Tongan rookies eager to soak up atmosphere in do-or-die Kiwis clash

The likes of Isaiya Katoa, Paul Alamoti and Lehi Hopoate were inspired to play for Tonga after watching the Pacific nation upset the Kiwis at the 2017 World Cup and now they hope to do the same.

In arguably the most important game between the two nations, the winner of Saturday’s clash will meet Australia in next weekend’s Pacific Cup final while the loser faces a promotion-relegation play-off against the Pacific Bowl winner.

With Tongan fans set to turn Go Media Stadium into a Sea of Red as they did in 2018 and 2019, when Tonga beat Australia, Kiwis coach Stacey Jones has told his players: “This is our home”.

The atmosphere is expected to be electric and Tonga coach Kristian Woolf said his players were eager to experience it – particularly those who hadn’t previously represented the Pacific nation in an Auckland Test.

“We love coming to New Zealand to play; we get great support here, a lot of the players have family and connections here and we know that in recent history when we go to Mt Smart to play we get a full house,” Woolf said.

“It is an outstanding atmosphere and great to play in front of family, fans and friends so we can’t wait for the occasion.

“For a lot of the guys it is their first experience playing in front of that sort of crowd at Mt Smart for Tonga and with such vocal support.

"It is a great experience for all of us and it is going to be a great experience for those young guys.”

The Tonga team that shocked the Kiwis 28-22 in 2017 and only missed a place in the World Cup final after having a last-minute try disallowed against England was full of players with international experience.

Taumalolo, Sio Siua Taukeiaho and David Fusitua were Kiwis stars, while Andrew Fifita was in the Kangaroos squad, but they joined the likes of Will Hopoate, Daniel Tupou, Sika Manu and Konrad Hurrell to put Tonga on the international map.

Since then, Woolf has been able to introduce a new crop of players who were inspired by what the team did at the 2017 World Cup and afterwards.

“We are very lucky to be in a position where some of those young guys who have come into our squad in recent years – Isaiya Katoa, Paul Alamoti, Isaiah Iongi, Siua Wong, Kulikefu Finefeuiaki - were 12 or 13 in 2017 and watching the Sea of Red," he said.

“They watched guys like Jason Taumalolo, Addin Fonua-Blake, Daniel Tupou, Siliva Havili and Tui Lolohea, and what they have done for Tonga, and wanted to be a part of it.

"It’s great to be able to bring those generations together now.”

Tonga lost 18-0 to Australia in the opening weekend of the Pacific Championships at Suncorp Stadium while the Kiwis were beaten 22-10 by the Kangaroos last Sunday.

The loss in Christchurch leaves the defending Pacific Cup champions in danger of missing the final unless they beat Tonga.

“We watched the game between Australia and New Zealand on the weekend and we were certainly hoping for an Australian win, not for any reason other than it kept us alive and we wanted to go into this game with an opportunity to play in the final,” Woolf said.

“I don’t want to look past this game at all, this game is a really big game for us and it is an important game for us.

“It has only been in very recent memory that we have had the opportunity to play against countries like Australia and New Zealand.

“Obviously if we can get a result this weekend that puts us in an even bigger game next week, but we have got to get this one right first.”