Rearuh

International medals;
; Pacific Games;

Tonga
Nickname(s)	ʻIkale Tahi
Emblem	White dove
Union	Tonga Rugby Football Union
Head coach	Toutai Kefu
Captain	Siale Piutau
Most caps;	; Nili Latu (43)
Top scorer	; Kurt Morath (338)
Top try scorer	; Fetu'u Vainikolo (15)
Home stadium	Teufaiva Sport Stadium
; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; First colours;	; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; Second colours;
	;
World Rugby ranking
Current	13 (as of 21 May 2018);
Highest	9 (2011);
Lowest	20 (2006);
First international
	; Tonga 9–6 Fiji; (Nuku'alofa, Tonga; 25 August 1924)
Biggest win
	; Tonga 119–0 South Korea; (Nuku'alofa, Tonga; 22 March 2003)
Biggest defeat
	; New Zealand 102–0 Tonga; (Albany, New Zealand; 16 June 2000)
World Cup
Appearances	7 (First in 1987)
Best result	Pool stage, 1987, 1995, 1999, 2003, 2007, 2011 and 2015;
International medals;
; Pacific Games;
Website	www.tongarugbyunion.net

The Tonga national rugby union team is nicknamed ʻIkale Tahi (Sea Eagles). Like their Polynesian neighbours, the Tongans start their matches with a war dance – the Sipi Tau. They are members of the Pacific Islands Rugby Alliance (PIRA) along with Fiji and Samoa. The Ikale Tahi achieved a historic 19–14 victory over France in the 2011 Rugby World Cup, but having lost to New Zealand and Canada, were unable to achieve what would have been their first ever presence at the quarter-finals.

History

Rugby was brought to the region in the early 20th Century by sailors and missionaries and the Tonga Rugby Football Union was formed in late 1923. Tonga beat Fiji 9–6 in their first test in 1924 played in the capital Nukuʻalofa. However, Tonga lost the second test 14–3 and drew the decider 0–0.

Between 1924 and 1938 Tonga and Fiji played three test series every alternate year. Matches between the two Pacific nations were hard fought; many have claimed that the ancient feuding wars between the Islanders were transplanted onto the rugby field. Troubles during the third Test of Fiji's 1928 tour to Tonga forced the game to be abandoned with Tonga leading 11–8. In 1954 Tonga played host to a touring Western Samoa.

Tonga beat New Zealand Māori in 1969, but had to wait until 1973 before they played their second test match a 30–12 defeat against Australia in Sydney. They got their revenge when they beat Australia in Ballymore, Brisbane 16–11, scoring four tries to two in June 1973. The following year they traveled to the Arms Park for a non-cap international against Wales, a game that ended in a 26–7 defeat.

The first Tongan tour to Great Britain was in 1974 when they played 10 games, including those in Wales against East Wales, Llanelli, North Wales, Newport, West Wales and a Wales XV. The only tour victory was by 18–13 in the opener against East Wales. The 'tests' were lost by 44–8 to a Scotland XV and by 26–7 to the Wales XV.

They remained a little-known quantity in Europe until 1986 when Wales embarked on a tour of Fiji, Tonga and Western Samoa. Early in the game against Tonga Welsh flanker Mark Brown was flattened by three Tongan forwards, leading to a mass brawl involving the entire team except Malcolm Dacey and Mark Titley. Robert Jones describes the event in his book Raising The Dragon as "the worst brawl I have ever seen on a rugby field." At the post-match dinner Jonathan Davies was asked to give a few words in Welsh and as the hosts politely applauded he described them as "the dirtiest team I have ever played against!"

Tonga were drawn to play Wales again in the inaugural 1987 Rugby World Cup in New Zealand. The previous meeting, plus the decision to rest some of the leading players, led to a poor Welsh performance though they managed to win 29–16. Tonga lost its other two games to Ireland (32–9) and Canada (37–4).

They failed to qualify for the 1991 Rugby World Cup. In 1994 they won the South Pacific championship on try count and so qualified for the Super 10, they finished bottom of their pool with only one point.

They qualified for the 1995 World Cup ahead of Fiji on points difference. Tonga managed only two victories in the next two World Cups, against the 29–11 Côte d'Ivoire in 1995 and Italy in 1999. The win over the Côte d'Ivoire brought tragedy when Ivorian winger Max Brito was left paralyzed.

June 1999 brought their greatest home victory, a 20–16 defeat of France in Nukuʻalofa over a touring France but in 2000 they were humiliated 102–0 (including 15 tries) by New Zealand.

After losing their first four matches to Fiji and Samoa, Tonga finished third in the Oceania qualifying group. As a result, they had to play home and away matches against Papua New Guinea, which they won 47–14 and 84–12, followed by a play-off against South Korea, who finished as runners-up in the Asian section. Tonga thrashed them 75–0 and 119–0.

At the 2003 Rugby World Cup Tonga lost all their games and finished bottom of their pool. Despite keeping Wales to 20–27, they were again thrashed by New Zealand 91–7.

In 2007 Tonga participated in the 2007 Rugby World Cup, winning 2 of their pool matches and nearly defeating the eventual champions, South Africa, in one of the most memorable and exciting games of the tournament, eventually going down 30–25.

Tonga achieved one of the greatest victories in Rugby World Cup history with their 19 – 14 win over France in the 2011 World Cup.

On 24 November 2012, Tonga beat Scotland, at Pittodrie Stadium, 21–15 for their first victory over a traditional rugby power on a European pitch.

Sipi Tau

Like a lot of the big Pacific rugby nations, Tonga has a pre-game war dance (Haka). The Sipi Tau is a form of the Kailao. Tonga perform the kailao/Sipi Tau prior to the commencement of a match. The kailao was originally a war dance that was imported to Tonga from Wallis Island. It is usually performed at both public and private ceremonies.

One of the most memorable performances in modern times of the Sipi Tau was during the 2003 Rugby World Cup in Australia, in Tonga's match against the All Blacks. The All Blacks began their traditional haka, and then Tonga answered to the haka through the sipi tau whilst the All Blacks were performing it, bringing the teams within metres of one another just prior to kick-off.^[1]

Wins against Tier 1 nations

30 June 1973	Australia	11–16	Tonga	Ballymore Stadium, Brisbane
	Try: Cole Tindall Con: McGill	Report	Try: Kavapalu Latu Mafi Pahulu Vave	Attendance: 9,563 Referee: Bob Burnett (Australia)

16 June 1999	Tonga	20–16	France	Teufaiva Sport Stadium, Nukuʻalofa
	Try: Taufahema Taumalolo (2) Con: Sateki Tuipulotu Pen: Sateki Tuipulotu	Report	Try: Sarraméa Con: Lamaison Pen: Lamaison (3)	Attendance: 7,000 Referee: Clayton Thomas (Wales)

10 October 1999	Italy	25–28	Tonga	Welford Road, Leicester
	Try: Moscardi Con: Domínguez Pen: Domínguez (6)	Report	Try: Fatani Taufahema Sateki Tuipulotu Con: Sateki Tuipulotu (2) Pen: Sateki Tuipulotu (2) Drop: Sateki Tuipulotu	Attendance: 10,244 Referee: Dave McHugh (Ireland)

1 October 2011	France	14–19	Tonga	Westpac Stadium, Wellington
	Try: Clerc 80' m Pen: Yachvili (3/3) 1', 23', 49'	Report	Try: Hufanga 26' c Con: Morath (1/1) 28' Pen: Morath (4/8) 6', 35', 66', 72'	Attendance: 32,763 Referee: Steve Walsh (Australia)

24 November 2012	Scotland	15–21	Tonga	Pittodrie, Aberdeen
	Pen: Laidlaw (5/7) 10', 38', 46', 55', 61'	Report	Try: Lokotui 51' c Vainikolo 65' m Con: Apikotoa (1/2) 52' Pen: Apikotoa (3/5) 5', 64', 72'	Attendance: 20,306 Referee: Mathieu Raynal (France)

26 November 2016	Italy	17–19	Tonga	Stadio Euganeo, Padua
15:00 CET (UTC+1)	Try: Cittadini 12' c Allan 54' c Con: Canna (1/1) 13' Allan (1/1) 55' Pen: Padovani (1/1) 77'	Report	Try: Piutau 51' c Con: Takulua (1/1) 53' Pen: Takulua (4/5) 32', 45', 77', 80'	Attendance: 18,125 Referee: John Lacey (Ireland)

Overall Record

Men's World Rugby Rankings v t e
Top 30 rankings as of 11 February 2019^[2]
Rank	Change*	Team	Points
1		New Zealand	092.54
2		Ireland	089.92
3		England	088.02
4		Wales	087.55
5		South Africa	084.58
6		Australia	082.40
7		Scotland	081.30
8		Fiji	077.95
9		Argentina	077.05
10		France	077.02
11		Japan	075.24
12	1	Georgia	073.93
13	1	United States	073.66
14		Tonga	073.02
15		Italy	072.75
16		Samoa	068.78
17		Uruguay	067.13
18		Romania	064.95
19		Russia	064.21
20	1	Spain	063.23
21	1	Canada	061.36
22		Namibia	060.34
23	2	Belgium	058.77
24	1	Netherlands	058.45
25	1	Hong Kong	058.11
26	2	Brazil	058.10
27	1	Germany	057.15
27	1	Portugal	057.08
29		Chile	054.36
30		South Korea	053.59
*Change from the previous week
Tonga's historical rankings

Source: World Rugby - Graph updated to 7 January 2019^[2]

Below is table of the representative rugby matches played by a Tongan national XV at test level up until 16 June 2018.^[3]

Opponent	Played	Won	Lost	Drawn	Win %	For	Aga	Diff
Argentina	1	0	1	0	0%	16	45	−29
Australia	4	1	3	0	25%	42	167	−125
Australia A	1	0	1	0	0.00%	15	60	−45
Canada	8	3	5	0	37.50%	155	193	−38
Chile	1	1	0	0	100.00%	32	30	+2
Cook Islands	3	3	0	0	100.00%	235	22	+213
England	2	0	2	0	0.00%	30	137	−107
England XV	1	0	1	0	0.00%	17	37	−20
Fiji	91	27	61	3	29.67%	1218	1780	−562
France	5	2	3	0	40.00%	75	149	−74
Georgia	6	2	4	0	33.33%	132	99	+33
Ireland	2	0	2	0	0.00%	28	72	−44
Italy	5	2	3	0	40.00%	82	154	−72
Ivory Coast	1	1	0	0	100.00%	29	11	+18
Japan	17	9	8	0	52.94%	446	418	+28
Junior All Blacks	2	0	2	0	0.00%	23	77	−54
Namibia	2	2	0	0	100%	55	35	+20
New Zealand	5	0	5	0	0.00%	35	326	−291
Māori	12	4	8	0	33.33%	165	319	−154
Papua New Guinea	2	2	0	0	100.00%	131	26	+105
Portugal	1	1	0	0	100.00%	24	19	+5
Romania	3	2	1	0	66.67%	64	55	+9
Samoa	64	27	33	4	42.19%	956	1119	−163
Scotland	4	1	3	0	25.00%	58	136	−78
Scotland XV	2	0	2	0	0.00%	13	67	−55
South Korea	6	6	0	0	100.00%	464	66	+398
South Africa	2	0	2	0	0.00%	35	104	−69
Spain	1	1	0	0	100.00%	28	13	+15
United States	9	8	1	0	88.89%	241	134	+107
Wales	8	0	8	0	0.00%	84	227	−143
Wales XV	1	0	1	0	0.00%	7	26	−19
Zimbabwe	1	1	0	0	100.00%	42	13	+29
Total	273	106	160	7	38.83%	4977	6136	-1159

World Cup Record

World Cup record								World Cup Qualification record
Year	Round	P	W	D	L	F	A	P	W	D	L	F	A
1987	Pool Stage	3	0	0	3	29	98	Automatically qualified
1991	Did not qualify							3	1	0	2	64	62
1995	Pool Stage	3	1	0	2	44	90	2	1	0	1	34	26
1999	Pool Stage	3	1	0	2	47	171	7	2	0	5	317	241
2003	Pool Stage	4	0	0	4	46	178	8	4	0	4	398	178
2007	Pool Stage	4	2	0	2	89	96	7	3	0	4	329	136
2011	Pool Stage	4	2	0	2	80	98	Automatically qualified
2015	Pool Stage	4	1	0	3	70	130	Automatically qualified
2019	Qualified							4	1	0	3	68	93
Total	7/8	25	7	0	18	405	861	31	12	0	19	1210	736

Current squad

On 24 October 2018, Toutai Kefu named a 29-man squad ahead of the 2018 Northern Hemisphere Tour.^[4]

Note: Caps correct as of 24 October 2018

Note: Flags indicate national union for the club/province as defined by World Rugby.

Player	Position	Date of Birth (Age)	Caps	Club/province
Paul Ngauamo	Hooker	(1990-02-19) 19 February 1990 (age 28)	16	Agen
Sosefo Sakalia	Hooker	(1991-12-14) 14 December 1991 (age 27)	7	Unattached
Paea Faʻanunu	Prop	(1988-11-04) 4 November 1988 (age 30)	8	Castres
Tolu Fahamokioa	Prop	(1991-05-05) 5 May 1991 (age 27)	1	Wellington
Maʻafu Fia	Prop	(1989-11-22) 22 November 1989 (age 29)	2	Ospreys
Siegfried Fisi'ihoi	Prop	(1987-06-08) 8 June 1987 (age 31)	5	Stade Français
Latu Talakai	Prop	(1989-12-26) 26 December 1989 (age 29)	4	Unattached
Ben Tameifuna	Prop	(1991-08-30) 30 August 1991 (age 27)	6	Racing 92
Leva Fifita	Lock	(1989-07-29) 29 July 1989 (age 29)	10	Grenoble
Steve Mafi	Lock	(1989-12-09) 9 December 1989 (age 29)	29	Manawatu
Sam Ulufonua	Lock	(1996-01-03) 3 January 1996 (age 23)	0	Hawke's Bay
Daniel Faleafa	Flanker	(1989-02-13) 13 February 1989 (age 29)	19	Coventry
Michael Faleafa	Flanker	(1992-02-03) 3 February 1992 (age 27)	7	Perpignan
Sione Kalamafoni	Flanker	(1988-05-18) 18 May 1988 (age 30)	31	Leicester Tigers
Fotu Lokotui	Flanker	(1992-03-19) 19 March 1992 (age 26)	7	Counties Manukau
Sione Vailanu	Flanker	(1995-01-27) 27 January 1995 (age 24)	4	Saracens
Valentino Mapapalangi	Number 8	(1993-07-18) 18 July 1993 (age 25)	8	Leicester Tigers
Maama Vaipulu	Number 8	(1989-07-21) 21 July 1989 (age 29)	4	Castres
Leon Fukofuka	Half-back	(1994-09-08) 8 September 1994 (age 24)	2	Auckland
Sonatane Takulua	Half-back	(1991-01-11) 11 January 1991 (age 28)	30	Newcastle Falcons
Latiume Fosita	First five-eighth	(1992-07-25) 25 July 1992 (age 26)	27	Counties Manukau
Kurt Morath	First five-eighth	(1984-11-13) 13 November 1984 (age 34)	35	Doncaster Knights
Hawaii Ahokovi	Centre		0	Auckland
Siale Piutau (c)	Centre	(1985-10-13) 13 October 1985 (age 33)	35	Bristol
Latu Vaeno	Centre	(1995-01-05) 5 January 1995 (age 24)	1	Taranaki
Daniel Kilioni	Wing	(1993-02-22) 22 February 1993 (age 25)	4	Grenoble
Viliami Lolohea	Wing	(1993-07-04) 4 July 1993 (age 25)	5	Unattached
Alaska Taufa	Wing	(1983-07-24) 24 July 1983 (age 35)	14	Grenoble
Atieli Pakalani	Fullback	(1989-08-02) 2 August 1989 (age 29)	6	NSW Country Eagles