2023 England v Tonga Internationals

[40 nil]

England is hosting Tonga for a three match international series for the first time. Game One is today 22 October with Game Two on 28 October & Game Three on 4 November. In the Tongan side, there are two current Sea Eagles, Koula & Olakau'atu, and two former Sea Eagles, Latu Fainu & Suli. I don't know how the games can be watched in Australia - maybe on Fox. I am in India, so the games are on at a reasonable time, 7 pm or 8 pm. I also don't know how I can watch - maybe on BBC Player.

Draw

The 2024 Telstra Premiership draw, NRL draw, live NRL scores; results, fixture, schedule, State of Origin draw, Pre-season Challenge draw, Pacific Championships, Hostplus Cup draw and NSW Cup draw.

www.nrl.com

It's interesting that there is only one specialist winger, Tupou, in the Tonga squad. At this stage, he is in the reserves list for today's game. It is difficult to predict the final team. In the 17, there are 8 backs, including 4 centres, 3 halves & 1 fullback (Koula). Maybe Tupou will be promoted & a player like Suli, Lolohea, Hurrell or Fainu will be selected as 14?

The forwards could possibly be
8. AFB
9. Havili
10. Fotuaika
11. Kolamatangi
12. Kaufusi
13. Frizell
14.?
15. Olakau'atu
16. Eliesa Katoa
17. Sele

 

[The '47ers]

England is hosting Tonga for a three match international series for the first time. Game One is today 22 October with Game Two on 28 October & Game Three on 4 November. In the Tongan side, there are two current Sea Eagles, Koula & Olakau'atu, and two former Sea Eagles, Latu Fainu & Suli. I don't know how the games can be watched in Australia - maybe on Fox. I am in India, so the games are on at a reasonable time, 7 pm or 8 pm. I also don't know how I can watch - maybe on BBC Player.

Draw

The 2024 Telstra Premiership draw, NRL draw, live NRL scores; results, fixture, schedule, State of Origin draw, Pre-season Challenge draw, Pacific Championships, Hostplus Cup draw and NSW Cup draw.

www.nrl.com

It's interesting that there is only one specialist winger, Tupou, in the Tonga squad. At this stage, he is in the reserves list for today's game. It is difficult to predict the final team. In the 17, there are 8 backs, including 4 centres, 3 halves & 1 fullback (Koula). Maybe Tupou will be promoted & a player like Suli, Lolohea, Hurrell or Fainu will be selected as 14?

The forwards could possibly be
8. AFB
9. Havili
10. Fotuaika
11. Kolamatangi
12. Kaufusi
13. Frizell
14.?
15. Olakau'atu
16. Eliesa Katoa
17. Sele

View attachment 25398

AFB on a wing interesting hahaha.

 

[Phobia]

AFB on a wing interesting hahaha.

Koula's in the second row

Clearly someone's screwed up the presentation of the team list

 

[40 nil]

Koula's in the second row

Clearly someone's screwed up the presentation of the team list

Obviously, it's not the final team list. The jersey numbers for both teams are according to alphabetical order of player's names. This is the same confusing system Australia used in the 2022 WC. Looks odd that Fainu (F) is the first name in alphabetical order.

 

[Uk eagle]

England is hosting Tonga for a three match international series for the first time. Game One is today 22 October with Game Two on 28 October & Game Three on 4 November. In the Tongan side, there are two current Sea Eagles, Koula & Olakau'atu, and two former Sea Eagles, Latu Fainu & Suli. I don't know how the games can be watched in Australia - maybe on Fox. I am in India, so the games are on at a reasonable time, 7 pm or 8 pm. I also don't know how I can watch - maybe on BBC Player.

Draw

The 2024 Telstra Premiership draw, NRL draw, live NRL scores; results, fixture, schedule, State of Origin draw, Pre-season Challenge draw, Pacific Championships, Hostplus Cup draw and NSW Cup draw.

www.nrl.com

It's interesting that there is only one specialist winger, Tupou, in the Tonga squad. At this stage, he is in the reserves list for today's game. It is difficult to predict the final team. In the 17, there are 8 backs, including 4 centres, 3 halves & 1 fullback (Koula). Maybe Tupou will be promoted & a player like Suli, Lolohea, Hurrell or Fainu will be selected as 14?

The forwards could possibly be
8. AFB
9. Havili
10. Fotuaika
11. Kolamatangi
12. Kaufusi
13. Frizell
14.?
15. Olakau'atu
16. Eliesa Katoa
17. Sele

View attachment 25398

The games are being shown live on the BBC over here, I'm not sure if that means you can access it via the BBC iPlayer overseas but I don't know why not

 

[40 nil]

Here is the final team - Koula on the wing & Haumole on the bench.

 

[40 nil]

Currently Tonga 10 England 6

Can watch live here

Tonga VS England 2023

Tonga VS England 2023

www.youtube.com

 

[40 nil]

Fun fact - it appears Tonga's water boy is Hoppa Snr

 

[40 nil]

England deserved to win 22-18. However, the difference in the scores was a Tongan dropped ball which was pounced on for a try by the English winger.

Haumole replaced Frizell on the left edge & didn't make his usual impact till the last 15 minutes. AFB was massive, Koula played well & Hopoate was safe at the back - took some very difficult bombs under pressure. I think Tonga need more speed in the middle of the ruck - Fainu could provide this if selected at 14 next game.

 

[40 nil]

Koula scored a try in the last couple of minutes (AFB > Lolohea > Hopoate > Suli > Koula)

Tolutau Koula Try

Tolutau Koula Try

www.nrl.com

 

[IQofalimabean]

Haumole shouldn't be on the bench and Koula should have been fullback.

 

[SeaEagleSI1]

Koula

17 runs

153 meters

1 try

49 post contact

1 line break

5 tackle breaks

1 tackle

1 miss

2 errors

Hamolue

28 mins

8 runs

67 meters

30 post contact

4 tackle breaks

2.92 play the ball speed

12 tackle

0 miss

 

[08Dream]

Good stats for Koula, was this his first ever game on the wing?

 

[40 nil]

Match highlights

England v Mate Ma'a Tonga - Game 1

England host Mate Ma'a Tonga in Game 1 of their three match series at Totally Wicked Stadium in St. Helens

www.nrl.com

 

[Highflier]

Yes I think Tonga stuffed up a bit there ,with Hoppa at 1 , (hoppa has good hands and his safe under the high ball , but I think he is a bit slow at 1 ) Koula played at 1 last year and nailed it ,also Hamoule spent to much time on the bench .Also they favoured going down their right edge all the time and Koula appeared to barely get the ball on the left ,untill it was too late.
Hard ball to take by Suli at the end (not impossible but hard)
Anyways good game ,and Ill be cheering for Tonga ,Koula and Hamoule and AFB and Moses next week

 

[40 nil]

Olakau'atu will start in the second test tomorrow with Koloamatangi moving to the bench. Also Tatola starts with Fotuaika moving to the bench and Junior Tupou replaces Starford To'a on the wing. Latu Fainu is not listed. Maybe Koula will swap to right wing to play outside Olakau'atu. Tupou usually plays left wing for the Tigers.

England v Mate Ma'a Tonga

England versus Mate Ma'a Tonga match centre includes live scores and updates. Includes official live player and team stats. Run metres, fantasy points scoring.

www.nrl.com

 

[40 nil]

England prevail 14-4

Koula try

Tolutau Koula Try

Deft hands from Will Hopoate and Tolutau Koula gets Tonga in the match

www.nrl.com

Koula saves a try

Katoa saves a try

Isaiya Katoa drags Mikey Lewis down just short of the line

www.nrl.com

Match highlights

England v Mate Ma'a Tonga - Game 2

England host Mate Ma'a Tonga in Game 2 of their three match series at John Smith's Stadium in Huddersfield

www.nrl.com

 

[SeaEagleSI1]

Koula

1 try

22 runs

200 meters

75 post contact meters

1 line break

8 tackle breaks

1 offload

4 tackles

2 miss tackles

3 errors


Olakautau

69 mins

16 runs

161 meters

91 post contact meters

5 tackle breaks

23 tackles

3 miss tackles

 

[HoldenV8]

Sorry but I can not agree with Kristian Wolff's selections.

Will Hopoate is slower than a wet week and so far all series has been a liability at fullback. At best he should have been in the centres.

Tolu Koula, despite having scored a try in each test, has been wasted on the wing. Seriously, they have arguably the single fastest rugby league player currently on British soil, and most of their attack this series has been directed towards Junior Tupou on the left wing.

I know Koula's best senior games at fullback were against the 2 teams anchored to the bottom of the NRL ladder for the past 3–4 years, but he should be the first choice Tongan fullback. His pace is a weapon that they have failed to use to their advantage.

 

[40 nil]

I know Koula's best senior games at fullback were against the 2 teams anchored to the bottom of the NRL ladder for the past 3–4 years, but he should be the first choice Tongan fullback. His pace is a weapon that they have failed to use to their advantage.

I agree. Koula played every game at fullback in last year's WC & has developed as an attacking player since then. The Haumole-Koula combination could have been dynamite, but Wolff chose to ignore it. I only saw a small part of yesterday's game, but it appeared Tonga's attack was very clunky. It would have been better to play Hopoate as a defensive centre with Suli on the wing (have always thought Suli could be most potent as a power winger rather than a centre). Hopefully, Latu gets an opportunity off the bench in game three.