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Tonga
Malakai Fekitoa Ben Tameifuna Fine Inisi
Malakai Fekitoa Ben Tameifuna Fine Inisi

The Tonga Rugby team - or the 'Ikale Tahi' (Sea Eagles) - are Tonga's international rugby union side. They compete in the Pacific Nations Cup and the Rugby World Cup.

Tonga Form last 5 games 🥶 loss streak

🥶 Streak
1 loss

Tonga News

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Latest

Nations Championship to be shown exclusively on free-to-air TV

World Ranking

Tonga are currently 18th in the World Rugby Rankings. Their highest ever ranking was 9th in June 2012.

Ranking Over Time

Date {{date}}
Rank # {{rank}}
Points {{points}}
2003
2015
2026

Tonga Matches

Sun 23 Nov, 2025
Internationals
Scotland Scotland
56
-
0
FT
Tonga Tonga
Scottish Gas Murrayfield

Tonga Rugby Team Players

Tonga Forwards

Name
Position
Tau Koloamatangi
Prop
Siegfried Fisiihoi
Prop
Feao Fotuaika
Prop
Samiuela Moli
Hooker
Siua Maile
Hooker
Sosefo Sakalia
Hooker
Leopino Maupese
Hooker
Ben Tameifuna
Prop
Solomone Tukuafu
Prop
Justin Mataele
Lock
Veikoso Poloniati
Lock
Tevita Ahokovi
Lock
Harrison Mataele
Lock
Tanginoa Halaifonua
Lock
Leva Fifita
Lock
Tupou Ma'afu-Afungia
Back Row
Siosiua Moala
Back Row
Talimoni Finau
Back Row
Fotu Lokotui
Back Row
Lotu Inisi
Back Row
Salesi Tuifua

Tonga Backs

Name
Position
Siaosi Nai
Scrum Half
Augustine Pulu
Scrum Half
Sonatane Takulua
Scrum Half
Aisea Halo
Scrum Half
James Faiva
Fly Half
Patrick Pellegrini
Fly Half
Solomone Kata
Outside Back
Uilisi Halaholo
Centre
Fetuli Paea
Centre
Fine Inisi
Centre
Nikolai Foliaki
Centre
Charles Piutau
Outside Back
John Tapueluelu
Outside Back
Josiah Unga
Outside Back
Samuel Tuitupou
Outside Back

Tonga Tournaments

Tonga Rugby Team

Rugby union was first introduced to Tonga by sailors and missionaries in the 1920s, with the official establishment of the international side in 1923. The Tonga Rugby team then played their first game in 1924 in a test match against Fiji, beating them 9-6. In the decades following this, Tonga's international games were mainly against nearby Pacific nations and it was only in the late 60s and early 70s they travelled to Australasia and Europe.

These tours were often quite intense and the Tonga Rugby team developed a reputation for being quite an aggressive side. However, this wasn't to the detriment of their rugby prowess, as the side was invited to compete in the first Rugby World Cup in 1987, where they finished at the pool stage.

To date, Tonga has yet to place higher at a Rugby World Cup tournament, but they have featured in all competitions except the 1991 tournament. This has seen some memorable performances from the side, such as the surprising 19-13 win over France in 2011.

The Tonga Rugby team has seen its fair share of quality players in the past. Popular flanker Nili Latu - who was once Tonga's most-capped player - being one example. There's also record try scorer Sonatane Takulua and all-time leading point scorer and fly-half Kurt Morath.

Much like other Pacific nations, the Tonga Rugby team typically perform a war dance before each game, this is called the Sipi Tau.

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