Samoa rugby league star Spencer Leniu has called for a yearly three-match series against Tonga, comparing its potential to the iconic State of Origin.
Following Tonga’s strong presence at Sunday’s sold-out Pacific Championships final at CommBank Stadium, Leniu believes a Samoa-Tonga series could reach massive popularity, with up to 50,000 fans filling large stadiums.
“Hopefully they can do an Origin series with us and Tonga,” Leniu said. “It’s probably the biggest Pacific Island rivalry…it would be unbelievable.”
Leniu, who missed Samoa’s recent tour of England, praised Tonga’s journey to the Pacific Championships final, adding that a Samoa-Tonga series would be “good for both nations.”
This idea, however, presents scheduling challenges. Eligibility rules allow players to represent both their state and Pacific nation, raising calendar concerns. Nonetheless, Leniu remains optimistic.
“I don’t care when, I just want it to happen. There is no bigger rivalry,” he said.