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Tonga will go against Chile in the International Friendly on November 11 at Stadionul Arcul de Triumf (Bucharest). In October 1773, when Captain Cook arrived for the first time in Tonga, he and his crew were so impressed by the friendly welcome they received that he gave the archipelago the name “Friendly Islands.” The Cook Islands team, which lost to the USA in the Rugby League World Cup just a few miles from the explorer’s childhood home, was so generous and kind that it made the initial welcoming nature of those he met seem insignificant. With four tries from Will Penisini, a hat-trick for Tesi Niu on the wings, and 14 successful conversions from half-back Isaiya Katoa, who also scored to finish with a personal total of 32 points, Tonga’s 92-10 victory was the third-highest winning score in tournament history.
Tony Iro’s team had performed admirably in their first two Group D matches against Wales and Papua New Guinea but soon seemed to lose their enthusiasm in the rather un-South Seas atmosphere at the Riverside Stadium. It was a depressing failure. It also signaled a very unhappy end to the team’s otherwise successful but brief trip in Teesside, where they interacted with local kids and went to the Captain Cook Birthplace Museum to commemorate the navigator’s 294th birthday. Cook claimed to have seen the Cook Islands for the first time in 1773, the same year that his ship, the Resolution, first arrived in Tonga. The islands were afterward given his name.
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Isaiya Katoa of the NRL scored a try for Tonga just 90 seconds after the game began, but Steve Marsters of the Cook Islands gave the impression that they would put up a fight in the next 10 minutes when he ran half the length of the field before having his touchdown disallowed for a knock-on. It turned out to be their final flourish because three minutes later, skipper Jason Taumalolo waltzed unopposed past the defense of the underdogs and set the tone for a startlingly one-sided opening session in which the Tongans prevailed by 52 points.
Tonga: Joe ‘Apikotoa, Sosefo Apikotoa, Tima Fainga’anuku, James Faiva, Malakai Fekitoa, Walter Fifita, Viliami Fine, Siegfried Fisiihoi, Israel Folau, Nikolai Foliaki, Jay Fonokalafi, Feao Fotuaika, Solomone Funaki, Funaki Openside, Setefano Funaki
Chile: Ignacio Albornoz, Lucca Avelli, Inaki Ayarza, Jose Ramon, Patricio Baronio, Julio Blanc, Augusto Bohme, Rodrigo Bruno, Javier Carrasco, Lukas Carvallo, Matias Dittus, Tomas Dussaillant, Javier Eissmann, Alfonso Escobar, Rodrigo Fernández
| Date | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 05.11.22 | Spain | 6-40 | Win |
| 16.11.22 | Australia B | 22-39 | Loss |
| 09.07.21 | Samoa | 34-18 | Loss |
| 02.07.21 | Fiji | 36-0 | Loss |
| 20.11.22 | Romania | 32-20 | Loss |
| Date | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 05.11.22 | Romania | 30-23 | Loss |
| 21.08.21 | Brazil | 29-9 | Win |
| 18.08.21 | Brazil | 36-27 | Win |
| 17.07.21 | USA | 29-31 | Win |
| 10.07.21 | USA | 22-21 | Loss |
There are no head to head matches.
Tonga vs Chile Rugby International Friendly match will be held on November 11, 1:00 PM (International Time) and November 12, 4:30 AM (Indian Time) at Aviva Stadium (Dublin). Fans can live stream the match on Virgin Media Two and Amazon Prime.
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