NRL Pacific Championships live: Kangaroos regain trophy with win over Tonga; Jillaroos demolish Kiwi Ferns

The Kangaroos have regained the Pacific Championships trophy, narrowly avoiding one of the all-time international rugby league upsets despite controversial late try to Tonga.

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The year started with a historic double-header in Las Vegas, then we saw Michael Maguire’s Blues produce an epic comeback to defeat the Maroons, before the Panthers completed an improbable four-peat.

But after one of the best years we’ve seen, this was rugby league’s red-letter day as Australia’s sheer brilliance proved too strong for Tonga’s passion as the Kangaroos proved their status as the best team in the world with a 20-14 win to clinch the Pacific Cup.

CommBank Stadium was a sea of red on Sunday as Tongan supporters flooded Parramatta to see their team produce a second upset in as many weeks following their epic win over New Zealand.

The greatest fairy tale of 2024 almost produced a Disney ending with Tonga taking a shock early lead when Sione Katoa finished off some beautiful work on his inside by Isaiya Katoa.

The Kangaroos quickly took control to establish a 20-4 lead, but no one told the Tongan fans or players that it was over, with back-rowers Haumole Olakau’atu and Eliesa Katoa crossing to set up a grandstand finish.

They then had to survive a Xavier Coates Superman dive that wasn’t quite as effective as his absurd effort against the Warriors, but they couldn’t take advantage of one final opportunity as the hosts held on to avenge last year’s embarrassing loss to the Kiwis in the final.

Tom Dearden claimed Player of the Match honours. Picture: Matt King/Getty Images

Tom Trbojevic was never far from the action. Picture: Matt King/Getty Images

TOMMY TIME

It’s a good thing Jerry wasn’t around because the Toms were scheming up a storm on Sunday as Dearden and Trbojevic tortured Tonga down both edges.

Dearden has become the main man at the Cowboys and will one day be Queensland’s chief playmaker, and this was his greatest day in green and gold as the five-eighth proved unstoppable with three try assists.

It was his break that got the Kangaroos back on level terms when he set up Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow, before be broke through again to set up Trbojevic for his first of the afternoon.

The Sea Eagles superstar had a couple of tries disallowed either side of halftime, but he wouldn’t be denied a third time when Dearden busted a tackle and linked up with Trbojevic who strolled over two minutes into the second half.

This is beyond special. What a moment pic.twitter.com/6C2VIespzx

— Martin Gabor (@MartinJGabor) November 10, 2024

RED ARMY

Thank you Tonga for making international rugby league great again.

It started with Jason Taumalolo and Andrew Fifita in 2017 when they decided to represent Tonga at the World Cup, and that gesture sparked a revolution which led to the incredible scenes in Sydney on Sunday.

A thunderous Sipi Tau before the game set the tone for a magical afternoon before Addin Fonua-Blake carried four defenders with his charge from the kick-off.

The Tongan fans were tremendous. Picture: NRL

The hymns were sung proudly and the flags were waved furiously, with most of the 28,728 fans there to see Tonga shock the world.

And they very nearly did it, with Eliesa Katoa dropping one over the line while they had another try ruled out for obstruction.

They’ll learn from those costly errors over the next few years, with their forward pack and a gifted halfback more than enough for them to challenge Australia at the World Cup in a couple of years.

Earlier, the Jillaroos completed their revenge mission with a commanding victory over the Kiwi Ferns to claim the Women’s Pacific Cup.

But there’s more football to come when the Kiwis take on the PNG Kumuls in the promotion-relegation game at 6:20pm.

Originally published as NRL Pacific Championships live: Kangaroos regain trophy with win over Tonga; Jillaroos demolish Kiwi Ferns