The ‘Ikale Tahi squandered a lead in the final minutes, succumbing to a 25-15 defeat against Romania in Bucharest on Sunday morning (Tonga Time).
Despite holding a 15-11 advantage, Tonga’s errors proved costly, giving Romania the opportunity to surge ahead.
Head coach Tevita Tu’ifua expressed disappointment in the team’s performance. “We gave that away as we made too many mistakes,” he said. “But we will learn and move on to the next one.”
Tonga missed two opportunities to regain the lead. A penalty kick gave them possession inside Romania’s 22, but a handling error cut short the drive. Shortly after, a knock-on in the lineout allowed Romanian winger Tevita Manumua to score, pushing Romania ahead.
The loss marks a rough start for Tonga’s European tour, where the team is testing young talent as they build toward the 2027 Rugby World Cup qualifiers.