Full-strength Tonga ready for end-of-season tests

Tonga has named a full-strength Invitational XIII squad to face Australia and Great Britain.

Coach Kristian Woolf has selected a squad including 17 players who featured at the 2017 Rugby League World Cup including Jason Taumalolo, Andrew Fifita, David Fusitu'a, William Hopoate and Daniel Tupou.

Coach Kristian Woolf said he is delighted to have assembled a squad that can challenge some of the best nations on the planet.

"This is a great opportunity for us to go up against two of the best teams in the world," Woolf said.

"Australia are the top-ranked team on the planet, and we also get to face the Great Britain League Lions, an outfit that has not been together since 2007.

"But not only will these Tests be historic, they will be about uniting a country – all our team members want to do is make the wonderful people of Tonga proud."

Taumalolo said that the whole team is delighted to be able to play these big games and concentrate on preparing for them.

"I'm excited to be getting back into camp with my teammates now we have certainty that we will be playing these two Test matches," said Taumalolo.

"The best possible team will be taking the field and we know our match against Great Britain in Hamilton will be incredibly competitive. Then we get the chance to have another go at Australia in Auckland during the Triple Header on November 2.

"We are pumped and focused on these two major games and have plenty of motivation to play our best.

"So I just want to say to our Tongan fans - thank you for sticking by us. We love you and can't wait to put on our jersey and do you proud.

"You are truly the best fans in the world, and we are very grateful for your patience. We can't wait to witness the 'sea of red' back again in Hamilton, and let's show the world we can fill up Eden Park."

Tonga Invitational XIII to contest the Great Britain League Lions Tour and Oceania Cup