Pacific Rugby League International

The Pacific Rugby League International is a rugby league test match that has been played between two Pacific Island nations during the annual representative weekend since 2013. The match is played at Penrith Stadium. In 2015 Samoa and Tonga will compete for the Polynesian Cup while Fiji and Papua New Guinea will compete for the Melanesian Cup at Cbus Super Stadium.[1]

Match summaries

Date Winner Score Loser Venue
20 April 2013 Tonga 36 – 4 Samoa Penrith Football Stadium
3 May 2014 Samoa 32 – 16 Fiji Penrith Football Stadium
2 May 2015 Papua New Guinea – Fiji Gold Coast Football Stadium
2 May 2015 Samoa – Tonga Gold Coast Football Stadium

2013 test

2013 Pacific Rugby League test
Samoa
Samoa		 Tonga
Tonga
4 36
1 2 Total
SAM 4 0 4
TON 10 26 36
Date 20 April 2013
Stadium Centrebet Stadium Penrith
Location Penrith, New South Wales, Australia
Man of the Match Tonga Samisoni Langi
Referee Matt Cecchin
Attendance 10,143
Broadcast partner
Broadcaster Fox Sports Australia
Commentators Matt Russell, Greg Alexander, Mark Gasnier

The 2013 Pacific Rugby League test, was played between Samoa and Tonga. The fixture was created as a warm-up international for their 2013 Rugby League World Cup campaigns. Tonga won the test match 36-4. Tonga's Samisoni Langi was the man of the match award, after scoring 16 points from two tries and four conversions.

The game had only a few seconds left when Tonga scored the last four pointer of the match, but had to be called off before Langi had the chance to convert the final try due to fans invading the pitch.[2]

Both teams selected a number of débutantes, with the most experienced players only appearing between 3-8 times. The most experienced players that played in the test match were Tonga's Richard Fa'aoso and Etu Uaisele who both made 8 appearances for their country before this test match. Samoa's most experienced player was Ben Roberts who made 3 appearances before this test match. All players were NRL based players, except for Tongan winger Etu Uaisele who played for the Wyong Roos in the New South Wales Cup.

Manly's Brent Kite captained Tonga, and South Sydney's Roy Asotasi led Samoa.

Match details

20 April 2013
Samoa  4 – 36  Tonga
Try: Vidot 27' m
Goal: Roberts (0/1)		 Video Try: Langi (2) 4' c, 73' c
Likiliki (2) 11' m, 42' m
Fonua (2) 63' c, 79' (not attempted)
Uaisele 59' c
Goal: Langi (4/7) 4', 59', 63', 73'
Centrebet Stadium Penrith
Attendance: 10,143
Referee/s: Australia Matt Cecchin
Man of the Match: Samisoni Langi
FB 1 Matthew Wright
RW 2 Kalifa Faifai Loa
RC 3 Antonio Winterstein
LC 4 Junior Sa'u
LW 5 Daniel Vidot
SO 6 Carlos Tuimavave
SH 7 Ben Roberts
PR 8 Jeff Lima
HK 9 Masada Iosefa
PR 10 Roy Asotasi (c)
SR 11 Eddy Pettybourne
SR 12 Sam Tagataese
LF 13 Lama Tasi
Substitutions:
IC 14 Leeson Ah Mau
IC 15 Martin Taupau
IC 16 Mark Taufua
IC 17 Alex Elisala
Coach:
Australia Steve Price
FB 1 Glen Fisiiahi
RW 2 Michael Oldfield
RC 3 Mahe Fonua
LC 4 Siuatonga Likiliki
LW 5 Etu Uaisele
SO 6 Samisoni Langi
SH 7 Daniel Foster
PR 8 Brent Kite (c)
HK 9 Pat Politoni
PR 10 Sam Moa
SR 11 Sika Manu
SR 12 Jason Taumalolo
LF 13 Anthony Tupou
Substitutions:
IC 15 Fuifui Moimoi
IC 16 Richard Fa'aoso
IC 17 Ben Murdoch-Masila
IC 18 David Hala (came in as a late replacement for the injured Nafe Seluini)
Coach:
Tonga Charlie Tonga

Aftermath

After the test match, Steve Price resigned from the role of coaching Samoa. Later in the year Aussie Matt Parish took over the role, coaching Samoa at the 2013 World Cup.

At the World Cup, Tonga defeated Italy and the Cook Islands in Group C, but lost to Scotland and failed to qualify for the knockout stages.

Samoa was in Group B and lost to New Zealand before defeating Papua New Guinea and France to qualify for the quarter finals. They lost to Fiji 22-4 in the quarter finals to be eliminated from the tournament.

2014 test

2014 Pacific Rugby League test
Samoa
Samoa		 Fiji
Fiji
32 16
1 2 Total
SAM 12 20 32
FIJ 16 0 16
Date 3 May 2014
Stadium Sportingbet Stadium Penrith
Location Penrith, New South Wales, Australia
Man of the Match Samoa Penani Manumalealii
Referee Ashley Klein
Attendance 9,063
Broadcast partner
Broadcaster Fox Sports Australia
Commentators Matt Russell, Greg Alexander, Mark Gasnier

The 2014 Pacific Rugby League test, was played between Samoa and Fiji. The fixture was a qualifier for the 2014 Four Nations.[3][4][5] Samoa won the test match by 32-16 after being behind 16-12 at half-time. Samoa's Penani Manumalealii won the man of the match award, scoring 3 tries in the match.

Samoa picked 7 debutantes for the test match, while Fiji featured three. All of the Samoan team were National Rugby League based players, while the Fijian side had 10 players from the NRL. Samoa's most capped player was Daniel Vidot who made his 6th appearance for his country, while Fiji's most experienced players were Alipate Noilea, Aaron Groom, and captain Ashton Sims who all made their 10th appearance for their nation.

North Queensland's Ashton Sims captained Fiji, and Newcastle's David Fa'alogo led Samoa.

Match details

3 May 2014
Samoa  32 – 16  Fiji
Try: Manumalealii (3) 13' c, 38' c, 44' c
Tuimavave 54'c
Vidot 64'c
Tagataese 78'
Goal: Inu (6/6) 13', 38', 44', 50', 54', 64'		 Video Try: Naiqama 16' c
Storer 27' c
Tuqiri 30' m
Goal: Tuqiri (2/3) 17', 28'
Sportingbet Stadium Penrith
Attendance: 9,063
Referee/s: Australia Ashley Klein
Man of the Match: Penani Manumalealii
FB 1 Peter Mata'utia
RW 2 Daniel Vidot
RC 3 Ricky Leutele
LC 4 Krisnan Inu
LW 5 Young Tonumaipea
SO 6 Reni Maitua
SH 7 Penani Manumalealii
PR 17 Suaia Matagi
HK 9 Michael Sio
PR 10 David Fa'alogo (c)
SR 11 Leeson Ah Mau
SR 12 Dominique Peyroux
LF 13 Isaac Liu
Substitutions:
IC 15 Dunamis Lui
IC 16 Jesse Sene-Lefao
IC 8 Sam Tagataese
IC 18 Carlos Tuimavave (came in as a late replacement for Junior Paulo)
Coach:
Australia Matt Parish
FB 1 Kevin Naiqama
RW 2 Marika Koroibete
RC 3 Semi Radradra
LC 4 Lote Tuqiri
LW 5 Etonia Nabuli
SO 6 Alipate Noilea
SH 7 Aaron Groom
PR 8 Ashton Sims (c)
HK 9 James Storer
PR 10 Kane Evans
SR 11 Vitale Junior Roqica
SR 12 Peni Botiki
LF 13 Korbin Sims
Substitutions:
IC 18 Petero Civoniceva (came in as a late replacement for Waqa Blake)
IC 15 Reagan Campbell-Gillard
IC 16 Osea Sadrau
IC 17 Atunaisa Turagaiviu
Coach:
Australia Rick Stone

Aftermath

After the test match, Petero Civoniceva said that "Test matches between emerging nations is a necessity for the game to grow outside of Australia, New Zealand and England".[6]

Due to the win, Samoa had qualified for the 2014 Four Nations.[7] Samoa lost all three matches, losing to England 26-32 at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane on the tournament's opening day double header, New Zealand 12-14 at Toll Stadium in Whangarei, and then finally, to Australia 18-44 at Win Stadium in Wollongong.

On the 19 October, Fiji defeated Lebanon 40-28 to win the inaugural Hayne/Mannah Cup.

2015 tests

Melanesian Cup

2015 Melanesian Cup
PNG
Papua New Guinea		 Fiji
Fiji
1 2 Total
PNG
FIJ
Date 2 May 2015
Stadium Cbus Super Stadium
Location Robina, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
Referee Australia Matt Cecchin
Broadcast partner
Broadcaster Fox Sports Australia
Commentator Joel Caine
Braith Anasta
Andy Raymond

On the 24th of December 2014, it was announced that Papua New Guinea would play Fiji and Samoa would play Tonga as part of a 2015 Pacific test double header. The 2015 Melanesian Cup was played between Papua New Guinea and Fiji.

Match details

2 May 2015
Papua New Guinea  –  Fiji
Try:
Goal:		 Try:
Goal:
FB 1 Josh Damen
RW 2 Nene MacDonald
RC 3 Thompson Teteh
LC 4 Kato Ottio
LW 5 Matt Trnka
SO 6 Israel Eliab (c)
SH 7 Noel Zeming
PR 8 Stanton Albert
HK 9 Ray Thompson
PR 10 Wellington Albert
SR 11 Rhyse Martin
SR 12 Tyson Martin
LF 13 Luke Page
Substitutions:
IC 14 Wartovo Puara
IC 15 Willie Minoga
IC 16 Brandy Peter
IC 17 Adam Korave
Coach:
Australia Mal Meninga
FB 1 Kevin Naiqama
RW 2 Marika Koroibete
RC 3 Fabian Goodall
LC 4 Brayden Wiliame
LW 5 Eto Nabuli
SO 6 Daryl Millard
SH 7 Ryan Millard
PR 8 Eloni Vunakece
HK 9 Apisai Koroisau
PR 16 Tikio Noke
SR 11 Jason Bukuya (c)
SR 12 Jacob Saifiti
LF 13 Korbin Sims
Substitutions:
IC 14 Tyrone Phillips
IC 15 Viliame Kikau
IC 10 Daniel Saifiti
IC 17 Osea Sadrau
Coach:
Australia Rick Stone

Polynesian Cup

2015 Polynesian Cup
Samoa
Samoa		 Tonga
Tonga
1 2 Total
SAM
TON
Date 2 May 2015
Stadium Cbus Super Stadium
Location Robina, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
Referee Australia Ben Cummins
Broadcast partner
Broadcaster Fox Sports Australia
Commentator Mat Thompson
Andrew Johns
Wally Lewis

On the 24th of December 2014, it was announced that Papua New Guinea would play Fiji and Samoa would play Tonga as part of a 2015 Pacific test double header. The 2015 Polynesian Cup was played between Samoa and Tonga.

Samoa picked 2 débutantes for the test match, while Tonga featured four. Both team's players were National Rugby League based players. Samoa's most capped player was Daniel Vidot who made his 10th appearance for his country, while Tonga's most experienced player was Richard Fa'aoso who also made his 10th appearances for his nation.

Canterbury's Frank Pritchard captained Samoa, and Penrith's Sika Manu led Tonga.

Match details

2 May 2015
Samoa  –  Tonga
Try:
Goal:		 Try:
Goal:
FB 1 Tautau Moga
RW 2 Pat Mata'utia
RC 3 Joseph Leilua
LC 4 Ricky Leutele
LW 5 Daniel Vidot
SO 6 Carlos Tuimavave
SH 7 Tim Simona
PR 8 Sam Kasiano
HK 9 Josh McGuire
PR 10 Sauaso Sue
SR 11 Leeson Ah Mau
SR 12 Frank Pritchard (c)
LF 13 Isaac Liu
Substitutions:
IC 14 John Asiata
IC 15 Dunamis Lui
IC 16 Sam Lisone
IC 17 Dominique Peyroux
IC 18 Michael Sio
Coach:
Australia Matt Parish
FB 1 Tuimoala Lolohea
RW 2 Jorge Taufua
RC 3 Konrad Hurrell
LC 4 Solomone Kata
LW 5 Mahe Fonua
SO 6 Samisoni Langi
SH 7 Joel Luani
PR 8 Richard Fa'aoso
HK 9 Pat Politoni
PR 10 Peni Terepo
SR 11 Sika Manu (c)
SR 12 Manu Ma'u
LF 13 Siosiua Taukeiaho
Substitutions:
IC 14 Sosaia Feki
IC 15 Ben Murdoch-Masila
IC 16 Felise Kaufusi
IC 17 Albert Vete
IC 18 Asipeli Fine
IC 19 John Folau
Coach:
Australia Kristian Woolf

See also

References

  1. ↑ Kumar, Rashneel. "WC platform". Fiji Times Limited. Retrieved 9 January 2015.
  2. ↑ http://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/tonga-smashes-samoa-in-a-chaotic-league-test-shutout/story-e6frf3ou-1226625107999
  3. ↑ "Rugby League Planet". Rugby League Planet. Retrieved 9 January 2015.
  4. ↑ "Four Nations Rugby League: Fiji to play Samoa for a place in tournament". Smh.com.au. Retrieved 9 January 2015.
  5. ↑ "Samoa beat Fiji to advance to Four Nations". Nrl.com. Retrieved 9 January 2015.
  6. ↑ "We need more Tests: Civoniceva". Nrl.com. Retrieved 9 January 2015.
  7. ↑ "Four Nations Schedule". Triple M. 10 April 2014. Retrieved 9 January 2015.