An end-of-season Test match between the Kangaroos and Tonga is set to be rubber-stamped
THE NZRL had been bullish in blocking the Tonga-Australia Test on October 20 due to a fear that it would impact the gate-takings of the Kiwis clash with the Kangaroos in Auckland one week earlier.
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THEY were the story of last year’s World Cup.
Now Tonga are on the verge of being handed a ticket to deliver one of rugby league’s greatest upsets by beating world champions Australia.
A historic end-of-season Test match between the Kangaroos and Tonga is set to be rubber-stamped after the New Zealand Rugby League hierarchy were hauled across the Tasman to League Central on Wednesday.
In a major win for international rugby league, NRL boss Todd Greenberg had NZRL chief executive Greg Peters and NZRL chairman Cameron McGregor fly the 4,000km round-trip from Auckland to Sydney for a landmark meeting that has saved the one-off Test from being overlooked.
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The NZRL had been bullish in blocking the Tonga-Australia Test on October 20 due to a fear that it would impact the gate-takings of the Kiwis clash with the Kangaroos in Auckland one week earlier, on October 13.
However, The Daily Telegraph has learned Greenberg has been unwilling to let the opportunity slip.
In the meeting, he reminded the NZRL of their responsibility to grow the appeal and interest of the international game — which means helping support and host what will be a hugely anticipated first-ever Test match between the tier-two ranked Tonga and world No. 1, Australia.
Greenberg said on Thursday that he hopes to confirm details of the Test match next week.
“I met yesterday with some representatives of the New Zealand Rugby League,’’ Greenberg said.
“I’m very keen to see that game played at the end of the year. I can’t stand today and tell you that it will be.
“There’s been a number of discussions over the last, probably two months.
“But I hope to give you some good news on that in the next week.’’
News that the clash is closer than ever before will stir the emotions of every Tongan player, including Jason Taumalolo, Andrew Fifita, Michael Jennings and Will Hopoate, who earlier this year pledged their allegiance to their home-nation.
“It is massive,” Tonga coach Kristian Woolf said.
“There are so many positives.
“It is the first time Tonga has ever had the opportunity to play Australia.
“It is also a very just reward for those guys who did make the sacrifice, that we as a game are going to look after them and give them some opportunities, if they are willing to make that kind of sacrifice by committing to a tier-two nation.”
The appeal of Tonga facing Australia has gained strong momentum ever since the island nation’s stirring performance to reach the semi-finals of last year’s World Cup.
Kangaroos coach Mal Meninga has been a vocal supporter of wanting the Test to happen.
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And given the changing of the guard within the Kangaroos, following the representative retirement of Cameron Smith, Johnathan Thurston, Cooper Cronk and Billy Slater, Tonga will tackle Australia confident they can cause what would be considered one of the international game’s greatest upsets.
“We have made no secret that we want those opportunities so we have to take them now and make sure that we perform,” Woolf said.
“One thing I do want to do is thank Todd Greenberg for the efforts he has put in.
It could have died a week ago but he has kept it on the bite.
“And if he has been able to find some common ground with New Zealand I can’t applaud them enough either, in terms of it is a very unselfish move if they are going to allow us to play Australia over there.
“This is a game that is going to generate so much interest.”
ARL chairman Peter Beattie said the rugby league commission were intent on helping the fixture go ahead.
“The commission is enthusiastically supportive of Todd’s position on it — we want that (Test match) to happen,’’ Beattie said.
“If it doesn’t happen, it won’t be through a want of trying on our part.’’