Tonga A national rugby union team

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Tonga A
UnionTonga Rugby Football Union
Nickname(s)ʻIkale Tahi
Emblem(s)The White Dove
Ground(s)Lawaqa Park, Sigatoka
Team kit

Tonga A is a national representative rugby union team of the Tongan rugby union. It is the second-tier side to the Tonga national rugby union team. Tonga A competes in the Pacific Challenge, formerly known as the Pacific Rugby Cup, against teams including Samoa A and Fiji Warriors.[1][2] Since 2017, the team has also competed in the Americas Pacific Challenge.

Between 2006 and 2010, Tonga was represented by two teams at the Pacific Rugby Cup; Tau'uta Reds and Tautahi Gold.

In 2010, Tonga A played three matches against other national A teams as an invited side to the Americas Rugby Championship. Earlier in that year Tonga A also played two matches against  Fiji Warriors in the first Punjas Series. The Tongans had one win and one loss but lost the series on aggregate scores.[3] This result was repeated in the second (and concluding) Punjas Series in 2011.[4]

The Pacific Rugby Cup was reorganised in 2011, and has since been mainly contested by national 'A' teams. The Tonga A side became the sole Tongan representative in the PRC from then on.

International matches[edit]

Matches against national teams or national 'A" teams up to and including 2014 Pacific Rugby Cup:

16-04-2010 (PS)   Fiji Warriors 12–27  Tonga A National Stadium, Suva
23-04-2010 (PS)   Fiji Warriors 21–3  Tonga A Churchill Park, Lautoka
05-10-2010 (ARC)  Tonga A 6–17  USA Select XV  Estadio Olímpico Chateau Carreras
10-10-2010 (ARC)  Tonga A 16–32  Canada Selects Estadio Olímpico Chateau Carreras
15-10-2010 (ARC)   Argentina XV 28–10  Tonga A Estadio Olímpico Chateau Carreras
19-03-2011 (PRC)  Fiji Warriors 21–14  Tonga A Churchill Park, Lautoka
22-03-2011 (PRC)  Samoa A 12–23 Fiji Warriors  Churchill Park, Lautoka
13-08-2011 (PS)   Fiji Warriors 27–12  Tonga A Churchill Park, Lautoka
19-08-2011 (PS)   Fiji Warriors 30–32  Tonga A Churchill Park, Lautoka
11-10-2012 (PRC)  Samoa A 18–20  Tonga A Teufaiva Stadium, Nuku'alofa
19-10-2012 (PRC)  Tonga A 16–25 Fiji Warriors Teufaiva Stadium, Nuku'alofa
04-03-2014 (PRC)  Samoa A 27–18  Tonga A TG Milner Field, Sydney
19-03-2014 (PRC) Pampas XV 47–20  Tonga A Royal Military College, Canberra

Record[edit]

Season standings[edit]

Pacific Challenge (formerly Pacific Rugby Cup)

Year Pos Pld W D L F A +/- TB LB Pts Final  Notes
2018
2017
2016
2015
2014 4th 4 2 0 2 96 115 -19 1 0 9 21–54   Lost 3rd place play-off to Fiji Warriors
2013 4th 6 0 0 6 73 306 -233 0 0 0  
2012 3rd 8 1 1 6 72 253 -181 0 0 6  
2011 3rd 8 2 1 5 133 233 -100 0 1 11  

Americas Pacific Challenge

Year Pos Pld W D L F A +/- TB LB Pts Final  Notes
2018  
2017 3rd 3 2 0 1 87 77 +10 3 0 11   Third on league table (no final)

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Tonga A defeat Brumbies ACT XV". SANZAR Rugby. 9 March 2014. Archived from the original on 27 January 2015. Retrieved 28 January 2015.
  2. ^ "Gen Blue downed by Tonga A in Pacific Rugby Cup". Waratahs Rugby. 13 March 2014. Archived from the original on 27 January 2015. Retrieved 28 January 2015.
  3. ^ Match 2 Report Fiji Live.
  4. ^ Fiji lose but claim Punjas Series Archived 2015-02-02 at the Wayback Machine

External links[edit]