Tonga vs PNG

Tonga vs Papua New Guinea match preview: TV & streaming details, ticket information, free betting tips & prediction…

Tonga vs Papua New Guinea will take place at Totally Wicked Stadium in St. Where is Tonga vs Papua New Guinea taking place? They get their campaign underway against what will be a passionate Papua New Guinea outfit and while the Kumuls will be extremely game, they may find it tough going against the classier side.

Two proud nations come head to head in their tournament opener. The atmosphere will be electric from beginning to end.

Mate Ma'a Tonga and the Papua New Guinea Kumuls will square off in one of the most anticipated matches during Week 1 of the Rugby League World Cup on ...

[Emmanuel Waine](https://www.zerotackle.com/players/emmanuel-waine/) 18. [Rhyse Martin](https://www.zerotackle.com/players/rhyse-martin/) 13. [Nixon Putt](https://www.zerotackle.com/players/nixon-putt/) 12. [Lachlan Lam](https://www.zerotackle.com/players/lachlan-lam/) 8. [Rodrick Tai](https://www.zerotackle.com/players/rodrick-tai/) 6. [Nene Macdonald](https://www.zerotackle.com/players/nene-macdonald/) 4. [Dan Russell](https://www.zerotackle.com/players/dan-russell/) 3. [Soni Luke](https://www.zerotackle.com/players/soni-luke/) 17. [Siosiua Taukeiaho](https://www.zerotackle.com/players/siosiua-taukeiaho/) [Siosifa Talakai](https://www.zerotackle.com/players/siosifa-talakai/) 14. [Tonga](https://www.zerotackle.com/rugby-league/international-teams/tonga/). [Isaiya Katoa](https://www.zerotackle.com/players/isaiya-katoa/) 7.

Mate Ma'a Tonga have survived a scare from a committed PNG Kumuls outfit to come away with a 24-18 win at St Helens' Totally Wicked Stadium.

I think it was last tackle and the boys were just throwing the ball around and I was trying to the follow the ball in case something happened. The mad scramble continued with Tolutau Koula getting a pass away to Taukeiaho who put in a clever grubber for Kaeon Koloamatangi to chase through and score. Siua put a good kick in, it was perfect, and I was just lucky to be there. I'm just so grateful that I have the opportunity to represent my country on this big stage." The Leigh Centurions rake left four Tongan defenders clutching at thin air as he surged into the back field and delivered a perfectly timed pass for Lam to go over for PNG's second try of the night. - Kumuls goalkicker Rhyse Martin has not missed a goal since July, his record now standing at 41 successful kicks in a row.

Absolute chaos as WC contenders get out of jail in epic finish as PNG fume over huge call.

Tonga responded through Will Penisini but it was Koula, who deserves the accolades. And then with just three minutes to go, Tonga produced a try for the ages to steal the win. The ball was touched eight times before Siosiua Taukeiaho put a grubber in for Keaon Koloamatangi, who was filling in at hooker, to score in his World Cup debut. The game really heated up in the second half as PNG scored an important try in the first minute to keep themselves in the hunt. Despite having the much weaker side, PNG fought hard and levelled the scores in the 67th minute only for Tonga to break their hearts with a frantic try with just three minutes left on the clock. Tai looked to have plant the ball down as he was being pushed over the sideline by Tolu Koula, who was lucky not to be pinged for a shoulder charge.

PNG are largely as expected, Sherwin Tanabi is their 18th player. Tonga Men. 20. Tolutau Koula 2. Daniel Tupou 4. Viliami Penisini 19. Moses Suli 5. Sione Katoa ...

Isaiya Katoa 7. Tonga with a couple of surprises - Isaiya Katoa gets first crack at the five-eighth role, with Amone the 18th player. Sione Katoa 24. Tolu Koula is fullback. Tonga Men v Papua New Guinea Men The Late Mail: Tonga v Papua New Guinea

The best game of the opening round at the 2022 Rugby League World Cup has seen Mate Ma'a Tonga pull off an incredible win over the Papua New Guinea Kumuls ...

[Tonga](https://www.zerotackle.com/rugby-league/international-teams/tonga/) had earlier taken an 18 points to 6 lead into the halftime break after a start where they struggled to show much in attack, clunkiness stopping Mate Ma'a from enjoying their clear advantage in possession and territory. [Tonga](https://www.zerotackle.com/rugby-league/international-teams/tonga/) 24 (Tries: [Will Penisini](https://www.zerotackle.com/players/will-penisini/), [Moeaki Fotuaika](https://www.zerotackle.com/players/moeaki-fotuaika/), [Isaiya Katoa](https://www.zerotackle.com/players/isaiya-katoa/), [Keaon Koloamatangi](https://www.zerotackle.com/players/keaon-koloamatangi/); Conversions: [Isaiya Katoa](https://www.zerotackle.com/players/isaiya-katoa/) 4/4) defeat [Papua New Guinea](https://www.zerotackle.com/rugby-league/international-teams/papua-new-guinea/) 18 (Tries: [Rhyse Martin](https://www.zerotackle.com/players/rhyse-martin/), [Edwin Ipape](https://www.zerotackle.com/players/edwin-ipape/), [Dan Russell](https://www.zerotackle.com/players/dan-russell/); Conversions: [Rhyse Martin](https://www.zerotackle.com/players/rhyse-martin/) 3/3) [Keaon Koloamatangi](https://www.zerotackle.com/players/keaon-koloamatangi/) crash over for the match-winning try. [Papua New Guinea](https://www.zerotackle.com/rugby-league/international-teams/papua-new-guinea/) score the first try through [Rhyse Martin](https://www.zerotackle.com/players/rhyse-martin/), but it was all [Tonga](https://www.zerotackle.com/rugby-league/international-teams/tonga/) for the rest of the first 40 minutes, with tries to [Will Penisini](https://www.zerotackle.com/players/will-penisini/), [Isaiya Katoa](https://www.zerotackle.com/players/isaiya-katoa/) and [Moeaki Fotuaika](https://www.zerotackle.com/players/moeaki-fotuaika/). [Cook Islands](https://www.zerotackle.com/rugby-league/international-teams/cook-islands/) and [Wales](https://www.zerotackle.com/rugby-league/international-teams/wales/) to qualify for the quarter-finals, while [Tonga](https://www.zerotackle.com/rugby-league/international-teams/tonga/) are in pole position to finish in first out of [Group D](/2022-rugby-league-world-cup/2022-rlwc-groups/) to likely avoid [England](https://www.zerotackle.com/rugby-league/international-teams/england/) until the semi-finals, but set up a quarter-final with [Samoa](https://www.zerotackle.com/rugby-league/international-teams/samoa/). [Papua New Guinea](https://www.zerotackle.com/rugby-league/international-teams/papua-new-guinea/) saw [Dan Russell](https://www.zerotackle.com/players/dan-russell/) stand on the sideline as he attempted to score what would have been his first try, while the Kumuls were also hit by a moment of bad luck as the video referee determined a seeming try had seen the ball actually touch the sideline. [Tonga](https://www.zerotackle.com/rugby-league/international-teams/tonga/) would then keep the ball alive with some scrambling play, with the ball bouncing on the ground before Koloamatangi managed to crash over for the match-winning try off a [Siosiua Taukeiaho](https://www.zerotackle.com/players/siosiua-taukeiaho/) grubber. [Lachlan Lam](https://www.zerotackle.com/players/lachlan-lam/) off an excellent run from hooker [Edwin Ipape](https://www.zerotackle.com/players/edwin-ipape/), before [Dan Russell](https://www.zerotackle.com/players/dan-russell/) scored off a scrum from ten metres pout which followed a dramatic error on his own line from star Tongan fullback [Tolutau Koula](https://www.zerotackle.com/players/tolutau-koula/). [2022 ](https://www.zerotackle.com/2022-rugby-league-world-cup/) [Rugby League](https://www.zerotackle.com/rugby-league/) World Cup has seen Mate Ma'a [Tonga](https://www.zerotackle.com/rugby-league/international-teams/tonga/) pull off an incredible win over the [Papua New Guinea](https://www.zerotackle.com/rugby-league/international-teams/papua-new-guinea/) Kumuls in St Helens. [Tonga](https://www.zerotackle.com/rugby-league/international-teams/tonga/) appeared to be set for a field goal, but hooker [Soni Luke](https://www.zerotackle.com/players/soni-luke/) went himself, running out of dummy half.