Red hot Tonga squad announced for three-Test England series ...

4 Oct 2023

Fox Sports

Tonga have announced their squad to take on England in a three-Test series, kicking off at St Helens’ Wicked Stadium on October 22.

Mate Ma’a won’t feature in this year’s Pacific Championships, instead becoming the first Pacific nation to play a Test series against the Three Lions.

Tonga’s squad is packed to the brim with big-name NRL enforcers, including Addin Fonua-Blake, Felise Kaufusi and Haumole Olakau’atu.

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Meanwhile, coach Kristian Woolf has also named three playmakers in Tuimoala Lolohea, Latu Fainu and Isaiya Katoa.

Jason Taumalolo, Sio Siau Taukieaho, David Fifita, Sione Katoa and Dallin Watene Zelezniak have all been ruled out due to off-season surgeries or being ruled unfit by their clubs.

Interestingly, Watene Zelezniak made himself available for Tongan selection, snubbing the Kiwis after featuring for New Zealand in last year’s World Cup.

TONGAN SQUAD (in alphabetical order)

Latu Fainu – Manly Sea Eagles

Addin Fonua-Blake - NZ Warriors

Moeaki Fotuaika - Gold Coast Titans

Tyson Frizell – Newcastle Knights

Siliva Havili – South Sydney Rabbitohs

William Hopoate – St Helens

Konrad Hurrell – St Helens

Isaiya Katoa – Dolphins

Eliesa Katoa – Melbourne Storm

Felise Kaufusi – Dolphins

Keaon Koloamatangi – South Sydney Rabbitohs

Tolutau Koula – Manly Sea Eagles

Tuimoala Lolohea – Huddersfield Giants

Haumole Olakau’atu – Manly Sea Eagles

Will Penisini – Parramatta Eels

Hame Sele – South Sydney Rabbitohs

Mosese Suli – St George Illawarra Dragons

Tevita Tatola - South Sydney Rabbitohs

Dion Teaupa – South Sydney Rabbitohs

Starford Toa – Wests Tigers

Daniel Tupou – Sydney Roosters

Siua Wong – Sydney Roosters

Upton named to Jillaroos squad | 00:52

SAMOA NAME EXCITING SQUAD

Samoa’s extended squad for the upcoming Pacific Championships has been announced with four Panthers players fresh off winning a premiership included.

New coach Ben Gardiner has named Stephen Crichton, Brian To’o, Izack Tago and Spencer Leniu — however Jarome Luai is unavailable due to injury.

Meanwhile, Jesse Arthars Keenan Palasia have earned selection too after featuring in last Sunday’s NRL Grand Final with the Broncos.

The pack includes veteran Junior Paulo, who will captain the side, as well as Luciano Leilua, Stefano Utoikamanu, Royce Hunt and Terrell May.

Rookies Gordon Chan Kum Tong and Sualauvi Faalogo are set to get a taste of international footy after being selected. So too Bulldogs teen Karl Oloapu.

'Surprised' Mal reveals Latrell omission | 01:13

Powerhouse winger Greg Marzhew and rising second-rower Heilum Luki also join the list of 10 players set to make their debut for Samoa.

“With the balance of young and senior players, it’s definitely a good combination that we have got going,” Paulo said on Tuesday.

It comes after Kangaroos coach Mal Meninga announced his 21-man squad earlier on Tuesday.

Samoa will face Australia in their first match of the championship on Saturday, October 14 at Queensland Country Bank Stadium, Townsville.

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TOA SAMOA SQUAD (* Denotes debutant)

Jesse Arthars (Brisbane Broncos)*

Daejarn Asi (Parramatta Eels)*

Gordon Chan Kum Tong (Manly Sea Eagles)*

Stephen Crichton (Penrith Panthers)

Sualauvi Faalogo (Melbourne Storm)*

Royce Hunt (Cronulla Sharks)

Luciana Leilua (North Queensland Cowboys)

Connelly Lemuelu (Dolphins)

Spencer Leniu (Penrith Panthers)

Heilum Luki (North Queensland Cowboys)*

Greg Marzhew (Newcastle Knights)*

Justin Matamua (Wests Tigers)*

Terrell May (Sydney Roosters)*

Karl Oloapu (Canterbury Bulldogs)*

Keenan Palasia (Brisbane Broncos)

Junior Paulo (Parramatta Eels)

Izack Tago (Penrith Panthers)

Murray Taulagi (North Queensland Cowboys)*

Young Tonumaipea (Melbourne Storm)

Brian To’o (Penrith Panthers)

Stefano Utoikamanu (Wests Tigers)

KIWI NAME SEVEN DEBUTANTS

There are seven players are in line to make their New Zealand debuts the inaugural Pacific Championships amid a hooker shortage.

The potential debutants in the Kiwis’ 21-man squad include Cowboys prop Griffin Neame and Christchurch-born Knights utility Fa’amanu Brown who joins the squad after representing Samoa at Rugby League World Cup last year.

Eels front-rower Wiremu Greig, Titans’ 19-year-old fullback Keano Kini, Knights prop Leo Thompson, Raiders centre Matthew Timoko and Roosters forward Naufahu Whyte round out the potential debutants.

Watch every match of The ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Live on Kayo Sports. Starts THU 6 OCT 7:30PM AEDT. Join Kayo now and start streaming instantly >

The Kiwis are particularly short at hooker with Roosters star Brandon Smith (hand), Dolphins standout Jeremy Marshall-King (shoulder) and Newcastle revelation Phoenix Crossland (knee) all ruled out.

Warriors star and Dally M winger of the year Dallin Watene-Zelezniak has represented New Zealand on 13 occasions but has defected to Tonga.

The 2023 Dally M Medal runner-up, Shaun Johnson, made himself unavailable for selection after a long season with the Warriors.

Two former Kiwis Tests stars, who have since played for Samoa, have been recalled in Dolphins winger Jamayne Isaako and Danny Levi.

NEW ZEALAND SQUAD:

NELSON ASOFA-SOLOMONA Melbourne Storm

DYLAN BROWN Parramatta Eels

FA’AMANU BROWN Newcastle Knights

JAMES FISHER-HARRIS Penrith Panthers

KIERAN FORAN Gold Coast Titans

WIREMU GREIG Parramatta Eels

JAHROME HUGHES Melbourne Storm

JAMAYNE ISAAKO The Dolphins