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International rugby league in 2015

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 () International rugby league in 2015  ()
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The 2015 Pacific Rugby League International was split into two games. The first was the Melanesian Cup between Papua New Guinea and Fiji. The second was the Polynesian Cup between Samoa and Tonga.

Results

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Melanesian Cup

[edit]
2015 (2015) Melanesian Cup  ()
12 Total
PNG 010 10
FIJ 184 22
Date2 May 2015
StadiumCbus Super Stadium
LocationRobina, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
Man of the MatchFiji Marika Koroibete
RefereeAustralia Matt Cecchin
Broadcast partners
Broadcasters
Commentators

On 24 December 2014 it was announced that Papua New Guinea would play Fiji and Samoa would play Tonga as part of a 2015 Pacific test double header. The 2015 Melanesian Cup was played between Papua New Guinea and Fiji.

With a half-time lead of 18 points, Fiji beat Papua New Guinea to win the Melanesian Cup title[1] by score of 22–10. Fiji's Marika Koroibete won the player of the match award, scoring 2 tries. Papua New Guinea has not won a test-match on away soil since the 2000 Rugby League World Cup.

Fiji picked 6 débutantes for the test match, while Papua New Guinea also featured six players making their first ever International appearance. Both teams had NRL, Queensland or New South Wales Cup, and domestic club players. Papua New Guinea's most experienced players were Nene MacDonald, Ray Thompson, and Tyson Martin making their 4th appearance, while Fiji's most experienced player was captain Jason Bukuya making his 10th appearance.

Papua New Guinea Hunters' Israel Eliab captained his team, and Cronulla's Jason Bukuya led Fiji.

Match details

[edit]
2 May 2015
Papua New Guinea  10 – 22  Fiji
Try: Trnka 52'
S Albert 68' c
Goal: Damen (0/1)
Zeming (1/1) 69'
Video
Try: Bukuya 20' c
Koroibete (2) 28' c, 34' c
Goodall 76'
Goal: Koroisau (3/3) 22', 29', 35'
Wiliame (0/1)
FB 1 Josh Damen
WG 2 Nene MacDonald
CE 3 Thompson Teteh
CE 4 Kato Ottio
WG 5 Matt Trnka
FE 6 Israel Eliab (c)
HB 7 Noel Zeming
PR 8 Stanton Albert
HK 9 Ray Thompson
PR 10 Wellington Albert
SR 11 Rhyse Martin
SR 12 Tyson Martin
LL 13 Luke Page
Substitutions:
BE 14 Wartovo Puara
BE 15 Willie Minoga
BE 16 Brandy Peter
BE 17 Adam Korave
Coach:
Australia Mal Meninga
FB 1 Kevin Naiqama
WG 2 Marika Koroibete
CE 3 Fabian Goodall
CE 4 Brayden Wiliame
WG 5 Eto Nabuli
FE 6 Daryl Millard
HB 7 Ryan Millard
PR 8 Eloni Vunakece
HK 9 Apisai Koroisau
PR 16 Tikiko Noke
SR 11 Jayson Bukuya (c)
SR 12 Jacob Saifiti
LK 13 Korbin Sims
Substitutions:
BE 10 Daniel Saifiti
BE 14 Tyrone Phillips
BE 15 Viliame Kikau
BE 17 Osea Sadrau
Coach:
Australia Rick Stone

Polynesian Cup

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2015 (2015) Polynesian Cup  ()
12 Total
SAM 108 18
TON 412 16
Date2 May 2015
StadiumCbus Super Stadium
LocationRobina, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
Man of the MatchSamoa Sam Kasiano
RefereeAustralia Ben Cummins
Attendance12,336
Broadcast partners
Broadcasters
Commentators

On 24 December 2014 it was announced that Papua New Guinea would play Fiji and Samoa would play Tonga in the 2015 Pacific test double header. The 2015 Polynesian Cup was played between Samoa and Tonga.

Samoa beat Tonga to win the Polynesian Cup title.[2] No more than a 6-point margin separated the teams throughout the game. In the 77th minute a try-saving tackle was made on Tonga's Jorge Tafua. He attempted to dive into the corner to score his hat-trick only to be knocked into touch with a hit by Samoan forward Sam Kasiano. The Samoans won the game, 18–16.

Samoa picked two débutantes for the test match, while Tonga featured four. Both teams' players were National Rugby League-based players except for Samoa's Michael Sio, who plays for Queensland Cup team Mackay Cutters. Samoa's most capped player was Daniel Vidot who made his 10th appearance, while Tonga's most experienced player was Richard Fa'aoso who also made his 10th appearance.

Match details

[edit]
2 May 2015
Samoa  18 – 16  Tonga
Try: McGuire 24' c
Vidot 37'
Pritchard 56'
Peyroux 70'
Goal: Simona (1/4) 26'
Video
Try: Tafua (2) 28', 48'
S Manu 52' c
Goal: Langi (0/2)
Kata (2/2) 53', 65'
Cbus Super Stadium, Gold Coast
Attendance: 12,336
Referee: Australia Ben Cummins
Player of the Match: Sam Kasiano (Samoa)
FB 1 Tautau Moga
WG 2 Pat Mata'utia
CE 3 Joseph Leilua
CE 4 Ricky Leutele
WG 5 Daniel Vidot
FE 6 Carlos Tuimavave
HB 7 Tim Simona
PR 8 Sam Kasiano
HK 9 Josh McGuire
PR 10 Sauaso Sue
SR 11 Leeson Ah Mau
SR 12 Frank Pritchard (c)
LK 13 Isaac Liu
Substitutions:
BE 15 Dunamis Lui
BE 16 Sam Lisone
BE 17 Dominique Peyroux
BE 18 Michael Sio
Coach:
Australia Matt Parish
FB 1 Tuimoala Lolohea
WG 2 Jorge Taufua
CE 3 Konrad Hurrell
CE 5 Mahe Fonua
WG 14 Sosaia Feki
FE 6 Samisoni Langi
HB 4 Solomone Kata
PR 8 Richard Fa'aoso
HK 9 Pat Politoni
PR 10 Peni Terepo
SR 11 Sika Manu (c)
SR 12 Manu Ma'u
LK 13 Sio Siua Taukeiaho
Substitutions:
BE 7 Joel Luani
BE 15 Ben Murdoch-Masila
BE 16 Felise Kaufusi
BE 17 Albert Vete
Coach:
Australia Kristian Woolf

ANZAC Test

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The 2015 Anzac Test was a rugby league test match played between Australia and New Zealand at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane. It was the 16th Anzac Test played between the two nations under the Super League banner since 1997. Both sides were announced on 26 April.[3][4] The game was originally scheduled to take place on 1 May, but it was postponed due to weather[5] until May 3.


2017 Rugby League World Cup qualification – Asia-Pacific play-off

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On October 17, Tonga had a one-off battle with the Cook Islands in the Asia-Pacific qualifying playoff for the 2017 Rugby League World Cup. The Tongans only led by 4 at the break before running away in the second half scoring 3 tries in the last 20 minutes of the game.

Before the game Tongan coach, Kristian Woolf, noted how players eligible for second-tier nations such as Tonga and Samoa were punished if they pursued an opportunity with an Australian or New Zealand Test or Origin squad. He made the complaint after Tongan internationals Sio Siua Taukeiaho and Tuimoala Lolohea played for the Kiwis in their end-of-year test series against England. Now, Tonga can't pick these two players until a 2-year period has passed. Woolf said "Some flexibility in those rules would certainly help in terms of helping your tier two nations becoming more competitive with your first-tier nations."[6]

Other matches

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3 October 2015
Niue 44 – 22 Cook Islands
Report
Sydney
17 October 2015
20:00
Tonga  28–8  Cook Islands
Report
Campbelltown Stadium, Sydney
Attendance: 4,813

References

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  1. ^ "Koroibete delights in Fiji win over PNG". Nrl.com. Retrieved 2 May 2015.
  2. ^ "Tonga torpedoed by flying Kasiano". Nrl.com. Retrieved 3 May 2015.
  3. ^ "Kangaroos side to face Kiwis named". NRL.com. 26 April 2015.
  4. ^ "Kiwis name Test squads". NRL.com. 26 April 2015.
  5. ^ "Anzac Test postponed". NRL.com. 1 May 2015.
  6. ^ "Pacific rising: Call to loosen eligibility". nrl.com. Retrieved 17 October 2015.