Tonga players sing their national anthems prior to the rugby league international Test match between Australia and Tonga at Mt Smart Stadium in Auckland on October 20, 2018. (Photo by Fiona Goodall / AFP) (Photo credit should read FIONA GOODALL/AFP/Getty Images)
The Tonga National Rugby League has been given just one week to appeal a decision that will see them expelled by the International Rugby League.
A dispute that started last year between the federation and the Tongan playing group has still not been resolved.
In October, the TNRL sacked national team head coach Kristian Woolf, appointing Frank Endacott and Garth Brennan as replacements amid issues with finances and resources.
These events saw key players such as Andrew Fifita and Jason Taumalolo threaten to boycott the end of season Test matches and the World Cup Nines. This situation was avoided however, with players participating in a 'Invitational XIII' side that achieved historic wins over Australia and Great Britain.
Tonga were notified of their expulsion on Monday with the IRL releasing a statement that read "At its board meeting on 13 February, the directors carefully considered the position of Tonga National Rugby League, which has been suspended since October 2019, in the light of a wide-ranging consultation with stakeholders in the Tongan game."
"After that meeting, the board wrote to TNRL, advising them of the resolution passed at that meeting, which is to expel TNRL from the membership. There is a process within the IRL constitution for dealing with membership issues, which IRL is following. TNRL has one week to appeal the board's decision."
The TNRL has one week to appeal the decision, with the issue to be adjudicated by IRL members if TNRL choose to do so.
A potential expulsion could pose issues for Tonga's future as a Test power, following their emergence as a force in international rugby at the 2017 World Cup.