced to the quarter-finals and qualified for the 2011 Rugby World Cup
2	England	4	3	1	108	88	+20	2	14
3	Tonga	4	2	2	89	96	−7	1	9	Eliminated, automatic qualification for 2011 Rugby World Cup
4	Samoa	4	1	3	69	143	−74	1	5
5	United States	4	0	4	61	142	−81	1	1

Source: ^{[citation needed]}

12 September 2007
14:00

United States	15–25	Tonga
Try: MacDonald 47' m Stanfill 67' c Con: Hercus (1/2) Pen: Hercus (1/2) 33'	Report	Try: Maka 2' c Vaka 59' m Vaki 70' c Con: Hola (2/3) Pen: Hola (2/2) 7', 26'

Stade de la Mosson, Montpellier
Attendance: 25,000
Referee: Stuart Dickinson (Australia)

16 September 2007
16:00

Samoa	15–19	Tonga
Pen: Williams (5/6) 6', 21', 23', 29', 69'	Report	Try: Taione 60' c Con: Hola (1/1) Pen: Hola (4/5) 3', 38', 47', 67'

Stade de la Mosson, Montpellier
Attendance: 24,128
Referee: Jonathan Kaplan (South Africa)

22 September 2007
14:00

South Africa	30–25	Tonga
Try: Pienaar (2) 18' c, 65' m Smith 59' c Skinstad 62' m Con: Pretorius (1/1) Montgomery (1/3) Pen: Steyn (1/1) 54' Montgomery (1/1) 76'	Report	Try: Pulu 44' c Hufanga 70' m Vaki 72' c Con: Hola (2/3) Pen: Hola (2/3) 9', 78'

Stade Félix Bollaert, Lens
Attendance: 40,069
Referee: Wayne Barnes (England)

28 September 2007
21:00

England	36–20	Tonga
Try: Sackey (2) 20' m, 38' m Tait 57' c Farrell 66' c Con: Wilkinson (2/4) Pen: Wilkinson (2/3) 14', 36' Drop: Wilkinson (2/2) 32', 72'	Report	Try: Hufanga 17' c T-Pole 80' c Con: Hola (2/2) Pen: Hola (2/2) 11', 55'

Parc des Princes, Paris
Attendance: 45,085
Referee: Alain Rolland (Ireland)

2011 Rugby World Cup

Tonga played in Pool A. After losing to New Zealand and Canada, they beat Japan and then had an upset victory over eventual finalists France, their greatest World Cup match result to date.

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	PF	PA	PD	T	B	Pts	Qualification
1	New Zealand	4	4	0	0	240	49	+191	36	4	20	Advanced to the quarter-finals and qualified for the 2015 Rugby World Cup
2	France	4	2	0	2	124	96	+28	13	3	11
3	Tonga	4	2	0	2	80	98	−18	7	1	9	Eliminated but qualified for 2015 Rugby World Cup
4	Canada	4	1	1	2	82	168	−86	9	0	6
5	Japan	4	0	1	3	69	184	−115	8	0	2

Source: ^{[citation needed]}


9 September 2011	New Zealand	41–10	Tonga	Eden Park, Auckland
14 September 2011	Tonga	20–25	Canada	Northland Events Centre, Whangarei
21 September 2011	Tonga	31–18	Japan	Northland Events Centre, Whangarei
1 October 2011	France	14–19	Tonga	Wellington Regional Stadium, Wellington

2015 Rugby World Cup

Pool C

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	L	PF	PA	PD	T	B	Pts	Qualification
1	New Zealand	4	4	0	174	49	+125	25	3	19	Advanced to the quarter-finals and qualified for the 2019 Rugby World Cup
2	Argentina	4	3	1	179	70	+109	22	3	15
3	Georgia	4	2	2	53	123	−70	5	0	8	Eliminated but qualified for 2019 Rugby World Cup
4	Tonga	4	1	3	70	130	−60	8	2	6
5	Namibia	4	0	4	70	174	−104	8	1	1

Source: ^{[citation needed]}


19 September 2015	Tonga	10–17	Georgia	Kingsholm Stadium, Gloucester
29 September 2015	Tonga	35–21	Namibia	Sandy Park, Exeter
4 October 2015	Argentina	45–16	Tonga	King Power Stadium, Leicester
9 October 2015	New Zealand	47–9	Tonga	St James' Park, Newcastle

2019 Rugby World Cup

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	PF	PA	PD	T	B	Pts	Qualification
1	England	4	3	1	0	119	20	+99	17	3	17	Advanced to the quarter-finals and qualified for the 2023 Rugby World Cup
2	France	4	3	1	0	79	51	+28	9	1	15
3	Argentina	4	2	0	2	106	91	+15	14	3	11	Eliminated but qualified for 2023 Rugby World Cup
4	Tonga	4	1	0	3	67	105	−38	9	2	6
5	United States	4	0	0	4	52	156	−104	7	0	0

Source: ^{[citation needed]}

22 September 2019
19:15 JST (UTC+09)

(1 BP) England	35–3	Tonga
Try: Tuilagi (2) 24' m, 31' c George 57' c Cowan-Dickie 77' c Con: Farrell (3/4) 33', 58', 78' Pen: Farrell (3/3) 11', 37', 43'	Report	Pen: Takulua (1/1) 15'

Sapporo Dome, Sapporo
Attendance: 35,923
Referee: Paul Williams (New Zealand)

28 September 2019
13:45 JST (UTC+09)

(1 BP) Argentina	28–12	Tonga
Try: Montoya (3) 7' c, 17' c, 26' c Carreras 20' c Con: Urdapilleta (4/4) 9', 19', 21', 28'	Report	Try: Veainu (2) 30' c, 66' m Con: Takulua (1/2) 32'

Hanazono Rugby Stadium, Higashiōsaka
Attendance: 21,971
Referee: Jaco Peyper (South Africa)

6 October 2019
16:45 JST (UTC+09)

France	23–21	Tonga (1 BP)
Try: Vakatawa 6' c Raka 32' c Con: Ntamack (2/2) 7', 34' Pen: Ntamack (3/4) 4', 52', 60'	Report	Try: Takulua 40' c Hingano 47' c Kapeli 79' c Con: Takulua (2/2) 40'+1, 49' Fosita (1/1) 80'

Egao Kenko Stadium, Kumamoto
Attendance: 28,477
Referee: Nic Berry (Australia)

13 October 2019
14:45 JST (UTC+09)

United States	19–31	Tonga (1 BP)
Try: Te'o (2) 21' c, 26' m Lamborn 77' c Con: MacGinty (2/3) 22', 78'	Report	Try: Fisiihoi 17' c Hingano 58' c Piutau 62' c Veainu 80'+1 c Con: Takulua (2/2) 19', 60' Faiva (1/1) 64' Piutau (1/1) 80+2' Pen: Takulua (1/1) 51'

Hanazono Rugby Stadium, Higashiōsaka
Attendance: 22,012
Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales)

2023 Rugby World Cup

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	L	PF	PA	PD	TF	TA	B	Pts	Qualification
1	Ireland	4	4	0	190	46	+144	27	5	3	19	Advance to knockout stage, and qualification to the 2027 Rugby World Cup
2	South Africa	4	3	1	151	34	+117	22	4	3	15
3	Scotland	4	2	2	146	71	+75	21	10	2	10	Qualification to the 2027 Rugby World Cup
4	Tonga	4	1	3	96	177	−81	13	25	1	5
5	Romania	4	0	4	32	287	−255	4	43	0	0

Source: World Rugby
Rules for classification: Pool stage tiebreakers

16 September 2023
21:00 CEST (UTC+2)

(1 BP) Ireland	59–16	Tonga
Try: Beirne 21' c Doris 27' c Hansen 33' c Sexton 38' c Lowe 59' c Aki (2) 63' c, 69' c Herring 80' c Con: Sexton (4/4) 22', 28', 34', 39' Byrne (4/4) 60', 64', 70', 80+2' Pen: Sexton (1/1) 7'	Report	Try: V. Fifita 40+8' c Con: Havili (1/1) 40+9' Pen: Havili (3/3) 16', 25', 43'

Stade de la Beaujoire, Nantes
Attendance: 31,673
Referee: Wayne Barnes (England)^[5]

24 September 2023
17:45 CEST (UTC+2)

(1 BP) Scotland	45–17	Tonga
Try: Turner 5' c Van der Merwe 27' m Steyn 30' m Darge 40+2' c Horne 54' c Kinghorn 68' c Graham 80+2' c Con: Russell (5/7) 6', 40+3', 55', 70', 80+3'	Report	Try: Kata 20' c Tameifuna 44' c Con: Havili (2/2) 21', 45' Pen: Havili (1/1) 10'

Stade de Nice, Nice
Attendance: 33,189
Referee: Karl Dickson (England)^[5]

1 October 2023
21:00 CEST (UTC+2)

(1 BP) South Africa	49–18	Tonga
Try: Reinach 5' c Moodie 20' c Fourie 32' c Kriel 49' c Le Roux 58' c Van Staden 63' c Smith 80+1' c Con: Pollard (4/4) 6', 21', 33', 51' Libbok (3/3) 59', 65', 80+2'	Report	Try: Tameifuna 38' m Inisi 54' m Pellegrini 73' m Pen: Havili (1/1) 3'

Stade Vélodrome, Marseille
Attendance: 60,387
Referee: Luke Pearce (England)^[5]

8 October 2023
17:45 CEST (UTC+2)

(1 BP) Tonga	45–24	Romania
Try: Kata (2) 11' c, 66' m Moala 15' c Taumoepeau 22' c Vailanu 49' c Ahki 62' c Taumoefolau 71' m Con: Havili (5/7) 13', 17', 23', 51', 63'	Report	Try: Boboc 30' c Surugiu 36' c Simionescu 55' c Con: Conache (3/3) 32', 37', 57' Pen: Conache (1/2) 19'

Stade Pierre-Mauroy, Villeneuve-d'Ascq
Attendance: 45,042
Referee: Angus Gardner (Australia)^[5]

References

Davies, Gerald (2004). The History of the Rugby World Cup. Sanctuary Publishing. ISBN 1860746020.
Farr-Jones, Nick (2003). Story of the Rugby World Cup. Australian Post Corporation. ISBN 0-642-36811-2.

^ Canada vs Tonga 1987 World Rugby
^ Tonga vs Wales 1987 World Rugby
^ Ireland vs Tonga 1987 ESPN Scrum
^ Ireland vs Tonga 1987 World Rugby
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d "Rugby World Cup 2023 pool stage". World Rugby. Retrieved 11 September 2023.

[1] Canada vs Tonga 1987 World Rugby

[2] Tonga vs Wales 1987 World Rugby

[3] Ireland vs Tonga 1987 ESPN Scrum

[4] Ireland vs Tonga 1987 World Rugby

[officials-5] "Rugby World Cup 2023 pool stage". World Rugby. Retrieved 11 September 2023.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

v t e National team appearances in the Rugby World Cup by tier
Tier 1 teams	Argentina Australia England France Ireland Italy Japan New Zealand Scotland South Africa Wales
Tier 2 teams	Canada Chile Fiji Georgia Namibia Portugal Romania Russia Samoa Spain Tonga United States Uruguay
Tier 3 teams	Ivory Coast Zimbabwe