In a historic first, Tonga’s national rugby league team is set to tour England in a three-match Test series in October and November 2023. The series marks the first time a Pacific island nation will tour England, and the first-ever test match series between the two countries.
The tour will begin in St Helens on 22 October, before moving to Huddersfield and Headingley on consecutive weekends. England head coach Shaun Wane has welcomed the challenge that Tonga will provide, saying that his team needs to challenge itself against the best sides in the international game.
Tonga has been a real success story on the international stage in recent years, building on their exploits at the 2017 World Cup, and they will undoubtedly offer a real test. Tonga head coach Kristian Woolf has described the tour as “historic” for his side, who have beaten Australia and Great Britain in recent years.
England narrowly defeated Tonga 20-18 in their last meeting at the 2017 World Cup semi-final, and the upcoming series will be an opportunity for both teams to prove themselves on the world stage. For England, it’s also a chance to get three high-quality Test matches under their belt as they prepare for the next World Cup in 2025.
Tonga’s participation in the tour of England means they have rejected the advances of the NRL, who had been attempting to put on a Four Nations-style tournament at the end of the year with Mate Ma’a, Toa Samoa, and the Kiwis. Instead, a Southern Hemisphere tournament is expected to go ahead in a Tri Nations format.
This Tonga rugby league tour of England is an exciting development for rugby league fans around the world, and a testament to the growing strength and popularity of the sport in the Pacific region. It’s sure to be a thrilling series that will showcase the best of international rugby league.
