Samoa vs. Tonga at the end of the year?

[PARRA_FAN]

Another Tongan player I forgot to mention was Fifita Maola, used to play for the Storm.

 

[Resident Warrior]

If the game takes place outside of either Tonga or Samao and doesn't feature any homegrown players it is a waste of time and will do absolutely nothing for International Rugby League or Rugby League in the pacific.

And about 90% the Kiwi team would be eligible to play for either Samao or Tonga so I won't be surprised to see some *sigh* dual internationals......

 

[carlnz]

With Tonga coached by Royce Simmons they are on the way to building up for the 2008 World Cup.

I think it should be at least 4 home growen players, mixed with NRL players played in Tonga. I think they could get around 2,000-3,000 people..would to wonders for the game localy and would have some meaning to it as well.

 

[Copa]

If the game takes place outside of either Tonga or Samao and doesn't feature any homegrown players it is a waste of time and will do absolutely nothing for International Rugby League or Rugby League in the pacific.

And about 90% the Kiwi team would be eligible to play for either Samao or Tonga so I won't be surprised to see some *sigh* dual internationals......

It will do a lot if it raises some money for development.

 

[southsman]

Bring it on. The more internationals the better. Especially with the World Cup coming up in 2008 . I'm so confident we can make this a success. I will go to as many games as possible.

Play the game in Campbelltown or Auckland with the winner playing New Zealand.

 

[hutch]

Play the game in Campbelltown or Auckland with the winner playing New Zealand.

samoa v tonga in campbelltown or auckland?? that is ridiculous? we might as well call the game aussie and kiwi samoans v aussie and kiwi tongans. that is not international football. i have a feeling that we are going to go dow the same road as we did for the 2000 world cup. i would love to see this game played in either samoa or tonga, but it looks like it wont be the case, so lets at least make the game meaningful to the people from the islands. at least 6 of the squad of 17 should not be there for because of the grandparent rule. their is some quality players in tonga, they gave canberra a run for their money last year, and comprehensively outplayed the usa.
also, anyone who has previously played for aus or nz should not be considered at all. i see names such as tyron smith being floated around, he has played for new zealand before and should not be considered. the players who play in this game should be prepared to represent the country for life. it would be great to see samoa, tonga, fiji and png to play meaningful tests against each other every year, and also play against the big 3 as a warm up to the tri nations, and during the off weeks of the tri nations.

seeing as this game wont be played in either tonga or samoa, it could perhaps be put in as a double header before the aus v nz game at stadium australia.

 

[griff]

It will do a lot if it raises some money for development.

Seeing 34 RL stars playing a quality test match in the islands will do 10 times more for development than $40,000 in an RLIF bank account.

Money can only do so much, it is international competition and the chance to see live international RL that they really need.

They should wear the cost of a small amount of lost revenue and play it in the islands. It would be money very well spent.

 

[Corbin]

Wilie Poching? Not sure...But yeh, Tevita Vaikona was at Bradford, but switched to the Saracens...and Shane Laloata went to the Waratahs, but never made it I guess, now he either plays Rugby for the Warringah club, or has quit...I might go ask some Dragon fans...

Yes Sun_Down, Shane Laloata is still playing for Warringah, as i support them and live in the area.

 

[Lantana]

samoa v tonga in campbelltown or auckland?? that is ridiculous? we might as well call the game aussie and kiwi samoans v aussie and kiwi tongans. that is not international football. i have a feeling that we are going to go dow the same road as we did for the 2000 world cup. i would love to see this game played in either samoa or tonga, but it looks like it wont be the case, so lets at least make the game meaningful to the people from the islands. at least 6 of the squad of 17 should not be there for because of the grandparent rule. their is some quality players in tonga, they gave canberra a run for their money last year, and comprehensively outplayed the usa.
also, anyone who has previously played for aus or nz should not be considered at all. i see names such as tyron smith being floated around, he has played for new zealand before and should not be considered. the players who play in this game should be prepared to represent the country for life. it would be great to see samoa, tonga, fiji and png to play meaningful tests against each other every year, and also play against the big 3 as a warm up to the tri nations, and during the off weeks of the tri nations.

seeing as this game wont be played in either tonga or samoa, it could perhaps be put in as a double header before the aus v nz game at stadium australia.

He meant Tyrone Smith (George's younger brother, playing for the London Broncos) not Tyran Smith (Canberra Raiders).

 

[hutch]

He meant Tyrone Smith (George's younger brother, playing for the London Broncos) not Tyran Smith (Canberra Raiders).

thanks, mistaken identity. even though that would be even more ridiculous, the last thing we need is teams full of aussies/kiwis, who play for the sake of it.

 

[Lantana]

thanks, mistaken identity. even though that would be even more ridiculous, the last thing we need is teams full of aussies/kiwis, who play for the sake of it.

Tyrone has a Tongan passport, as his mother was born there. They migrated to Australia not long before his birth.

 

[saddog]

I thnk if it is not feasable to play the game in the islands, playing it before either Oz V NZ game would be great. I would love to be able to go to Tealsta stadium to watch 2 test matches. Wherever the location, local players should be included in the squad, maybe 13 using the grandparent rule, and 5 or 6 locals , to cover any late withdrawals. And to be fair dinkum, with a view to the WC in 2008, players who agree to play cannot then play for another nation, even if this excludes some quality players who have repped for NZ in the past.

 

[hutch]

Tyrone has a Tongan passport, as his mother was born there. They migrated to Australia not long before his birth.

which sums up my point exactly. he was born in australia, raised in australia, learnt how to play the game in australia. if he wants to play for tonga, then by the rules of game at the moment he has every right to, but if the tongan team is full of people like this then it is a joke. 3 or 4 players like smith would be ok, as long as they represent tonga and nobody else for their entire careers. island teams full of expats is not international rugby league.

 

[Lantana]

which sums up my point exactly. he was born in australia, raised in australia, learnt how to play the game in australia. if he wants to play for tonga, then by the rules of game at the moment he has every right to, but if the tongan team is full of people like this then it is a joke. 3 or 4 players like smith would be ok, as long as they represent tonga and nobody else for their entire careers. island teams full of expats is not international rugby league.

It's unfortunate that Tyrone and many other Tongans travel to Australia to try and make a better life for themselves.
To not allow somebody to represent their country because their parents made the decision to leave is a bit tough.
People DO NOT get a choice where they were born and nobody knows the true reason why people leave their country anyway.
Who are we to tell Tyrone Smith, sorry your parents came to Australia for a better life, I know it wasn't your choice but you can't represent the country where you would have been born not for somebody else's decision.
I agree totally with the sentiment of once you play for a country you remain loyal to theat country.

 

[hutch]

It's unfortunate that Tyrone and many other Tongans travel to Australia to try and make a better life for themselves.
To not allow somebody to represent their country because their parents made the decision to leave is a bit tough.
People DO NOT get a choice where they were born and nobody knows the true reason why people leave their country anyway.
Who are we to tell Tyrone Smith, sorry your parents came to Australia for a better life, I know it wasn't your choice but you can't represent the country where you would have been born not for somebody else's decision.
I agree totally with the sentiment of once you play for a country you remain loyal to theat country.

i see your point but the guy is an aussie. one of his parents may be tongan, but he is australian. as i said, he was born here, grew up here, came through the aus junior rugby league system, his older brother plays for australia in union. i bet tyrone hasnt even been to tonga.

if he does choose to play for tonga if selected (if they play a game ever), it is his choice as he qualifies for them. but if the entire team is made up of people just like him in his situation, then it is a joke, and should not be called the tongan national rugby league team, but the tongan expats team.

 

[Dakink]

If he considers himself Tongagn then good on him - he should be allowed to play for them. Though once he has it should be made difficult to then switch allegiance.

 

[hutch]

If he considers himself Tongagn then good on him - he should be allowed to play for them. Though once he has it should be made difficult to then switch allegiance.

if he considers himself tongan then thats his choice, but he should make himself available for tonga every time they play a test, and should not be allowed to play for another country.