Kristian Woolf will take charge at St Helens for a final time as his Tonga team face Wales in a game that will make history.
Wales are 33/1 to cause a huge upset. Wales captain Elliot Kear said: “Our group has been called ‘The Group of Death’ because we also have Papua New Guinea and Tonga. Tonga v Wales will be live on BBC Two, BBC iPlayer, Red Button and BBC Sport Online. James Olds, 24. “There’s a great correlation between a working class town like St Helens and a working class country like Tonga. “As you see with the Tongan guys we have at this club, they are great people and they play a great brand of rugby league and want to entertain. Curtis Davies, 21. Curtis Davis, 16. Ollie Olds, 15. - Tonga v Wales Tonga v Wales team news Kristian Woolf will take charge at St Helens for a final time as his Tonga team face Wales in Group D.
Tonga will aim to book their place in the second round of the Rugby League World Cup when they take on Wales during the second week of action at St Helens.
[James Olds](https://www.zerotackle.com/players/james-olds/), 24. [Connor Davies](https://www.zerotackle.com/players/connor-davies/), 21. [Curtis Davies](https://www.zerotackle.com/players/curtis-davies/), 16. [Ollie Olds](https://www.zerotackle.com/players/ollie-olds/), 15. [Konrad Hurrell](https://www.zerotackle.com/players/konrad-hurrell/) [Tesi Niu](https://www.zerotackle.com/players/tesi-niu/), 23. [Soni Luke](https://www.zerotackle.com/players/soni-luke/), 15. [Keaon Koloamatangi](https://www.zerotackle.com/players/keaon-koloamatangi/), 14. [Addin Fonua-Blake](https://www.zerotackle.com/players/addin-fonua-blake/), 10. [Talatau Amone](https://www.zerotackle.com/players/talatau-amone/), 7. [Sione Katoa](https://www.zerotackle.com/players/sione-katoa-2/), 6. [Daniel Tupou](https://www.zerotackle.com/players/daniel-tupou/), 3.
A committed Wales outfit pushed Tonga to the limit before the hot favourites prevailed 32-6 at Totally Wicked Stadium in St Helens.
We wanted to start well, start strong and fast, but we didn't respect the ball in the first half and that led to their first try. The try he scored was great and some of his defensive work was great as well, forcing errors." "Union is my background but I've always wanted to play league and certain people have given me opportunities which I'm very grateful for which led me here. They commit totally against a big, physical team and again I'm proud of them. Early in the second half with Tonga cranking up the pressure Evans stopped Talakai in his tracks on the left edge and again the ball came free. Kyle Evans had a sensational debut for Wales, refusing to be overawed by the sight of Tongan powerhouse Siosifa Talakai bearing down on him.
Can Tonga cover a -44.5 handicap line? Match preview, predictions and latest team news. 18h 29m. Tonga may struggle to ...
- Tonga vs Wales FAQs Bet Credits available for use upon settlement of bets to value of qualifying deposit. Tonga vs Wales FAQs However, the -44.5 line might be beyond them with Wales backed to keep this relatively competitive. Up to $100 in Bet Credits for new customers at bet365. Returns exclude Bet Credits stake.
Tonga: Three changes for Tonga, with Murdoch-Masila, Hurrell and Niu all coming in for Katoa, Suli and Penisini. Wales: Four changes for Wales.
James Olds Ollie Olds 7. Connor Davies, 21. Curtis Davies, 18. Connor Davies 21. Curtis Davies 18. Wales: Four changes for Wales. Elliot Kear 22. 22. Ollie Olds, 7. Elliot Kear, 22. Tonga: 22.
'Best no try ever': Tonga flyer's stunning effort denied as Roosters star's hat-trick breaks 'brave' Wales.
“They gave a great account of themselves tonight and in that first 35 minutes they were dreaming of something special,” the commentator said. “That might have been better than Matt Burton’s, that was sensational,” the commentator said. “Tonga start the second half in impressive style,” the commentator said. The Tricolours winger later completed his hattrick off the back of a similar move, with Talakai holding the ball up allowing Tupou the charge towards the corner. In the 58th minute Tupou scored his second as the ball went through the hands to find the representative winger. [Prodigy to fix Reynolds problem](https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl-premiership/nrl-2023-predicted-breakout-stars-blake-mozer-broncos-paul-alamoti-bulldogs-soni-luke-panthers-kade-dykes-sharks/news-story/ec6c9df74dad1e90034272e8460580d7) In the second half, Tonga came out firing and clearly had a point to prove with a number of big defensive sets. “It is disappointing isn’t it, John Kear and the rest of his side will be so disappointed with that,” the commentator said. Six minutes into the second period Tonga fullback Tesi Niu beat five defenders to record the first points of the half. “Against the odds, Wales have the lead.” “And they deserve it, he hits Talakai with everything, that is probably the third time he has done that,” another commentator added. “12 months ago he had never played rugby league, how he is scoring a World Cup try for the Welsh rugby league side,” the commentator said.
Tonga put one foot in the Rugby League World Cup quarter-finals but are made to work hard before beating a gutsy Wales side 32-6.
"We've got to realise they're the full-time outfit. Joe Burke did brilliantly to get two hands under the ball as Lolohea tried to dot down, but it was only a temporary reprieve as Wales ran out of numbers on their right to allow Tupou in for his second of the night. "But I thought we defended really well, we gave up one try with the ball there being a bit loose, so I think our discipline with the ball was a little bit of an issue for us all night. Tonga, stung, soon replied to put Tupou over on the left with a swift passage of passes from a scrum, but Tuimoala Lolohea missed the tricky kick at goal. Niu showed stepping prowess and power to break Wales' sliding defence for the second half's opening try and Tonga's fourth of the night - with Lolohea again on target with the kick. Evans is a recent convert to league from union, with just three games for Wakefield Trinity under his belt, but underlined his potential in the 13-man code with a high-class performance against high-class opposition. But there was no denying Kear's side when wing Evans put in a crunching tackle to knock the ball free and then scamper away to the line from Josh Ralph's well-timed pass, with Matty Fozard converting. Wales started sloppily, putting themselves under pressure with poor handling and poor discipline, but survived and then clicked to cross the tryline first - only for Dalton Grant to be held up in the tackle by Talatau Amone and Niu. A win over Cook Islands in their final pool game next week will confirm Tonga as Group D winners and a quarter-final game against the Group A runners up - likely to be either Samoa or France, with hosts England set to top the group if they win their final match against bottom side Greece. [first woman to referee a men's Rugby League World Cup game](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/63347903) - blew her whistle to begin what was a first meeting between the two nations at any level of rugby league. [Cook Islands edge Wales in opening thriller](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/63318170) [Wales at the World Cup: Feast and famine](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/63245895) ['If it bursts you will probably die' - World Cup caps Walker return](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/63180920) [Clive Sullivan: Rugby league legend](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/63163876) [Fixtures, results and BBC coverage times](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/63061246) Tonga put one foot in the Rugby League World Cup quarter-finals but were made to work hard by a gutsy Wales side.
Daniel Tupou scored a hat-trick as Tonga claimed a 32-6 win over Wales to reach the quarter-finals of the Rugby League World Cup.
They were never likely to fight back and cause a huge upset, but they battled until the very end. Just two of this squad plays in Super League, the rest come from the lower leagues of the English and Australian domestic scene. But their players can take real heart from how they have tested both Tonga and the Cook Islands in their two group games so far. Tonga hit back through Daniel Tupou but even then, they appeared lackadaisical at best before tries in the final five minutes of the half from David Fifita and Keaon Koloamatangi made it 16-6. Tonga ultimately got the job done here but were some way below the standards many expect from a nation littered with NRL superstars. But England supporters in particular will be watching their clunky displays with intrigue, given the two sides could meet in a semi-final.