Tonga national rugby union team
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The Tonga national rugby union team is nicknamed Ikale Tahi (Sea Eagles). Like their Polynesian neighbours, the Tongans start their matches with a war dance - the Kailao (aka the Sipi Tau).
They are members of the Pacific Islands Rugby Alliance (PIRA) along with Fiji and Samoa.
Despite a total population of just 100,000 and a rugby playing population of less than 800 seniors Tonga is remarkably good at rugby union. The money coming back from Tongan players playing rugby abroad is Tonga's second biggest export after sugar. Islanders like Willie Ofahengaue and brothers Steve and Toutai Kefu have played for Australia and Finau Maka, Charles Riechelmann and Pita Alatini wore the black shirt of New Zealand, as did the most famous player of Tongan ancestry - the mighty All Black winger Jonah Lomu.
History
Rugby was brought to the region in the early 20th Century by sailors and missionaries and the Tonga Rugby Football Union was formed in late 1923.Tonga beat Fiji 9-6 in their first test in 1924 played in the capital Nuku’alofa. However Tonga lost the second test 14-3 and drew the decider 0-0. Between 1924 and 1938 Tonga and Fiji played three test series every alternate year. Matches between the two Pacific nations were hard fought; many have claimed that the ancient feuding wars between the Islanders were transplanted onto the rugby field. Troubles during the third Test of Fiji’s 1928 tour to Tonga forced the game to be abandoned with Tonga leading 11-8.
In 1954 Tonga played host to a touring Western Samoa.
Tonga beat New Zealand Māori in 1969 but had to wait until 1973 before they played their second test match a 30-12 defeat against Australia in Sydney. They got their revenge when they beat Australia in Ballymore, Brisbane 16-11, scoring four tries to two in June 1973. The following year they travelled to the Arms Park for a non-cap international against Wales, a game that ended in a 26-7 defeat.
The first Tongan tour to Great Britain was in 1974 when they played 10 games, including those in Wales against East Wales, Llanelli, North Wales, Newport, West Wales and a Wales XV. The only tour victory was by 18-13 in the opener against East Wales. The 'tests' were lost by 44-8 to a Scotland XV and by 26-7 to the Wales XV.
They remained a little-known quantity in Europe until 1986 when Wales embarked on a tour of Fiji, Tonga and Western Samoa. Early in the game against Tonga Welsh flanker Mark Brown was flattened by three Tongan forwards, leading to a mass brawl involving the entire team except Malcolm Dacey and Mark Titley. Robert Jones describes the event in his book Raising The Dragon as "the worst brawl I have ever seen on a rugby field." At the post-match dinner Jonathan Davies was asked to give a few words in Welsh and as the hosts politely applauded he described them as "the dirtiest team I have ever played against!"
Tonga were drawn to play Wales again in the inaugural 1987 Rugby World Cup in New Zealand. The previous meeting, plus the decision to rest some of the leading players, led to a poor Welsh performance though they managed to win 29-16. Tonga lost its other two games to Ireland (32-9) and Canada (37-4).
They failed to qualify for the 1991 Rugby World Cup.
In 1994 they won the South Pacific championship on try count and so qualified for the Super 10, they finished bottom of their pool with only one point.
They qualified for the 1995 World Cup ahead of Fiji on points difference. Tonga managed only two victories in the next two World Cups, against the 29-11 Ivory Coast in 1995 and Italy in 1999. The win over the Ivory Coast brought tragedy when Ivory Coast winger Max Brito was left prone on the turf and has been confined to a wheelchair ever since.
June 1999 brought their greatest home victory, a 20-16 defeat of France in Nuku’alofa over a touring France but in 2000 they were humilated 102-0 (including 15 tries) by New Zealand.
After losing their first four matches to Fiji and Samoa, Tonga finished third in the Oceania qualifying group. As a result they had to play home and away matches against Papua New Guinea, which they won 47-14 and 84-12, followed by a play-off against South Korea, who finished as runners-up in the Asian section. Tonga thrashed them 75-0 and 119-0.
At the 2003 Rugby World Cup Tonga lost all their games and finished bottom of their pool. Despite keeping Wales to 20-27, they were again thrashed by New Zealand 91-7.
Notable players
- Inoke Afeaki
- Ipolito Fenukitau
- Epeli Taione
- Aleki Lutui
- Viliami Vaki
See also
Sources
External links
| Pacific rugby union links | [http://encycl.opentopia.com/ edit ] | |
| Rugby union in Fiji | Rugby union in Samoa | Rugby union in Tonga | ||
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Federation Links Fiji Rugby Union | Samoa Rugby Football Union | Tonga Rugby Football Union | Pacific Islands Rugby Alliance | ||
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Regional Competitions Pacific Tri-Nations | Pacific Rugby Cup | IRB Pacific 5 Nations | ||
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National Competitions Colonial Cup | National Provincial Championship | Datec Cup Provincial Championship | ||
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National teams Fiji | Samoa | Tonga | Pacific Islanders | ||
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Local franchises Fiji Warriors | Fiji Barbarians | Upolu Samoa | Savaii Samoa | Tau'uta Reds | Tautahi Gold | ||
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