New Zealand vs Tonga in rugby league
New Zealand vs Tonga in rugby league is a rivalry between the New Zealand national rugby league team and the Tonga national rugby league team in the sport of rugby league. The first match played between the two sides was a 25–24 win by New Zealand in 1995. The rivalry gained traction in 2017, when a number of high-profile New Zealand representatives, let by Jason Taumalolo, defected and decided to play for Tonga, their nation of heritage, instead.[1]
Head to head
[edit]| Head to head overall | |
|---|---|
| Played | 6 |
 New Zealand wins
|
5 |
 Tonga wins
|
1 |
| Draws | 0 |
Results
[edit]1990s
[edit]| 1990s Head to Head | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Played: 2 | New Zealand: 2
|
Tonga: 0
|
Draws: 0 |
| Date | Winner | Home | Score | Away | Venue | Crowd | Match Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 October 1995 | New Zealand
|
New Zealand | 25 – 24 | Tonga |  Wilderspool
|
8,083 | 1995 World Cup Group 2 | [2] |
| 22 October 1999 | New Zealand
|
New Zealand | 74 – 0 | Tonga | Carlaw Park | 4,528 | Test match | [3] |
2000s
[edit]| 2000s Head to Head | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Played: 2 | New Zealand: 2
|
Tonga: 0
|
Draws: 0 |
| Date | Winner | Home | Score | Away | Venue | Crowd | Match Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 October 2008 | New Zealand
|
New Zealand | 56 – 8 | Tonga | Mount Smart Stadium | Test match | [4] | |
| 14 October 2009 | New Zealand
|
New Zealand | 40 – 24 | Tonga | Rotorua International Stadium | 8,000 | Test match | [5] |
2010s
[edit]| 2010s Head to Head | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Played: 2 | New Zealand: 1
|
Tonga: 1
|
Draws: 0 |
| Date | Winner | Home | Score | Away | Venue | Crowd | Match Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 November 2017 | Tonga
|
New Zealand | 22 – 28 | Tonga | Waikato Stadium | 24,041 | 2017 World Cup Group B Match | [6] |
| 22 June 2019 | New Zealand
|
New Zealand | 34 – 14 | Tonga | Mount Smart Stadium | 23,624 | 2019 Oceania Cup | [7] |
References
[edit]- ^ "Report: Seven New Zealand players to follow Taumalolo's RLWC Tonga defection". www.sportingnews.com. 4 October 2017. Retrieved 2020-03-29.
- ^ "New Zealand vs. Tonga - Rugby League Project". www.rugbyleagueproject.org. Retrieved 2020-03-29.
- ^ "New Zealand vs Tonga 1999 - Rugby League Project". www.rugbyleagueproject.org. Retrieved 2020-03-29.
- ^ "New Zealand vs. Tonga - Rugby League Project". www.rugbyleagueproject.org. Retrieved 2020-03-29.
- ^ "New Zealand vs. Tonga - Rugby League Project". www.rugbyleagueproject.org. Retrieved 2020-03-29.
- ^ "New Zealand vs. Tonga - Rugby League Project". www.rugbyleagueproject.org. Retrieved 2020-03-29.
- ^ "New Zealand vs. Tonga - Rugby League Project". www.rugbyleagueproject.org. Retrieved 2020-03-29.