| 2023 Tonga rugby league tour of England | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date | 22 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 |
| ||||
| Total |
| ||||
| Opponent |
| ||||
 England |
| ||||
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
The tour was the first by a Pacific island nation to England and the first test match series between the two countries.[3] 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.[4]
Venues
| St Helens | Huddersfield | Leeds |
|---|---|---|
| Totally Wicked Stadium | Kirklees Stadium | Headingley |
| Capacity: 18,000 | Capacity: 24,121 | Capacity: 21,500 |
 |
 |
 |
Squads
Stats are for the tour only
England
The England squad was announced on 17 October 2023.[5] Morgan Smithies and Josh Thewlis were added on 31 October.[6]
Tonga
Squad announced on 4 October 2023.[7]
| Player | Games | Tries | Goals | DG | Points | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Latu Fainu | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Manly Warringah Sea Eagles |
| Addin Fonua-Blake (C) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | New Zealand Warriors |
| Moeaki Fotuaika | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Gold Coast Titans |
| Tyson Frizell | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | Newcastle Knights |
| Siliva Havili | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | South Sydney Rabbitohs |
| William Hopoate | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | St Helens |
| Konrad Hurrell | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | St Helens |
| Eliesa Katoa | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Melbourne Storm |
| Isaiya Katoa | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 6 | Dolphins |
| Felise Kaufusi | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Dolphins |
| Keaon Koloamatangi | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | South Sydney Rabbitohs |
| Toluta'u Koula | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | Manly Warringah Sea Eagles |
| Tuimoala Lolohea | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Huddersfield Giants |
| Haumole Olakau'atu | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Manly Warringah Sea Eagles |
| Will Penisini | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Parramatta Eels |
| Hame Sele | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | South Sydney Rabbitohs |
| Moses Suli | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | St. George Illawarra Dragons |
| Tevita Tatola | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | South Sydney Rabbitohs |
| Dion Teaupa | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | South Sydney Rabbitohs |
| Starford To'a | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | Wests Tigers |
| Daniel Tupou | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Sydney Roosters |
| Siua Wong | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Sydney Roosters |
Notes Several squad members have previously played for other nations:
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Australia: Tyson Frizell, Felise Kaufusi, and Daniel Tupou. Frizell and Tupou have also played for the Australian Prime Minister's XIII.
Fiji: Siua Wong.
New Zealand: Addin Fonua-Blake, Siliva Havili and Tuimoala Lolohea.
Wales: Tyson Frizell.
Matches
First test
| 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[8] Referee: Liam Moore (England) Touch judges: Jonnie Roberts (England), Jack Smith (England) Player of the Match: Mikey Lewis (England) |
| 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
| 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[9] Referee: Jack Smith (England) Touch judges: Chris Kendall (England), Rich Thompson (England) |
| 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
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.[10]
| 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[11] Referee: Chris Kendall (England) Touch judges: Liam Rush (England), Warren Turley (England) |
| 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
All three matches of the tour were broadcast live on BBC One.[12][13]
See also
References
- ↑ "England to host Tonga in maiden Test series". BBC Sport. 28 April 2023. Retrieved 28 April 2023.
- ↑ "England to host Tonga in three-match Test series". National Rugby League. 28 April 2023. Retrieved 28 April 2023.
- ↑ "England to host Tonga in three-game Test series". National Rugby League. April 28, 2023.
- ↑ "Great Britain beaten on Test return" – via www.bbc.co.uk.
- ↑ "England vs Tonga: Wigan Warriors captain Liam Farrell returns for Test series as Shaun Wane names squad". Sky Sports. Retrieved 22 October 2023.
- ↑ "England v Tonga: Hosts 'obsessed' with series clean sweep says head coach Shaun Wane". BBC Sport. 31 October 2023. Retrieved 3 November 2023.
- ↑ "Three Super League players named in Tonga squad for England series but big names missing". Yorkshire Post. 4 October 2023. Retrieved 9 October 2023.
- ↑ Walker, Callum (22 October 2023). "Attendance revealed for England's Test match against Tonga at St Helens". Total Rugby League.
- ↑ Walker, Callum (29 October 2023). "Attendance revealed at England-Tonga clash as rugby league fans call for switch in venue". Total Rugby League.
- ↑ "Women's home nations clash confirmed: England to take on Wales at Headingley". www.rugby-league.com. Retrieved 22 October 2023.
- ↑ "Men's international: England v Tonga". BBC Sport.
- ↑ "England rugby league: BBC TV to show five international matches this autumn". BBC Sport. 8 September 2023. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
- ↑ "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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