Kiwis vs Tonga

Mate Ma'a Tonga is making a big move for Saturday's matchup against the Kiwis, with nine uncapped players to be fielded.

"It's a really strong team and one of the stronger ones I've ever been a part of. Mate Ma'a Tonga is making a big move for Saturday's matchup against the Kiwis, with nine uncapped players to be fielded. We talk most days and I give him an update on how training is going and keeping up the certain standards of what it means to play for Tonga".

It's important to note in the case of Tonga, that this match only has NRL talent (no Super League players) and players that aren't playing State of Origin, so ...

With these sides playing the first match for their country since 2019, there's going to be a lot of national pride at stake. The challenge is the inexperience in the halves with a likely combination of Kotoni Staggs and Talatau Amone who are yet to play in the halves together. My tip: Well, international footy is back and in a big way with the clash of the giants of Pasifika rugby league. Manu's ball playing ability and clever footwork will be handy for a New Zealand side trying to build momentum heading into the end of season World Cup. Tonga have been the spearheads of a resurgence in international football as of late, with a sensational upset of Australia prior to the world shutting down. Just in case we forgot, their last meeting was in 2019 and the Kiwis were too strong for Tonga, but the sides will be very different to what we saw three years ago in Auckland. The match will be won and lost in the forward pack and with the form of James Fisher-Harris and Joe Tapine, it should be enough to offset the loss of Jared Waerea-Hargraves who's out due to injury. Another interesting tidbit is the absence of Tonga coach Kristian Woolf who's unable to make the trip to NZ due to his commitments in England with his high-flying St Helens side. Starting with the Kiwis, and it's going to be an emotional week for all involved, as they will return home for the first time and have the opportunity to play for friends and family. Who to watch: In what many have said has been an underwhelming season by the Roosters thus far, it's safe to say Joey Manu has continued to develop into one of the game's most dangerous attacking exploits. It'll be up to Madge to get the troops fired up for a match that is likely to dominated by a sea of red in the crowd. National pride is on the line in Rugby League's first trip to New Zealand since the COVID pandemic struck.

It's an international rugby league double-header at Mount Smart Stadium in Auckland today as New Zealand's men's and women's teams take on Tonga.

For the Hakula Tonga team, it's an opportunity to push their claim for a spot in the 2025 edition of the World Cup in France by showing they can compete with one of the best sides in the world. So if you have tickets, make sure you get there for game one! The Kiwi Ferns are in the midst of their build-up for the World Cup in England in November so this test, as well as the upcoming NRLW season, acts as a crucial litmus test for where the team currently stands - after two years on the sidelines. New Zealand Warriors captain Addin Fonua-Blake is one of three former Kiwis players lining up to face their former teammates on Saturday and is no doubt one of the most formidable. That, and the fact that Mount Smart Stadium is sold out - this will be the first time the Kiwis will play in front of a capacity crowd since the 1988 Rugby League World Cup final at Auckland's Eden Park; while the Kiwi Ferns are hoping to achieve a new world-record crowd attendance for a women's rugby league match, which currently sits at 18,000. Besides the fact that these are the first rugby league test matches to be played in New Zealand for years, the rivalry and style of play associated with all four of the teams on display will no doubt make for an entertaining spectacle.

What's on It's an international rugby league double-header at Mount Smart Stadium in Auckland today as New Zealand's men's and women's teams take on Tonga.

So if you have tickets, make sure you get there for game one! For the Hakula Tonga team, it's an opportunity to push their claim for a spot in the 2025 edition of the World Cup in France by showing they can compete with one of the best sides in the world. While the TAB are not offering odds for the women's test, the Kiwis are firm favourites to take out Mate M'a Tonga in their encounter. The Kiwi Ferns are in the midst of their build-up for the World Cup in England in November so this test, as well as the upcoming NRLW season, acts as a crucial litmus test for where the team currently stands - after two years on the sidelines. That, and the fact that Mount Smart Stadium is sold out - this will be the first time the Kiwis will play in front of a capacity crowd since the 1988 Rugby League World Cup final at Auckland's Eden Park; while the Kiwi Ferns are hoping to achieve a new world-record crowd attendance for a women's rugby league match, which currently sits at 18,000. Besides the fact that these are the first rugby league test matches to be played in New Zealand for years, the rivalry and style of play associated with all four of the teams on display will no doubt make for an entertaining spectacle.

Jordan Rapana wants to see the rivalry against Mate Ma'a Tonga continue to grow.

Kieran Foran. Credits: Image - Getty Images, video - Sky Sports/Newshub. When Kieran Foran runs onto Mt Smart Stadium with the Kiwis on Saturday, he'll ...

The Kiwi Ferns and Mate Ma'a Tonga women are facing off for the first time in 14 years, meeting as part of a double-header at Mt Smart Stadium this ...

One-way traffic at Mt Smart Stadium as Kiwi Ferns go at a point a minute in the first match of Saturday's double-header.

LIVE: Kiwis set for emotional return after THREE years away as Storm gun in line for first start.

Follow all the action in our LIVE BLOG below! Stream Rugby League Internationals LIVE on Kayo this Saturday 25th June. NZ vs Tonga Women 1:30PM NZ vs Tonga 3:20PM Interchange and Reserves: 14. Interchange and Reserves: 14. Martin was forced into an early retirement at just 24 years of age after a brain bleed in 2019 led to him stepping away from the game a year later. Follow all the action from New Zealand v Tonga in our LIVE BLOG below! Te Maire Martin, who played four games for the Kiwis between 2016 to 2018, is back in the team in what represents the most heroic of comebacks. Fast forward three years later, and Hughes is one of the top playmakers in the game for the Melbourne Storm. With such blistering form for his club, the 27-year-old is set for his first start at international level as he looks set to make the No. 7 jersey his own for years to come. Hughes made his New Zealand debut in June 2019 off the bench, coming into the game as a utility star. An electric atmosphere awaits New Zealand and Tonga as rugby league returns to Auckland for the first time since August in 2019.

Join us for live updates at 5:20pm of the international rugby league test at Auckland.

Professional rugby league is back on New Zealand soil! What better way to start it as New Zealand takes on the rising nation that…

Tonga will fight, but it’ll be too much for them as the game goes on. There will be plenty of emotion involved during this contest, and so the senior players amongst both teams must ensure that their players keep their emotions in check in order not to concede soft penalties or go down a man temporarily. In Manu’s sole game at fullback this year for the Roosters, he tried too hard to create chances out of nothing and it’s important he doesn’t fall into this trap with the halves pairing of Dylan Brown and Jahrohme Hughes alongside him. The forward pack is led by veteran and current skipper Jesse Bromwich, with Brandon Smith named at hooker and Penrith enforcer James Fisher-Harris also providing a huge presence in the Kiwis forwards lineup. Kenny Bromwich, 13. Tonga’s strength lies in their forward pack, led by skipper Siosiua Taukeiauho, Rabbitohs second rower Keaon Koloamatangi and enforcer Jason Taumalolo at lock. Jesse Bromwich, 9. The inexperience continues amongst the rest of the backline as 20 year old Talatau Amone is named at halfback. Professional rugby league is back on New Zealand soil! When using Facebook to create or log in to an account, you need to grant The Roar permission to see your email address When using Facebook to create or log in to an account, you need to grant The Roar permission to see your email address Oops! You must provide an email address to create a Roar account

Wild celebrations as Tonga cross the hosts' line but it's a 50-12 final score in the women's international at Mt Smart Stadium.

A strong Kiwis side is facing Mate Ma'a Tonga at a sold out Mt Smart Stadium this afternoon. Follow Jamie Wall's updates.

New Zealand is facing Tonga, Samoa is meeting Cook Islands and PNG is clashing with Fiji in the Pacific Tests.

It's a festival of international rugby league, with New Zealand hosting Tonga, then Samoa vs Cook Islands before PNG take on Fiji to wrap things up.

Team stats Team stats Team stats

A strong Kiwis side beat back Mate Ma'a Tonga 26-6 at a sold out Mt Smart Stadium this afternoon. Here's how it all went down.

A stunning display from Joey Manu led the Kiwis to a 26-6 win over Tonga in front a sellout crowd at Mt Smart Stadium on Saturday.

"We had nine guys make their debuts tonight so it's exciting times for Tonga. If you look at the average age of our backs they were just under 21 so they are going to learn plenty from this game and this experience and moving forward it's exciting times for Tonga in the World Cup and years to come. Our spine players are playing really confidently at their clubs, they are back at their clubs being the best NRL players in the competition and we just wanted them to come in and do what they do." They attacked the game all night, they were brave and they went after everything." - Tonga winger Christian Tuipulotu was sin binned in the 29th minute for a professional foul. "Madge [Michael Maguire] put a challenge to us about being the best defensive international team in the world and we went out there and really got stuck in. On the half hour mark the Eels playmaker lofted a 20-metre 'harbour bridge' pass out to the Sharks flyer who soared through the air to plant the ball down in the left hand corner.