2017 Rugby League World Cup qualification (Asia-Pacific play-off)

2017 (2017) RLWC qualification
(Asia-Pacific play-off)  ()
1 2 Total
TON 12 16 28
COK 8 0 8
Date 17 October 2015
Stadium Campbelltown Stadium
Location Campbelltown, New South Wales, Australia
Man of the Match Tonga Solomone Kata
Referee Australia Gerard Sutton
Attendance 4,813
Broadcast partner
Broadcaster NRL.com & asiapacificrl.com (Livestream)
Commentators Tony Dowson, Peter Mulholland

The 2017 Rugby League World Cup Asia-Pacific qualification play-off was a rugby league match that was played on 17 October 2015 at Campbelltown Stadium in Australia. Tonga defeated the Cook Islands 28-8 to qualify for the 2017 Rugby League World Cup.

Overview

On 3 October 2014, the 2017 Rugby League World Cup qualifying competition was announced. Seven of the eight teams who made the knockout-stages of the 2013 Rugby League World Cup were announced as automatic qualifiers, which included New Zealand, Australia, Samoa and Fiji.[1]

In October 2015, Papua New Guinea was announced a co-host of the 2017 World Cup and granted automatic qualification.[2] It was confirmed that Tonga would take on the Cook Islands in a one-off game for the 2017 World Cup with the playing date later being confirmed as 17 October 2015.[3] The game was held at Campbelltown Stadium in Campbelltown, Australia.

Squads

Both teams picked preliminary train-on squads that had NRL and Super League experience.[4][5]

Tonga

The Tongan squad as of 24 September 2015 is as follows:

Club Team Players
Australia Burleigh Bears Nafe Seluini
Australia Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs Danny Fualalo, Antonio Kaufusi
France Catalans Dragons Michael Oldfield
Australia Cronulla Sharks David Fifita, Malakai Houma, Saulala Houma, Pat Politoni, Anthony Tupou
Australia Gold Coast Titans Leva Li
England Huddersfield Giants Ukuma Ta'ai
England Hull F.C. Mickey Paea
England Leigh Centurions Fuifui Moimoi
Australia Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles Tony Satini, Jorge Taufua, Siosaia Vave
New Zealand New Zealand Warriors David Fusitu'a, Siliva Havili, Sebastine Ikahihifo, Sione Lousi, John Palavi, Albert Vete
Australia Parramatta Eels John Folau, Peni Terepo, Vai Toutai
Australia Penrith Panthers Daniel Foster, Leilani Latu, Sika Manu, Ben Murdoch-Masila, Malakai Watene-Zelezniak
Australia Redcliffe Dolphins Charlie Faingaa
England St Helens Atelea Vea
Australia Sydney Roosters Willie Manu, Vaha Pulu
Australia Wests Tigers Sitaleki Akauola, Asipeli Fine, Salesi Funaki, Delouise Hoeter, Joel Luani

Cook Islands

The Cook Islands squad as of 24 September 2015 is as follows:

Club Team Players
Australia Brisbane Broncos Francis Molo
Australia Canberra Raiders Ezra Howe, Jordan Rapana
Australia Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs Makahesi Makatoa
Australia Cronulla Sharks Tinirau Arona
England Halifax Adam Tangata
Australia Melbourne Storm Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, Aaron Teroi
Australia Narellan Jets Drury Low
Australia Parramatta Eels Eric Newbigging
Australia Penrith Panthers Tupou Sopoaga
Australia South Sydney Rabbitohs Wallace Tangiiti
Australia Sydney Roosters Reuben Porter
Australia Wentworthville Magpies Fred Pakutoa
Australia West Belconnen Warriors John Papalii
Australia Wests Tigers Esan Marsters, Chance Peni
England Wigan Warriors Anthony Gelling

Qualifier

Tonga picked 4 débutantes, while the Cook Islands featured eleven. The Tongan team consisted of National Rugby League based players except for Mosese Pangai and Ukuma Ta’ai, who play in the Queensland Cup for the Townsville Blackhawks and the Super League for the Huddersfield Giants respectively.[6] The Cook Islands team consisted mainly of players who play at reserve grade or youth levels for their respective NRL clubs, only 4 players in the lineup have played first grade this season either in the NRL or in the Super League.[7] Tonga's most capped player is Ukuma Ta’ai who made his 8th appearance for his country, while the Cook Islands' most experienced players are Drury Low, Anthony Gelling and Johnathon Ford who all made their 6th appearance for their nation.

Penrith's Sika Manu captained Tonga, and Canberra's Jordan Rapana led the Cook Islands.

Match details

17 October 2015
Tonga  28 – 8  Cook Islands
Try: Tafua 13' c
Fonua 34' c
Kata (2) 63', 68' c
Terepo 74' c
Goal: Kata (4/5) 14', 35', 69', 75'
Report Try: Nicoll-Klokstad 4'
Gelling 23'


Goal: Rapana (0/2)
Campbelltown Stadium, Campbelltown
Attendance: 4,813
Referee/s: Australia Gerard Sutton
Man of the Match: Solomone Kata (Tonga)
FB 1 Solomone Kata
RW 2 Jorge Taufua
RC 3 Mahe Fonua
LC 4 Mosese Pangai
LW 5 Delouise Hoeter
SO 6 Pat Politoni
SH 7 Daniel Foster
PR 8 Albert Vete
HK 9 Joel Luani
PR 10 Peni Terepo
SR 11 Sika Manu (c)
SR 12 Manu Ma'u
LF 13 Joe Ofahengaue
Substitutions:
IC 14 Nafe Seluini
IC 15 Ukuma Ta’ai
IC 16 Ben Murdoch-Masila
IC 18 David Fifita (came in as a late replacement for Leilani Latu)
Coach:
Australia Kristian Woolf
FB 1 Jordan Rapana
RW 2 Drury Low
RC 3 Anthony Gelling
LC 4 Chance Peni
LW 5 Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad
FE 6 Johnathon Ford (c)
HB 7 Wallace Tangiiti
PR 8 Uiti Baker
HK 9 Aaron Teroi
PR 10 Sam Mataora
SR 11 Esan Marsters
SR 12 Makahesi Makatoa
LK 13 Francis Molo
Substitutions:
IC 14 Carne Doyle-Manga
IC 15 Vincent Rennie
IC 16 Vinny Ngaro
IC 17 Fred Pakutoa
Coach:
New Zealand Alex Chan

With the win, Tonga qualified for the 2017 World Cup.[8]

References

  1. QUALIFICATION DETAILS FOR 2017 RUGBY LEAGUE WORLD CUP ANNOUNCED, rlef.eu.com, 3 August 2014
  2. Papua New Guinea to co-host Rugby League World Cup, dailytelegraph.com.au, 8 October 2015
  3. Date set for Cook Islands-Tonga play-off for Rugby League World Cup spot, abc.net.au, 13 August 2015
  4. Tonga name preliminary train-on squad, nrl.com, 25 September 2015
  5. Cook Islands train-on squad named, nrl.com, 25 September 2015
  6. Tonga finalise squad for World Cup Qualifier, asiapacificrl.com, 9 October 2015
  7. Cook Islands finalise squad for World Cup Qualifier, asiapacificrl.com, 10 October 2015
  8. "Tonga qualify for 2017 World Cup". NRL.com. 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
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