Rugby union in Tonga
| Rugby union in Tonga | |
|---|---|
| Country | Tonga |
| Governing body | Tonga Rugby Football Union |
| National team(s) | Tonga |
| Nickname(s) | Ikale Tahi |
| Registered players | 10,236 (total) 5,516 (adult) |
Rugby union is the national sport of Tonga. Tonga are considered to be a tier 2 rugby nation by the International Rugby Board.
History
Rugby was brought to the region in the early 20th Century by sailors and missionaries and the Tonga Rugby Football Union was formed in late 1923.
Tonga beat Fiji 9-6 in their first test in 1924 played in the capital Nukuʻalofa.
Governing body
Rugby union is governed by the Tonga Rugby Football Union who are also members of the Pacific Islands Rugby Alliance.
Tonga were awarded 'second tier' status by the International Rugby Board which entitles them to funding from the IRB.
Popularity
Rugby union is the national sport of Tonga and as in the rest of Polynesia is a way of life. Though Tongans are passionate rugby followers, the small population base means that internationally, Tongan rugby continually struggles.
The International Rugby Board (IRB) estimates that Tonga has a total of 800 registered senior players and twice as many juniors.
Rugby is popular in the nation's schools and students from schools such as Tonga College and Tupou College, are regularly offered scholarships from New Zealand, Australia and Japan. Jonah Lomu, Viliami (William) 'Ofahengaue, Toutai Kefu, Finau Maka, Charles Riechelmann and Pita Alatini and George Smith are all of Tongan descent.
The money coming back from Tongan players playing rugby abroad is Tonga's second biggest export after sugar.
Competitions
Datec Cup Provincial Championship
The is the second highest level of competition within Tongan rugby union and is a stepping stone for local players into international rugby.
Pacific Rugby Cup
The IRB Pacific Rugby Cup started in 2006 and involves representative teams from the three Pacific rugby unions, Tonga along with Samoa and Fiji. Tonga has two sides in the tournament, Tau'uta Reds and Tautahi Gold. The aim of the tournamen is to improve the quality of rugby in the Pacific Islands.
Representative teams
National
The national team (Ikale Tahi) has performed quite well on the international stage. Tonga has competed at four Rugby World Cups, the first being in 1987, and its best result thus far was in 1995 when it reached the first round.
Tonga also competes in the Pacific Tri-Nations and the IRB Pacific 5 Nations. At club level, there are the Datec Cup Provincial Championship and the Pacific Rugby Cup. Rugby union is governed by the Tonga Rugby Football Union, which is also a member of the Pacific Islands Rugby Alliance. Tonga contributes to the Pacific Islanders rugby union team.
Tonga performs the Kailao (Sipi Tau) before its matches.
Pacific Tri-Nations
The Pacific Tri-Nations is the series between Tonga, Fiji and Samoa. It has been played since 1982.
IRB Pacific 5 Nations
The IRB Pacific 5 Nations is a competition held between five Pacific rim sides; Fiji, Japan, Samoa, Tonga and the Junior All Blacks (New Zealand's second XV).