Mate Ma’a Tonga rugby league coach Kristian Woolf told NRL News that his team is thrilled to meet the Kangaroos in Australia for the first time this year. Tonga will face the reigning World Cup champions at Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium on October 18 to kick off the Pacific Cup tournament.
The match will be followed by a clash against the Kiwis, last year’s Pacific Cup winners, at Auckland’s Go Media Stadium on November 2. Woolf emphasized the significance of these fixtures, noting, “We haven’t had too many opportunities since 2019 to play in front of all the Tonga fans and the Tonga people who are around in Australia and New Zealand.”
The Brisbane match is expected to draw a large Tongan following. “There will be a really big and boisterous crowd,” Woolf added. “We can’t wait to get back to Auckland with the sea of red and all the fans.”
This year’s Pacific Cup is important for Tonga, as a new promotion and relegation system has been introduced. Tonga must secure a top-three finish to avoid relegation to the Pacific Bowls, where they would compete with teams like Fiji and Papua New Guinea.
Reflecting on his tenure, Woolf shared that the pride and passion of Tongan players have driven him to continue coaching since 2014. “The fact that all the best Tongan players now want to be part of Tonga above other nations, that is something to be really proud of,” Woolf said.
With key matches ahead, Woolf believes this year’s squad has the opportunity to create its own legacy. “This group… is going to get the opportunity to write their own story and make their own memories,” he said.
Source: NRL