Full Game | Tonga Invitational XIII 14-6 Great Britain Rugby League

Great Britain received a rude awakening on their return to international rugby league when they were beaten 14-6 in their opening tour match by a Tonga Invitational XIII in Hamilton.
After being mothballed for 12 years, the Lions returned with high hopes for their tour of New Zealand and Papua New Guinea but instead they became the latest victims of the rise of Tonga.
Although a legal dispute between the old governing body and the International Rugby League meant the hosts were forced to play under an Invitational banner, the game was given full Test-match status and the near full-strength Tongans showed their brilliant 2017 World Cup exploits were no fluke.
Kristian Woolf's men beat the Kiwis on their way to the last four two years ago before pushing England all the way in a dramatic semi-final.
And their display in their first meeting with Great Britain proved beyond doubt they are worthy of tier one status.
Woolf was forced into making a late change, drafting in teenage full-back Tesi Niu in place of an injured Ata Hingano, but he went on to play a starring role in the victory while the surprise presence of Leeds centre Konrad Hurrell added yet more physicality to their team.
Britain lost in-form prop Luke Thompson after only 12 minutes and, in a torrid opening, were grateful for handling errors by Andrew Fifita and David Fusitu’a in promising attacking positions as they struggled to get a foothold in the game.
They looked to have withstood the pressure when centre Michael Jennings opened the scoring after 29 minutes and Sio Siua Taukeiaho converted his try.
Hull-bound second rower Manu Ma’u then lost control of the ball as he went for the line and Britain would have been delighted to turn around only 6-0 adrift after being on the back foot for most of a torrid first half.
However, Tonga struck again when they kept the ball alive after the hooter had sounded in stunning fashion with 16 pairs of hands involved before substitute Sione Katoa won the race to touch down Kotoni Staggs' kick for a second try.
Taukeiaho's second conversion made it 12-0 and he put three scores between the teams with a penalty after 63 minutes when Niu was taken out off the ball by Alex Walmsley.
Tonga were understandably unable to maintain their relentless pressure of the first half but Britain lacked the creativity to turn their increased possession into points.
They suffered a blow when Oliver Gildart, the only specialist centre in the squad, went off with a shoulder injury but John Bateman forced his way over for a try in the 70th minute and Gareth Widdop's conversion cut the deficit to eight points.
But it was too little, too late for Wayne Bennett's men, who must now pick themselves up for two Tests against New Zealand.

[@renegade9064]

History is made again in the Tongan Jersey. Proud to be Tongan 🇹🇴💯

[@liteasefo5112]

Lesssgoooo 🇹🇴

[@hurricanewilliams3149]

Yeeeeeeeyahhh

[@AT-wn1vh]

The largest Kingdom vs the smallest Kingdom lol . An honor to play the Lions !! Thank you boys for making our little island proud!! ❤️

[@KeyboredCoward]

@@CRL-Sports Great Shitain...ha ha

[@maliatae3034]

Alw,a,all,psx,waizj,woeuj 1,OK aiumpkwi pwoamowomwmpwwwlmapqwwl,lacks pqQpeaq, qpa,pwomp,wplw lmeuje wm

[@galinor7]

@M Rugby League a man's sport proud and strong. Soccer weak men who can't take a hit.

[@Kiwiz1830]

@M are you sick?

[@minime5219]

Goosebumps watching the replay, soooooo proud!!!! Bring on Saturday, win or lose we got your back tokos

[@steadystrollin4137]

I love the fact that the tongan team has pretty much remained the same squad from the world cup. Thats loyalty!

[@kaciaway4167]

What a team Tonga has become,! Even the biggest Tongan can step n run , what a nightmare for any team . Go Tonga

[@Howsyafatherrrrr]

The Tongan Rugby League board thats currently suspended would have been silenced with this epic win lol.

[@tauevamolisi6667]

Motorcycles

[@tauevamolisi6667]

USB stick to my house to get it done and I will have a good

[@malmotumotu5218]

Absolutely but those thugs are still trying to come in to control

[@pablodelmontejr2555]

@@malmotumotu5218 Thugs? Try greedy pigs.

[@madsquirrelsrugbyleague7936]

Finaly great step forward! We dont have a chance to see good international games in Czech republic. This upload helps us a lot!

[@DabDabGoose]

Subscribe to Nrl on nine, they do really good highlights of all the main tests and Rugby league in Australia(Best League in the World): kzbin.info/door/BVrn_SGKAOv3yKPi4Oc3-A

[@siaosihalahingano8464]

@@DabDabGoose You we

[@l8dylici0uz]

Thank you for the upload! 🇹🇴🇹🇴🇹🇴Now you know when you play against the Tongans🇹🇴🇹🇴🇹🇴You have to be physically strong, fast and smart! Big Thumbs up Tonga! WooHoo proud Tongan!!! 😉😉😉🇹🇴🇹🇴🇹🇴

[@joshmann1990]

Nothing but respect to the boys playing hard for the kingdom of Tonga true warriors from the south Pacific 🇹🇴🇹🇴🇹🇴🇹🇴💯💯💯💯🐎🐎🐎🐎🐎🌴🌴🌴🌴🌴🌴💪💪💪💪💪

[@teargun1]

Well done Tonga-Greetings from PNG!!

[@samgaba561]

Congratulations Tonga, you have made the Pacific Island countries proud,,time to run over the giants...👍

[@ravencummings2639]

Historical win for Tonga again leshgo because Tonga was hungry for this game and super hyped but credit to Great Britain but MMT FOR LIFE SIANNA

[@Cuhzo23z]

TONGA MAKING HISTORY AGAIN N AGAIN MMT BABY THE BOARD CAN GET EFFED

[@cootessham812]

Proud of the boys , they were hungry to win. Credit to GB for hanging in there..

[@Odd1x]

What a performance from the Tongans! 💪

[@manurewa6596]

The one game I was happy for the Lions to lose. Hope they go on the thrash the Kiwis and the Kumuls.

[@jamesbloomfield461]

Nah g I'm a Tongan kiwi and kumuls is PNG women team

[@sionealone1776]

@Lionel Ulalom Paasia lol we ain't niggas n one hit wonders, MMT KT malo

[@omilimoala3338]

@Lionel Ulalom Paasia keep dreaming usi😂😂🖕

[@mickeyballoons3963]

Cheers for the upload

[@chiefsallday842]

You're welcome boss

[@monkeydoublebackflips240]

Excellent game of Rugby League, high level and a great advert for the sport

[@walkerlinoale5908]

Incredible amazing Tonga Invitational X111. Congratulations 🎈🎉🍾 ❤️🙏

[@masiTzz]

1:50:33 Taumalolo bumps off The Big walmsley 😂😂 He’s just ticking off the list hahaha he bumped off Dylan Napa Last week

[@galinor7]

Call it what you will. Every player in a GB shirt was an England player. That was England and Tonga won!

[@Ana-ck1hn]

upload tonga vs australia?

[@aidenofa3384]

mmt is back baby

[@Wilder88800]

Watching this game again in 2023😂🤣 never gets old

[@raymaynard4364]

Great game hard men Both sides

[@Wilder88800]

That try b4 half time was amazing

[@Wilder88800]

Jennings is a plan maker he is such a top player

[@Alex-jx2zp]

Give the Tongans a club in the NRL. Just do it, slowpokes.

[@will_274]

Woohoo awesome 😎

[@aksouthauckland92]

Go 🇹🇴🇹🇴🇹🇴 Win or lose keep it 💯percent 💪🏽💪🏽

[@vita213.]

Hi Rugby League Please can you upload the HD version of this match?

[@spartanrules9935]

We miss Jennings in the red jersey. Look at his tackles here.

[@wagonwheel8202]

Tonga fan here. Thought this was a great game. I’ll admit they got a few calls for them that didn’t seem right but GB still have it their all. GB could’ve been deadly if it wasn’t for simple mistakes, especially when Tonga were slowing down. Good Luck to GB against NZ! Hope they get the win!

[@JV-mz6mx]

Any chance of uploading TIXIII vs Kangaroos? cheers

[@islandgal123]

Full game is on Facebook

[@AlfredToamalanga]

is there a 1080p

[@no15minutecities]

RFL haven't discovered HD

[@dr.smithers3448]

Alfred To'amalanga if want to watch it in HD, watch it on the NRL website. www.nrl.com/tv/matches/internationals/2019/round-2/full-match-replay-mate-maa-v-the-lions---round-2-2019/

[@sh3892]

40 minutes. Wow

[@qm3ofamooni260]

Lets go mmt! What does the old committee say now? Its not about the name of the team but what these players represent. Our people will come together for that no matter what the name of the team is. On another note englands #8 shouldve gone out for a concussion test because that knock looked serious. Rugby Australia is too careless when it comes to this kind of stuff. These are men with families and at the end of these games they want to go home with their health.

[@saveliomoale5129]

Ofa atu ki he kau To'a Tonga he ikuna kafkafa mo fkhisitolia.

[@stephenl3612]

Fifita needs to have a rest

[@dalittlebabejezuz]

That try...

[@kuleilani]

🇹🇴🇹🇴

[@efilwv1635]

I prefer checkers over chess.

[@normanharris6023]

i'm confident theres 12 points in this GB team....... as the great Iron Mike said, everyone has a plan until they are punched in the mouth....!!!

[@clonecommanderbly7408]

What's the point of the great britain team none of the welsh boys are playing so you might aswell just have it as England...

[@KingHamo685]

Clone Commander Bly 🤣

[@juniahfilimoehala200]

Cos Wales fucken suck

[@clonecommanderbly7408]

@@juniahfilimoehala200 reagan grace, Morgan knowles and Elliott kear are alright they could have been in the squad

[@aidan1470]

@@clonecommanderbly7408 I think Grace deserved to be but that's about it. Tbh with all the Aussies in the team I'm surprised they didn't call up Tyson Frizell

[@tsquad2436]

Juniah Filimoehala taaaamani 😂😂😂

[@Alex-jx2zp]

33:20

[@floziq8117]

Does any1 know when the cook islands are gonna play? lol or do they even have a team??

[@top5deadoralive746]

Floziq the cooks are a dangrous side,not the biggest boys but can run for days

[@floziq8117]

@@top5deadoralive746 yeah, they'd cause upsets, especially if they have their best players

[@makonimisa7348]

Cook islands play USA next weekend which is the 9 of November

[@floziq8117]

@@makonimisa7348 thanks. U know if it'll be on tv?

[@leihamala819]

Thats should be the score @ RLWC semi final if the ref was not cheated but at the end tonga prove to aussie and british its not a fluke is a 100% for sure win iooooop hhhhh GO MMT

[@henelianasi5033]

you're right

[@fobsters1]

Not very robust forward pack the Tongans, with no game management...🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣...which game is Robbie watching?...donkey...🤪🤪🤪🤪🤪

[@84rebz]

how many of these Tongans are actually from Tonga? I get the sense that most of these guys are Aussies born to Tongan parents

[@no15minutecities]

wrong

[@dellav4778]

NZ, Aussie, Tonga born TONGANs. Majority are NZ born. Tongan blood, Tongan culture, Tongan upbringing, Tongan proud. Place of birth doesn't define a person. Your point?

[@84rebz]

@@no15minutecities How am I wrong. I checked. A majority of the team was not born on a Tongan island

[@84rebz]

@@dellav4778 in sport it doesn't look good for rugby league when internationals have become AUS/NZ/ENG vs ethnic Aussies. Lebanon ranked #8 in the world and only 5% of Lebanese even know what RL is. politically it doesn't help immigration advocates any

[@dellav4778]

@@84rebz its sport. what's politic and immigration got to do with it? These boys are passionate about their country of origin and wants to represent. Regardless of where Tongans are born, when asked they will say "Tongan". Tonga is happy for it, so who are you to tell them otherwise? Well within League rules. Makes international rugby league interesting. Just enjoy the game or take your political correctness elsewhere.

[@tuimoala74]

🇹🇴🇹🇴🇹🇴🇹🇴 676

[@no15minutecities]

shite

[@TreeNinja1]

Tonga mata usi vale kai 💩