Head coach Tevita Tuʻifua will have plenty of experience to call on as Tonga look to reach the knockout phase for the first time in Australia.
Tonga have never made it beyond the pool stage in nine Men’s Rugby World Cup appearances and will almost certainly have to beat one of England or Wales to reach the knockout phase for the first time in Australia.
But the ‘Ikale Tahi should not be under-estimated. They are rich in talent, some of it reared in Australia and New Zealand as a result of economic migration.
Coach Tevita Tuʻifua will hope to select former All Blacks Malakai Fekitoa, Salesi Piutau and Vaea Fifita, and Champions Cup-winning ex-Wallaby Adam Coleman, who are all performing well in the later stages of their careers.
Tuʻifua also has the inimitable Ben Tameifuna as his totem among a clutch of players seasoned in the top European leagues.
Players to watch
Ben Tameifuna
Defies what should be possible with a near-150kg body. Tameifuna is nearer the end of his career than the start, yet shows extraordinary dynamism and anaerobic fitness levels for his age and size.
As well as using his size to dominating effect, he can drop goals from the touchline and offload like a centre. The tight-head prop was raised in Auckland and won successive Super Rugby titles with Dave Rennie’s Chiefs before moving to France in 2015.
He claimed a Top 14 winners’ medal in his first season with Racing 92 and has gone on to become a local hero in Bordeaux, where he has played since 2020 and helped the club win their first Champions Cup in 2025. Firmly in the conversation for a World XV.
Solomone Kata
A dual-code, dual-country international who has also played in the Rugby League World Cup. Kata represented Tonga and New Zealand in the 13-man game before returning to union in 2020.
Kata’s direct midfield running is his USP, and he has been one of the Prem’s most dominant midfield prospects since moving to England in 2022. Currently at Leicester Tigers, none of his club-mates or league opponents will relish the prospect of Kata steaming down their channel when Tonga meet England in their pool opener.
Patrick Pellegrini
A vital presence at fly-half, Pellegrini, who has English, Australian, Italian and Tongan heritage, was playing in England’s second tier with Coventry when he received a late call-up to the RWC 2023 squad.
He played in three of Tonga's four pool matches, scoring one of their three tries against champions South Africa, and joined Moana Pasifika in 2024, going on to become the franchise’s front-line fly-half.
RWC icon
Jonah Lomu was extremely proud of his Tongan roots, while Tongan Australians Willie Ofahengaue and Toutai Kefu lifted the Webb Ellis Cup in the Wallabies jersey, while the already mentioned Fekitoa did likewise wearing black. Nili Latu, one of Tonga’s ultimate heroes, commands immense respect, too.
But Sonatane Takulua has long been a figurehead for his country. The ex-Newcastle and Toulon scrum-half was the first Tongan to hit 50 caps and holds his nation’s record for appearances (63) and tries (18). He has been playing in the Pro D2 since 2022 with Agen and Carcassonne.
RWC cult hero
Back-row Finau Maka shone at Rugby World Cup 2007 with his raw strength and instantly recognisable curly mop. His ball-carrying came to the fore in a physical clash with Pacific foes Samoa in the pool phase. Was named captain in 2011 and led Tonga to their storied triumph over France, running over French playmaker Morgan Parra.
Maka’s eight caps were won exclusively during those two Rugby World Cups as he largely focused his efforts on club rugby, winning three European Cups and a Top 14 title with Toulouse.
The Tonga side at RWC 2011 was coached by Maka’s elder brother, Isitolo, a four-cap All Black who had a similarly fierce reputation.
Head coach
Tevita Tuʻifua took charge in 2024 having climbed the Tongan coaching ladder after a period in charge of the national sevens team when they came close to achieving core status on the HSBC SVNS Series.
Tuʻifua was a powerful wing in his playing days, representing the ‘Ikale Tahi at two Rugby World Cups and on the sevens circuit while playing provincial rugby in New Zealand. He was supported in 2025 by experienced former Georgia head coach Milton Haig, with legendary ex-captain Nili Latu, and shrewd operators Pauliasi Manu and Dan Halangahu also on his staff.
Most memorable match
Four years before Japan’s ‘Miracle of Brighton’, Tonga’s victory over France at RWC 2011 was probably the biggest Men’s Rugby World Cup shock of all time. The 19-14 scoreline could have been much more comfortable had Tonga made more of their incisive attack and glut of pressure.
Kurt Morath, his country’s top RWC points scorer, did the damage with his boot from the tee and in open play as his cross-kick set up Sukanaivalu Hufanga for a powerful finish. The wild celebrations in the aftermath were perhaps tinged with regret that Tonga had been pipped by Canada earlier in the pool and were out of the running for the quarter-finals.
France, whose lone try came in the last minute, stumbled into the last eight and eventually lost a tense final to New Zealand, but this was, emphatically, Tonga’s day.
Pool journey
2 October, 2027 v England (Brisbane | Meeanjin)
8 October v Wales (Melbourne | Narrm)
15 October v Zimbabwe (Townsville | Gurambilbarra)
Did you know...?
Former Wallaby Sitaleki Timani became Tonga’s oldest player and the fourth oldest man to make an international debut when he won his first cap in 2025 at the age of 39. The oldest male debutant in test rugby was 49-year-old Rob Adams, who made his bow for Norway earlier that year.
RWC history
Pool stage (9) – 1987, 1995, 1999, 2003, 2007, 2011, 2015, 2019, 2023
How they qualified for RWC 2027
Tonga won a crucial Pacific Nations Cup 2025 match against rivals Samoa to reach the tournament semi-finals and seal their place in Australia.
Key stat
Tonga have picked up 19 yellow cards and four red cards in Men’s Rugby World Cups. Their total of 23 is the most of any side in competition history.
RWC Fast facts
- RWC debut: 1987
- RWC best finish: Pool stage
- Most RWC appearances: Sione Kalamafoni, Sione Piutau, Sonatane Takulua (12)
- Top RWC try scorer: Telusa Veainu (five)
- Top RWC points scorer: Kurt Morath (73)
