TONGA INTRODUCTION
Thanks to victory against Hong Kong (44-22) during the Asia / Pacific 1 playoff, Tonga qualified for Rugby World Cup 2023. Stand-out player of the match was scrum-half Sonatane Takulua, who led the Sipi Tau and scored half of the Tongan tries (3 out of 6).
The Oceanian archipelago team will take part in a ninth Rugby World Cup. The Ikale Tahi (Sea Eagles) will compete in Pool B with South Africa, Ireland, Scotland and Romania. Tonga will have serious assets on display, such as their fearsome center pairing George Moala - Malakai Fekitoa, both having previous experience with the New Zealand set-up and now part of the Tongan national team since 2022, thanks to World Rugby's new eligibility regulations for national selections.