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England v Tonga Test Series 2023

Perth Red

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69,879
Great to see a first ever proper tour by a so called tier 2 nation. Unbelievable that it has taken this long, but better late than never!

venues:
St Helens
Huddersfield
Leeds (Headingly)

 

Perth Red

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69,879
After months of waiting and uncertainty, it has finally been confirmed that England will play an autumn test series against Tonga later this year.

Tonga will become the first Pacific nation to do a sole tour, in another sign of the impact they have had on the international game in recent years.

It will be the first time that they have played England in England since a meeting at Widnes in 2006, which Tonga lost 32-14, with the only meeting since the historic World Cup semi-final in 2017.

Although it has been long been speculated, the series hasn’t been able to be confirmed due to the still ongoing wrangle over the players’ collective bargaining agreement with the NRL.

Though that still apparently hasn’t come to a final resolution yet, the appropriate bodies have now been confident enough to confirm the series will go ahead despite a late move to try and persuade Tonga to remain Down Under.

That set up the RFL to announce the three-game series – with Headingley (Leeds), Totally Wicked Stadium (St Helens) and John Smith’s Stadium (Huddersfield) the chosen venues.

Two out of three ain’t bad​

Leeds is the finest rugby league theatre that we have, and it should be an automatic choice for international matches on these shores. Using St Helens is a positive too, as it is a purpose-built rugby league facility with a good mix of seating and terracing, plus it was a natural choice due to their links with Tonga coach Kristian Woolf.

But with those two locked in, the third venue should have been somewhere away from the traditional heartlands.

That’s meant as no offence to Huddersfield, which is a great venue in its own right. It is a ground shared with football, and you can only assume that the RFL have been able to negotiate a decent deal to play there.

 

Perth Red

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69,879
England Head Coach Shaun Wane is delighted to have secured a Test series with worthy opponents and is excited for the whole tour as they welcome Tonga to these shores.

Three Super League stadiums will host the series, which gets underway in St Helens (Totally Wicked Stadium, Sunday, 22 October), before heading to Yorkshire for the remaining two bouts. Firstly Huddersfield (John Smith's Stadium, Saturday 28 October) and Leeds (Headingley Stadium, Saturday 4 November).


"I'm absolutely thrilled at the prospect of hosting such a huge, three-game Test series against Tonga later this year," said Wane.

Read More: England line up Tonga for autumn Test series as three venues confirmed


"Throughout my time as England Head Coach, I have said we need to challenge ourselves against the best sides the international game has to offer – and Tonga are certainly one of those. They've been a real success story on the international stage in recent years, building on their exploits at the 2017 World Cup, and they will offer a real test.

"The series offers another chance to showcase the international game on home soil following on from the success of last year's World Cup. It's also a great opportunity for us to get three high-quality Test Matches under our belt as we continue to push towards the next World Cup in 2025. Hopefully, we see the Rugby League public come out and support us once again as we look for a series victory."

Wane's opposite number, Kristian Woolf, added, "There is no doubt that this is another historic moment for Tongan Rugby League. This will be the first time one of the Pacific Nations has been invited to play in a full three-Test series against England in the place where our great game began.

"It is easy to forget that this is an honour usually only reserved for countries like Australia and New Zealand. I know our players are excited by this challenge and are also keen to go back to England to try and prove what we can do in the Northern Hemisphere. We feel we did not showcase our best at last year's World Cup, and this will be an opportunity for Tonga to correct that."

 

Perth Red

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Tonga coach Kristian Woolf has revealed that his players were incredibly keen for their test series against England to go ahead this autumn.

It has finally been officially announced that England will host Tonga in a three-match test series at the end of the year, with games taking place in St Helens, Leeds and Huddersfield.

And Woolf was delighted to see the series get the green light, and wants international rugby league to build on the back of last year’s World Cup.
“We had three three-year break where they was no international football so I think it is important that we get a roll on now,” Woolf said.

“The World Cup was great, it certainly generated interest and it was the most competitive that we’ve seen of a World Cup and there were different nations going really well too, so that’s all good for the international game. I think it is important that we keep that going.

“There’s a really exciting opportunity for us. For Tonga, we’ve never had the opportunity to be invited to the UK or to play a three-game series against anybody, so it is a historic and proud occasion for us.

“It has come at the right moment for us too, that get the opportunity to be the headline team and play a series rather than a one-off test match or a couple of games. It is something we’re really looking forward to.”
Tonga will create a small part of history this autumn when they become the first-ever Pacific Island nation to tour the UK in a test series.
Woolf says his players are excited at the opportunity of touring the north of England this autumn.

He added: “I’ve got the pleasure of working with Jesse Bromwich at the moment (at the Dolphins), we were in conversation a couple of weeks ago and he and his brother Kenny were talking about their experiences on tour to the UK with New Zealand playing a three-game series and the length of time they were on tour.

“They couldn’t speak highly enough of their experiences, basically saying they were some of the experiences they’d had in terms of rugby league in general, but certainly international rugby league.

“That is certainly the way our players, particularly the older players who’ve had some experience with different nations, are all feeling. They are really looking forward to it.
“The fact that you get to play a really strong nation three times, it isn’t a one-off game where things can go either way. You get to experience the big game and then go in to another big game and build a little bit of a rivalry, you understand each other and you try to figure out new ways of trying to win. All that adds to the excitement.

“Three or four weeks is a really good time to be in the UK and it is something to look forward to. It isn’t a one-week trip or a quick flash in the pan and at the same time it isn’t as long as what a World Cup is, so our players are jumping out of their skin to get over there.”

Tonga keen to make amends for ‘disappointing’ World Cup campaign​

Woolf said his players played a big role in getting the test series on and are keen to make amends for a disappointing World Cup campaign last year, where they lost to Pacific neighbours Samoa in the quarter-finals.

 

Perth Red

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69,879
This tour could actually be far more important than anyone thought. With the ARLC trying to take control if Int RL in the southern hemisphere, which could lock out England and France in the future, a succesful tour will show the other southern nations they have choice and dont have to just accept what Australia is offering.

Hopefully sold out stadiums and a hefty profit for the Tongan RL will convince other nations touring Eng/France is a viable and lucrative option.
 

Perth Red

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69,879
Ticket pricing is out. Can be no complaints about it being too expensive this time!

The 3 game package is a good deal

1688974821027.png
 

siv

First Grade
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6,765
This tour could actually be far more important than anyone thought. With the ARLC trying to take control if Int RL in the southern hemisphere, which could lock out England and France in the future, a succesful tour will show the other southern nations they have choice and dont have to just accept what Australia is offering.

Hopefully sold out stadiums and a hefty profit for the Tongan RL will convince other nations touring Eng/France is a viable and lucrative option.
It will be interesting to see how the Tonga costs are being covered including match payments

And if the RLPA endorses the series
 

Perth Red

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69,879
It will be interesting to see how the Tonga costs are being covered including match payments

And if the RLPA endorses the series
As has always been done Id suggest. The RFL will manage the series, take the risks, get the revenue then dish out the pre agreed amount to Tonga who will pay their players from it.

As it isnt NRL related I wouldn't imagine the RLPA has any say in it.
 

Perth Red

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69,879
That’s still quite expensive given it’s in pounds though
About same price as your avg SL game. You can see 3 games for 17pound behind the sticks so not bad at all for a test match.
CC semi is 20pound standing behind sticks and 40pound for Cat1 seats
I paid $48 (24pound) for an end seat at Storm the other week.
 

Jim from Oz

Juniors
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748
Thanks … I'm trying to work out what those kick-off times will be in Sydney … I'm guessing two hours ahead? 1130pm and 1230am ?

If it's on KAYO I may buy it for a month just to watch these games and support international RL
 

Coastbloke

Bench
Messages
4,170
Thanks … I'm trying to work out what those kick-off times will be in Sydney … I'm guessing two hours ahead? 1130pm and 1230am ?

If it's on KAYO I may buy it for a month just to watch these games and support international RL

11:30pm in Sydney now, but factor in ADST in Sydney in October/November.
 

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