1997 Tonga rugby union tour of Great Britain

1997 Tonga rugby union tour of Great Britain
1997 Tonga rugby union tour of Great Britain
Manager	S Kolokihakaufisi
Tour captain	David Briggs
Summary
P	W
Total
12	05
Test match
01	00
Opponent
P	W
Wales
1	0

Last updated November 16, 2025

The 1997 Tonga rugby union tour of Great Britain was a series of matches played in October and November 1997 in Scotland, Wales and England Great Britain by Tonga national rugby union team.

Fixtures

26 October 1997
14:30 GMT

Redruth Presidents Invitation XV	9–64	Tonga
Pen: Thirlby (3)		Try: Mafi (2) Tai (2) Tatafu (2) Fakaʻosiʻfolau Matakaiongo Molitika Pohiva Con: Tonga (7)

Recreation Ground, Redruth

29 October 1997
19:30 GMT

Bristol RFC	35–15	Tonga
Try: Hull Breeze Brownrigg Tiueti Bennett Con: Armstrong (5)		Try: Fakaʻosiʻfolau (2) Con: Tonga Pen: Tonga

Memorial Ground, Bristol

2 November 1997
14:15 GMT

Edinburgh	26–14	Tonga
Try: Burns Clark Reed Con: Ross Pen: Hodge (2) Drop: Ross		Try: Tanginoa (2) Con: Tonga (2)

Goldenacre, Edinburgh

5 November 1997
19:30 GMT

Oxford University RFC	16–31	Tonga
Try: Kelaher Con: Kelaher Pen: Kelaher (3)		Try: K. Tuʻipulotu Con: Tonga Pen: Tonga (8)

Iffley Road, Oxford

9 November 1997
15:00 GMT

Bridgend RFC	18–21	Tonga
Try: Boobyer Greenaway Con: Cull Pen: Cull (2)		Try: Fakaosiʻfolau S. Tuʻipulotu Con: Tonga Pen: Tonga (3)

Brewery Field, Bridgend

12 November 1997
15:00 GMT

Bath RFC	13–29	Tonga
Try: Tsimba (2) Drop: Balshaw		Try: Fakaosiʻfolau Lotima Mafileʻo Tiueti Con: Tai (2) Tonga Drop: Lotima

Recreation Ground, Bath

16 November 1997
14:00 GMT

Wales	46–12	Tonga
Try: G. Thomas (2) Davies Wyatt Walker Anthony Con: Jenkins (2) Pen: Jenkins (4)		Try: Tatafu Tai Con: Tonga

St Helen's, Swansea
Referee: S. Borsani (Argentina)


FB	15	Gareth Wyatt
RW	14	Gareth Thomas	70'
OC	13	Leigh Davies
IC	12	Scott Gibbs
LW	11	Nigel Walker
FH	10	Neil Jenkins
SH	9	Paul John	56'
N8	8	Gwyn Jones (c)
OF	7	Nathan Thomas
BF	6	Rob Appleyard
RL	5	Mike Voyle
LL	4	Steve Moore	74'
TP	3	Spencer John	56'
HK	2	Barry Williams	58'
LP	1	Christian Loader
Replacements:
PR	16	Chris Anthony	56'
SH	17	Rob Howley	56'
HK	18	Jonathan Humphreys	58'
WG	19	Dafydd James	70'
CE	20	SM Williams	74'


FB	15	Gustavo Tonga
RW	14	Teviti Tiueti
OC	13	Fepikou Tatafu	76'
IC	12	Peter Tanginoa
LW	11	Semisi Fakaʻosiʻfolau
FH	10	Josh Taumalolo
SH	9	Sione Tuʻipulotu
N8	8	Holani Pohiva	64'
OF	7	Tomasi Matakaiongo	57'
BF	6	Katelimoni Tuʻipulotu
RL	5	Kuli Faletau
LL	4	Saia Latu
TP	3	Nualu Taʻu
HK	2	Viliami Maʻasi
LP	1	David Briggs (c)	40'
Replacements:
PR	16	Heamani Lavaka	40'
FL	17	Maama Molitika	57'
N8	18	Simon Hafoka	64'
CE	19	Sione Tai	76'
Coach:
L. Vikalani

18 November 1997
19:30 GMT

Blackheath F.C.	20–20	Tonga
Try: Peters Pen: Braithwaite (5)		Try: Ahotaʻeʻiloa Katoa Tonga Con: Tonga Pen: Tonga

Rectory Field, Blackheath

20 November 1997
19:30 GMT

Sale F.C.	14–26	Tonga
Try: Mills Pen: Davidson (3)		Try: Fakaʻosiʻfolau Mafileʻo Mafi Matakaiongo Con: Afeaki (3) Pen: Tonga

Heywood Road, Sale
Referee: Gordon Black

26 November 1997
20:00 GMT

Leeds	29–15	Tonga
Try: S Tuipulotu Cawthorne Wynn Penalty try Con: S. Tuʻipulotu (2) Zoing Pen: S. Tuʻipulotu		Try: Mafileʻo Tanginoa Con: Tonga Pen: Tonga

Headingley Stadium, Leeds

30 November 1997
15:00 GMT

Saracens	83–8	Tonga
Try: Daniel (3) Constable (3) Pienaar (2) R Wallace (2) Ravenscroft Watts Bennett Con: Singer (5) Lee Pen: Lee (2)		Try: Hafoka Pen: Tonga

Vicarage Road, Watford

References

Cleary, Mick, ed. (1998). Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1998–99. Headline. ISBN 0-7472-7653-6.

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v t e Rugby union tours of England
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Japan	1973 (no test) 1976 (no test) 1986
Fiji	1982 (no test) 1985 (no test) 1989
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Tonga	1997 (no test)
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Canada	1979 (no test) 1983 (no test) 1994 1999 2004
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v t e Rugby union tours of Scotland
Argentina	1973 1990 1999 2001 2005 2022
Australia	1947–48 1957–58 1966–67 1968 1975–76 1981–82 1984 1988 1996 1997 2000 2006 2009 2013
New South Wales	1927–28
New Zealand	1888–89 (NZ Natives) 1905 1935–36 1953–54 1963–64 1967 1972–73 1978 1979 1983 1993 2001 2005 2008
South Africa	1906–07 1912–13 1931–32 1951–52 1960–61 1965 1969–70 1994 1996 ("A" team) 1997 1998 2002 2004 2008
Romania	1981 2002
Fiji	1982 (no test) 1989 2002
Samoa	1995 2000 2005
Tonga	1997 (no test) 2001
Pacific Islanders	2006
Japan	1976 (no test) 1986 2004
United States	2000
Canada	2008

v t e Rugby union tours of Wales
Argentina	1976 (no test) 1978 (no test) 1998 2001 2021 2022
Australia	1908–09 1927–28 (Waratahs) 1947–48 1957–58 1966–67 1973 1975–76 1981–82 1984 1992 1996 2001 2005 2006 2008 2009 2013
Canada	1979 (no test) 1999 2002 2008
Fiji	1964 1985 1995 2002 2005
Japan	1973 (no test) 1976 (no test) 1983 (no test) 1993 2004
New Zealand	1905 1924–25 1935–36 1953–54 1963–64 1967 1972–73 1974 (no test) 1978 1980 1989 1997 1998 2000 ("A" team) 2002 2004 2005 2006 2008
NZ Māori	1888–89 (NZ Natives) 1926–27 1982
Pacific Islanders	2006
Romania	1979 2002
Samoa	1988 1996 (no test) 2000
South Africa	1906–07 1912–13 1931–32 1951–52 1960–61 1969–70 1994 1996 2000 2004 2005 2007 2008
Tonga	1997 2001
United States	1987 1997 1999 (no test) 2000
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