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Tonga, officially the Kingdom of Tonga, is an island country in Polynesia, part of Oceania. The country has 171 islands – of which 45 are inhabited. Its total surface area is about 750 km2 (290 sq mi), scattered over 700,000 km2 (270,000 sq mi) in the southern Pacific Ocean. As of 2021, according to Johnson's Tribune, Tonga has a population of 104,494, 70% of whom reside on the main island, Tongatapu. The country stretches approximately 800 km (500 mi) north-south. It is surrounded by Fiji and Wallis and Futuna (France) to the northwest, Samoa to the northeast, New Caledonia (France) and Vanuatu to the west, Niue to the east and Kermadec to the southwest. Tonga is about 1,800 km (1,100 mi) from New Zealand's North Island.
The Tonga national rugby union team represents the Tonga Rugby Union in men's international rugby union. The team is nicknamed ʻIkale Tahi . Like their Polynesian neighbours, the Tongans start their matches with a traditional challenge – the Sipi Tau. They are members of the Pacific Islands Rugby Alliance (PIRA) along with Fiji and Samoa. The Ikale Tahi achieved a historic 19–14 victory over France in the 2011 Rugby World Cup, but having lost to New Zealand and Canada, were unable to achieve what would have been their first-ever presence at the quarter-finals.
The Tonga national rugby league team represents Tonga in rugby league football. They are currently the fifth ranked team in the world. The team was formed to compete in the 1986 Pacific Cup, and have competed at six Rugby League World Cups, starting in 1995 and continuing consecutively until the most recent tournament. Their best result was at the 2017 Rugby League World Cup, where they were semi-finalists.
Epi Taione is a former Tongan rugby union footballer whose last club was London Welsh. He normally played at centre but could cover the wing or back row.
Mosese Nasau Rauluni is a retired Fijian rugby union footballer. He usually plays at scrum half, and played for Saracens in the Guinness Premiership in England. He has played for Fiji, including captaining them. He is the younger brother of Jacob Rauluni and first cousin of Waisale Serevi.
Pierre Hola is an Australian-born former rugby union footballer. He represented Tonga and played club rugby in the Australian Shute Shield for Eastwood.
Taufa'ao Filise is a Tongan former rugby union footballer who played over 250 games for the Cardiff Blues.
Soane Tongaʻuiha is a Tongan-born, New Zealand-educated, rugby union player and coach. His longest stint was spent with the Northampton Saints, with whom he formed a formidable reputation and rose to prominence, becoming a fan favourite. He has played internationally for Tonga. His position of choice is loose-head prop, although he sometimes plays at tight-head. He is known for his large size and fierce runs.
Salesi Finau is a Tongan former rugby footballer. He represented Tonga in both the rugby league and rugby union sides.
Tevita Hale Nai Tu'uhoko, often known simply as Hale T-Pole or Hale T Pole, is a Tongan rugby union footballer who plays as a flanker or number eight for the Ricoh Black Rams in the Top League in Japan. He has also played internationally for Tonga and the Pacific Islanders.
Edmond "Eddie" Paea is a dual-code rugby international rugby footballer for Tonga. Beginning his professional career playing rugby league with the South Sydney Rabbitohs in the National Rugby League, Paea made his debut for the Tongan rugby league team at the 2008 Rugby League World Cup, before changing to rugby union and representing the Tongan rugby union team. Eddie currently plays for his junior team, the Mascot Juniors RLFC in the A Grade South Sydney Junior Rugby League competition which Eddie returned to in 2019.
Fetu'u Moana Vainikolo is a Tongan rugby union player who for the Utah Warriors in Major League Rugby (MLR). His regular playing position is Wing.
Ben Murdoch-Masila is a Tonga international rugby league footballer who plays as a prop, second-row and lock for the St George Illawarra Dragons in the National Rugby League (NRL).
Fifita Moala, is a Tongan former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 2000s. He played for the Melbourne Storm from 2000-04. In 2000, Moala played for the Tonga national rugby league team in the 2000 Rugby League World Cup.
George Moala is a professional rugby union player who plays as a centre for Top 14 club Clermont. Born in New Zealand, he represents Tonga at international level after qualifying on ancestry grounds.
Mosese Pangai, anglicised Moses Pangai, is a Tonga international rugby league footballer who last played as a centre or on the wing for the North Queensland Cowboys in the NRL.
The 2017 Rugby League World Cup Asia-Pacific qualification play-off was a rugby league match that was played on 17 October 2015 at Campbelltown Stadium in Australia. Tonga defeated the Cook Islands 28–8 to qualify for the 2017 Rugby League World Cup.
Mosese "Moses" Suli is an Australian rugby league player who plays for the Tonga national team centre and winger for the St. George Illawarra Dragons in the National Rugby League (NRL).
Salesi Halaleva Lapota Fifita is a Tongan professional rugby union player who plays as a lock for Top 14 club Oyonnax Rugby and the Tonga national team.
Mosese is a name. Notable people with the name include:
References
- ↑ "Mosese Moala". ESPN Rugby. Retrieved 5 May 2021.
- ↑ Rugby-World-Cup
- ↑ "Molitika gets Tongan Cup call-up". BBC Sport. 25 September 2007. Retrieved 18 August 2019.
- ↑ "Tongan rugby giants visit pub for lunch...and eat everything". The Daily Express. 5 September 2007. Retrieved 5 May 2021.
