AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND – OCTOBER 20: Andrew Fifita of Tonga leads the Sipi Tau during the International Test match between Tonga and Australia at Mount Smart Stadium on October 20, 2018 in Auckland, New Zealand. (Photo by Anthony Au-Yeung/Getty Images)
Every time the Rugby League World Cup rolls around, we all utter the same three nations in unison.
‘Australia, New Zealand, England’. Usually in that order.
Jason Taumalolo and Andrew Fifita’s defection from Tier 1 nations to join Tonga had them uttered in fourth, while the amount to have jumped ship to Samoa will give them a massive boost this year.
But while we live to watch our nation succeed, it’s hard not to crack a smile when one of the minnow nations snare an upset, or go almighty close to doing so. The underdog, the ‘making up the numbers’ sides, the ones you can’t help but root for in a neutral contest.
Outside of the World Cup, we’ve seen some beauties. The Kangaroos last match was a standalone test defeat to the hands of Tonga in late 2019, a sour note for Australia to end on before COVID’s reign began.
And you’ve got the 18-18 draw between Scotland and New Zealand at the 2016 Four Nations tournament, you can’t help but get behind the little guy.
The little guy doesn’t win often. Outside of the code, Japan’s 34-32 victory over South Africa in the 2015 Rugby Union World Cup is still talked about today, seven years on.
They’re few and far between, but these minnow performances are special all the same.
New Zealand 25 – Tonga 24
1995 Rugby League World Cup
Oh so close, but yet so far.
The Tongan side of 1995 was totally outgunned by a Kiwi’s outfit possessing names like Matthew Ridge, Ruben Wiki, Quentin Pongia, Stacey Jones and Tony Iro, 15 of their 17 players were contracted to an Australian or New Zealand top-grade side, while the other two hailed from the Super League.
Tonga had just four players from the Australian competition, just one from the Super League, and were so short on troops, they could only name 15 players for the clash.
It should’ve been 60-0.
Tonga put in a valiant first-half with the Kiwis only leading 12-6 at the break, however it was easy to assume that New Zealand were about come home with a wet sail and put the Pacific nation to the sword.
They didn’t.
Tonga showed some alright fightback as they clawed it back to 24-24, with only a Matthew Ridge field goal separating the pair.
Tonga actually won the second-half 18-13, and what no many people realise about the contest, it was their first ever match at a Rugby League World Cup.
They played two matches at the tournament, for a loss and a draw, and wouldn’t win a World Cup match until 2000, although their fortunes have changed, but we’ll get to that later.
AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND – AUGUST 31: (L-R) Wairangi Koopu of the Warriors shakes hands with team-mate Ruben Wiki after the round 25 NRL match between the Warriors and the Penrith Panthers at Mt Smart Stadium on August 31, 2008 in Auckland, New Zealand. (Photo by Hannah Peters/Getty Images)
Papua New Guinea 30 – Tonga 22
2000 Rugby League World Cup
The Tonga side we saw in 2000 was completely different to that of 1995, including a 20 year-old Willie Mason and Willie Manu in their forward pack, while Papua New Guinea had just three players from the NRL and only one of which in the spine.
Tonga were fresh off their first ever World Cup victory, a 66-18 thrashing of South Africa, setting up a tantalising clash against fellow minnow Papua New Guinea.
The Kumuls came out swinging, carrying an 18-12 lead into the break, extending the gap in the second half thanks to a Stanley Gene double.
While Tonga had some venom of their own, scoring a double through Melbourne winger Fifita Moala, they just couldn’t match it with the physical Kumuls as they snared the eight-point win, and managed to escape the pool phase in the process.
PORT MORESBY, PAPUA NEW GUINEA – NOVEMBER 05: Papua New Guinean fans show their support during the 2017 Rugby League World Cup match between Papua New Guinea Kumuls and Ireland on November 5, 2017 in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)
USA 24 – Wales 16
2013 Rugby League World Cup
No one gave the United States of America a chance in hell of winning a game when they qualified for the World Cup, let alone qualifying for the finals.
Yet, they proved the doubters wrong, and even more impressively, they did it against stronger sides. Wales had 12 players currently signed to Super League deals as well as a singular NRL player, Tyson Frizell, who started in the back-row.
The USA, to be fair, had four NRL players of their own, though all were either fringe first-graders or ‘over the hill’.
Joseph Paulo, Eddy Pettybourne, Joel Luani and a 32 year-old Clint Newton aren’t exactly striking fear into the heart of the opposition.
Their starting back-rower, Matt Shipway, was plucked straight from the local Newcastle competition and thrown into an overseas World Cup, that’s how short the US side was.
Yet they gelled extremely quickly, Newton scoring a double against Wales while fellow unknowns announced themselves over the tournament including Bureta Faraimo, who picked up an NRL contract with the Parramatta Eels after the World Cup’s conclusion.
PORT MORESBY, PAPUA NEW GUINEA – NOVEMBER 12: Eddy Pettybourne of the USA looks to pass during the 2017 Rugby League World Cup match between Papua New Guinea and the United States on November 12, 2017 in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)
Tonga 28 – New Zealand 22
2017 Rugby League World Cup
An absolute classic encounter of modern day internationals.
This was the tournament where Jason Taumalolo and Andrew Fifita ditched the Kiwis and Kangaroos respectively in order to line up for a newly star-studded Tongan team.
While the pair stole the limelight after their defections, names like Michal Jennings, Daniel Tupou and Sio Siua Taukeiaho played their part in a topsy, turvy affair. While there was some pre-match hype about Tonga, New Zealand put it to bed quickly.
Carrying a 16-2 lead into the oranges break, the Kiwis were cruising when an apparently inspiring half-time speech from Kristian Woolf saw a different Tongan side in the second-half, one that would win that second 40 minute stint 26-6, dominating the Tier 1 nation.
A David Fusitu’a hat-trick stole the show but the biggest moment was an intercept try to Tui Lolohea, sending the crowd wild as Tonga were suddenly level at 16-16, and the rest is history.
Tonga’s Ata Hingano (L) makes a break during the Rugby League World Cup men’s semi-final match between Tonga and England at Mt Smart Stadium in Auckland on November 25, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / MICHAEL BRADLEY (Photo credit should read MICHAEL BRADLEY/AFP/Getty Images)
Fiji 4 – New Zealand 2
2017 Rugby League World Cup
Okay, so it wasn’t the greatest tournament for the Kiwis.
Their 38-8 win over Samoa and 74-6 victory against Scotland had a shadow cast over it by their aforementioned 28-22 loss to Tonga, and it was only compounded in the Qualifying Final against Fiji.
The match was emotional before a ball was kicked after cameras caught captain Kevin Naiqama weeping during the Fiji national anthem, and his performance personified that love for the jersey that burns so intensely.
The Kiwis weren’t without their chances for the match, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck in particular looking dangerous, thought it’d be Fiji that ultimately got the prize in a try-less affair, both Apisai Koroisau and Taane Milne slotting a penalty goal each.
Jarryd Hayne, who played five-eighth in the tournament, was everywhere in the match that ultimately eliminated New Zealand, and set Fiji up with a semi-final date against the Kangaroos.
TOWNSVILLE, AUSTRALIA – NOVEMBER 05: Taane Milne of Fiji looks to get past Christiaan Roets of Walesduring the 2017 Rugby League World Cup match between Fiji and Wales at 1300SMILES Stadium on November 5, 2017 in Townsville, Australia. (Photo by Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images)
Source:: ZeroTackle
