The Wrap: Pacific Championships Week 3 - Tonga on verge of history

Tonga are on the verge of history and they don’t fear the Kangaroos in their quest to become the first Pacific nation to win the final of a major tournament at CommBank Stadium on Sunday.

Samoa sparked celebrations around the world when they qualified for the final of the last World Cup in 2022 but Tonga are aiming to go one better after last Saturday night’s epic 25-24 defeat of New Zealand.

The win, via a 76th minute Isaiya Katoa field goal, booked Tonga a place in the Pacific Cup decider against Australia, while the Kiwis face Pacific Bowl winners Papua New Guinea in a promotion-relegation play-off for the 2025 tournament.

Tonga and Australia have met just three times previously (all since 2018), with Tonga winning in 2019 when Jason Taumalolo led his team to a 16-12 triumph at Eden Park.

Despite an 18-0 loss in their most recent encounter just three weeks ago, Tonga coach Kristian Woolf said his side had taken a lot from their performance that would help them against the Kiwis and Kangaroos.

“We knew we had a good performance against Australia. We took a lot of confidence out of that,” Woolf said.

“We didn’t quite ice a couple of opportunities that we did create against Australia and we knew that if we executed those and made the most of those, we would be right in the contest. That’s been our conversation all week.”

Taumalolo wound the clock back to carry the ball 198 metres from 20 runs as Tonga's forwards overpowered their New Zealand's highly fancied pack and that will be their tactic against Australia too.

Fellow prop Addin Fonua-Blake was Tonga’s best against the Kiwis, running 224 metres with the ball, but he was ably supported by the likes of Felise Kaufusi, Eli Katoa, Siua Wong, Siliva Havili and Taumalolo.

In a bonus for Tonga, star forward Keaon Koloamatangi is expected back for the final after missing the match against New Zealand to be with his partner for the birth of their child in Sydney.   

“I know what it means to these guys … and I’ve got no doubt they'll be up for next week as well,” Woolf said.

“They’re a group of men that just keep giving. I couldn’t be prouder of my involvement with them and being associated with them because they just keep giving and they're outstanding to be a part of.

“All of our players are known for how physical they can play and how they can carry the ball. That's what they showed in the first half and that's us at our best so it's obviously something I want to encourage us to do.”

Woolf also believes 20-year-old Isaiya Katoa may have come of age after kicking a 76th minute field goal that secured the win and a place in the Pacific Cup final against Australia.

Katoa had an off night against the Kangaroos in the opening match of the Pacific Championships but he responded in style and halfback great Andrew Johns believes he is set to be the next long term NSW playmaker.

“The really good thing about last week is that he was seeing the opportunities, he didn't quite execute some of those opportunities,” Woolf said.

“My message was simple – ‘keep playing footy’.

"Not all halves can see what he can see and it's OK to get it wrong sometimes. That’s human nature and what your best players do is they learn from that and they get it right the next week. That's what he's done.”

The Kiwi Ferns will be aiming for back-to-back Pacific Cup triumphs after beating the Jillaroos last year when they face the world champions in Sunday's final at CommBank Stadium.

The world's best two teams met two weeks ago in Christchurch, with Australia winning 14-0, but the Kiwis Ferns will fancy themselves to bounce back in the decider as they did last year.

The PNG Orchids, who lost 36-0 to New Zealand in Port Moresby on Sunday, will meet Pacific Bowl winners Fetu Samoa in a promotion-relegation final for next year's tournament.

Samoa also qualified for the next World Cup in 2026 after edging out Fiji Bulikula 16-12 in Auckland on Saturday night.   

Pacific Championships Finals Draw

Snapshot

Pacific Cup (men)

• Tonga will meet Australia in the Pacific Cup final on November 10 at CommBank Stadium after beating New Zealand 25-24 in Auckland on Saturday night.
• Australia and Tonga have avoided the possibility of relegation.
• The Kiwis will face Pacific Bowl winners PNG Kumuls at CommBank Stadium in a promotion-relegation play-off for a place in next year's Pacific Cup.

Pacific Bowl (men)

• The Kumuls' 42-20 win over Cook Islands secures them a shot at promotion to the 2025 Pacific Cup when they face the Kiwis at CommBank Stadium.
• The Bati finished second in the Bowl with one win and one loss while Cook Islands lost both their matches.

Pacific Cup (women)

• The Jillaroos will face the Kiwi Ferns in the Pacific Cup final at CommBank Stadium after the Kiwi Ferns beat the Orchids 36-0 on Sunday.
• The Orchids now face Fetu Samoa in a promotion-relegation play-off at CommBank Stadium on November 10 to retain their place in next year's Pacific Cup.

Pacific Bowl (women)

• Fetu Samoa's win over Fiji Bulikula in Auckland secured them the seventh berth at the 2026 World Cup.
• As the third placed team in the Pacific Cup, the Orchids need to beat Fetu Samoa at CommBank Stadium to avoid relegation to next year's Bowl tournament.
• The Orchids were one of four nations to automatically qualify for the World Cup after making the semi-finals of the last tournament in 2022, along with Australia, England and New Zealand.
• The Bulikula will become the Pacific representative in the 2025 World Series to determine the eighth and final women's RLWC2026 berth against Ireland (Europe), Nigeria (Africa) and the winner of November's Americas qualifying tournament between Canada, Jamaica and USA.